Pay distribution $63,530 10th $71,910 25th $98,540 75th $119,240 90th
Half of Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers in the Washington metro area earn more than $84,000 per year, half earn less; the middle half earn between $71,910 and $98,540.
Wage percentiles (BLS OEWS) Wage 10th 25th Median 75th 90th Annual $63,530 $71,910 $84,000 $98,540 $119,240 Hourly $30.54 $34.57 $40.39 $47.38 $57.33
A percentile is a cut point: 25% of workers in this occupation and area earn less than the 25th-percentile wage. The median is the 50th percentile — half earn less, half earn more.
How this area compares Washington metro areathis metro area
$84,000 median for Washington metro area; middle half earns $71,910 to $98,540
$88,650 median for District of Columbia; middle half earns $77,210 to $107,360
$76,210 median for United States; middle half earns $59,290 to $97,600
Bars span the 25th–75th percentile (the middle half of workers); the tick marks the median.
The median here is −5% vs District of Columbia overall and +10% vs the U.S. median for this occupation.
Where this metro sits nationally $28,560 $64,420 $100,280 $136,140 Aguadilla, PR — $28,560 Guayama, PR — $29,410 Ponce, PR — $30,830 Arecibo, PR — $33,070 Hammond, LA — $40,560 Alexandria, LA — $43,980 Hattiesburg, MS — $44,080 Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA — $44,320 Hot Springs, AR — $44,850 Anniston-Oxford, AL — $44,890 Joplin, MO-KS — $45,460 San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR — $45,510 Johnson City, TN — $46,560 Goldsboro, NC — $46,570 Macon-Bibb County, GA — $46,630 Valdosta, GA — $46,960 Mobile, AL — $47,000 Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA — $47,790 Gulfport-Biloxi, MS — $48,050 Fayetteville, NC — $48,160 Gadsden, AL — $48,340 Montgomery, AL — $48,490 Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA — $48,620 Baton Rouge, LA — $48,710 Florence, SC — $48,710 Morristown, TN — $48,710 New Orleans-Metairie, LA — $48,970 Jackson, MS — $49,160 Jonesboro, AR — $49,570 Lafayette, LA — $49,900 Columbus, GA-AL — $49,990 Monroe, LA — $50,670 Fort Smith, AR-OK — $51,070 Chattanooga, TN-GA — $51,330 Manhattan, KS — $52,220 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC — $52,260 Warner Robins, GA — $52,950 Jackson, TN — $53,320 Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR — $53,420 Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL — $53,510 Wilmington, NC — $53,520 Albany, GA — $53,710 Terre Haute, IN — $54,500 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR — $54,840 Lawton, OK — $54,870 Sumter, SC — $54,940 Morgantown, WV — $55,010 Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH — $55,140 Parkersburg-Vienna, WV — $55,540 Victoria, TX — $55,820 Cape Girardeau, MO-IL — $56,010 Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL — $56,010 Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH — $56,130 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA — $56,250 Lake Charles, LA — $56,290 Knoxville, TN — $56,380 Enid, OK — $56,510 Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA — $56,640 Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL — $56,720 Brownsville-Harlingen, TX — $56,820 Spartanburg, SC — $57,030 Decatur, AL — $57,120 Texarkana, TX-AR — $57,180 Greenville, NC — $57,190 Winston-Salem, NC — $57,440 Charleston, WV — $57,460 Clarksville, TN-KY — $57,610 Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC — $57,780 Beckley, WV — $57,980 Hinesville, GA — $58,060 Asheville, NC — $58,090 Lynchburg, VA — $58,150 St. Joseph, MO-KS — $58,170 Harrisonburg, VA — $58,260 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX — $58,360 Wheeling, WV-OH — $58,380 Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC — $58,390 Springfield, MO — $58,460 Sebring, FL — $58,520 Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC — $58,560 Salisbury, MD — $58,580 Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL — $58,750 Cleveland, TN — $58,800 Pocatello, ID — $58,840 Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL — $58,860 Winchester, VA-WV — $58,960 Elizabethtown, KY — $59,030 Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL — $59,130 Dothan, AL — $59,210 Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC — $59,240 Johnstown, PA — $59,240 Columbia, SC — $59,260 Youngstown-Warren, OH — $59,310 Jacksonville, NC — $59,540 Mansfield, OH — $59,560 Tuscaloosa, AL — $59,670 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC — $59,690 Paducah, KY-IL — $59,730 Jefferson City, MO — $59,860 Roanoke, VA — $59,900 Savannah, GA — $59,930 Saginaw, MI — $60,070 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC — $60,100 Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ — $60,110 Dalton, GA — $60,130 Shreveport-Bossier City, LA — $60,130 Minot, ND — $60,210 Auburn-Opelika, AL — $60,230 Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL — $60,320 Utica-Rome, NY — $60,510 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL — $60,520 Bowling Green, KY — $60,550 Charleston-North Charleston, SC — $60,570 Birmingham, AL — $60,590 Athens-Clarke County, GA — $60,710 Las Cruces, NM — $60,720 Greensboro-High Point, NC — $60,830 Wichita, KS — $60,840 Charlottesville, VA — $60,880 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA — $60,910 Eagle Pass, TX — $61,050 Gainesville, GA — $61,400 Mayaguez, PR — $61,440 Owensboro, KY — $61,560 San Angelo, TX — $61,610 Lexington-Fayette, KY — $61,720 Idaho Falls, ID — $61,880 Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC — $62,070 Columbia, MO — $62,080 Twin Falls, ID — $62,150 Lima, OH — $62,170 Farmington, NM — $62,200 Richmond, VA — $62,720 Rocky Mount, NC — $62,750 Kansas City, MO-KS — $62,960 Logan, UT-ID — $62,970 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL — $63,010 Gainesville, FL — $63,050 Springfield, OH — $63,120 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC — $63,190 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN — $63,220 Bismarck, ND — $63,230 Lawrence, KS — $63,380 Topeka, KS — $63,920 Muncie, IN — $64,040 Tulsa, OK — $64,190 Flint, MI — $64,320 Canton-Massillon, OH — $64,340 Huntsville, AL — $64,550 Jackson, MI — $65,160 Elmira, NY — $65,180 Monroe, MI — $65,300 Yuma, AZ — $65,510 Rapid City, SD — $65,620 Burlington, NC — $65,700 Raleigh-Cary, NC — $65,860 Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV — $66,020 Traverse City, MI — $66,080 Michigan City-La Porte, IN — $66,460 Lewiston-Auburn, ME — $66,530 Niles, MI — $66,610 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL — $66,700 Williamsport, PA — $66,710 Tallahassee, FL — $67,200 Vineland, NJ — $67,510 Bloomington, IN — $68,170 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL — $68,550 Kingston, NY — $68,730 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN — $68,780 Trenton-Princeton, NJ — $69,160 Punta Gorda, FL — $69,700 Killeen-Temple, TX — $70,240 State College, PA — $70,510 Sandusky, OH — $70,550 Altoona, PA — $70,560 Chambersburg, PA — $70,670 Longview, TX — $70,800 Bay City, MI — $71,020 Bangor, ME — $71,340 Billings, MT — $72,070 Dubuque, IA — $72,170 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA — $72,210 Kokomo, IN — $72,300 Tyler, TX — $72,400 Columbus, IN — $72,500 Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ — $72,500 Battle Creek, MI — $72,780 Evansville, IN — $72,800 Wildwood-The Villages, FL — $72,980 Naples-Marco Island, FL — $73,040 Wichita Falls, TX — $73,110 St. Louis, MO-IL — $73,240 Elkhart-Goshen, IN — $73,370 Albuquerque, NM — $73,380 Corpus Christi, TX — $73,400 Amherst Town-Northampton, MA — $73,480 Ocala, FL — $73,570 Portland-South Portland, ME — $73,600 Toledo, OH — $73,650 Grand Island, NE — $73,710 Glens Falls, NY — $73,800 Ames, IA — $73,840 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX — $73,860 Manchester-Nashua, NH — $73,960 Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ — $74,030 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN — $74,050 Janesville-Beloit, WI — $74,220 Bozeman, MT — $74,320 Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN — $74,320 Burlington-South Burlington, VT — $74,400 Ann Arbor, MI — $74,410 Homosassa Springs, FL — $74,450 Grand Forks, ND-MN — $74,500 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX — $74,570 Santa Fe, NM — $74,640 Akron, OH — $74,650 Sherman-Denison, TX — $74,680 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI — $74,810 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI — $74,920 Oklahoma City, OK — $75,270 Midland, MI — $75,370 Syracuse, NY — $75,370 Memphis, TN-MS-AR — $75,410 Helena, MT — $75,430 Eau Claire, WI — $75,440 Lansing-East Lansing, MI — $75,670 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL — $75,710 North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL — $75,820 Grants Pass, OR — $75,850 Waco, TX — $75,850 Pueblo, CO — $76,060 Abilene, TX — $76,070 Fargo, ND-MN — $76,180 Iowa City, IA — $76,190 Duluth, MN-WI — $76,220 El Centro, CA — $76,230 Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT — $76,290 Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH — $76,310 El Paso, TX — $76,400 Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI — $76,430 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD — $76,530 College Station-Bryan, TX — $76,570 Peoria, IL — $76,670 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL — $76,710 Sheboygan, WI — $76,720 Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ — $76,760 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA — $76,850 St. Cloud, MN — $76,880 Albany, OR — $76,940 Pittsfield, MA — $76,940 Tucson, AZ — $76,970 Port St. Lucie, FL — $77,070 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI — $77,070 Lubbock, TX — $77,110 Rochester, MN — $77,230 Sioux Falls, SD-MN — $77,440 Missoula, MT — $77,610 Appleton, WI — $77,620 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV — $77,750 Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI — $77,840 Ogden, UT — $78,070 Bakersfield-Delano, CA — $78,130 Wausau, WI — $78,150 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH — $78,180 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY — $78,240 Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX — $78,450 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI — $78,450 Rockford, IL — $78,510 Champaign-Urbana, IL — $78,520 Flagstaff, AZ — $78,670 Kenosha, WI — $78,780 Jacksonville, FL — $78,810 Kankakee, IL — $78,840 Great Falls, MT — $78,870 Amarillo, TX — $78,900 Sioux City, IA-NE-SD — $78,940 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA — $78,970 Fort Wayne, IN — $79,210 Cedar Rapids, IA — $79,280 Lebanon, PA — $79,430 Watertown-Fort Drum, NY — $79,540 York-Hanover, PA — $79,550 Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT — $79,580 Fond du Lac, WI — $79,670 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL — $79,840 Lexington Park, MD — $79,900 Oshkosh-Neenah, WI — $80,200 Barnstable Town, MA — $80,210 Worcester, MA — $80,210 Midland, TX — $80,260 Cleveland, OH — $80,280 Omaha, NE-IA — $80,280 St. George, UT — $80,330 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN — $80,410 Bloomington, IL — $80,480 Madison, WI — $80,580 Erie, PA — $80,860 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY — $80,950 Salt Lake City-Murray, UT — $80,970 Green Bay, WI — $81,110 Laredo, TX — $81,690 Decatur, IL — $81,800 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA — $81,810 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI — $82,090 New Haven, CT — $82,170 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX — $82,290 Merced, CA — $82,540 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT — $82,660 Springfield, IL — $82,740 Hanford-Corcoran, CA — $82,770 Waterbury-Shelton, CT — $82,830 Springfield, MA — $83,050 Yuba City, CA — $83,090 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN — $83,110 Pittsburgh, PA — $83,190 Coeur d'Alene, ID — $83,560 Walla Walla, WA — $83,620 Mankato, MN — $83,670 Kahului-Wailuku, HI — $83,790 Urban Honolulu, HI — $83,820 Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT — $84,000 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV — $84,000 Binghamton, NY — $84,320 Ithaca, NY — $84,320 Salem, OR — $84,320 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA — $84,470 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ — $84,530 Boise City, ID — $84,940 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ — $85,050 Lancaster, PA — $86,800 Reading, PA — $87,060 Medford, OR — $87,160 Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY — $87,930 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD — $89,580 Visalia, CA — $90,910 Gettysburg, PA — $91,530 Colorado Springs, CO — $91,580 Reno, NV — $92,130 Eugene-Springfield, OR — $92,780 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX — $92,910 Rochester, NY — $92,920 Grand Junction, CO — $93,640 Lincoln, NE — $93,680 Corvallis, OR — $94,720 Chico, CA — $94,760 Longview-Kelso, WA — $94,930 Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA — $95,660 Greeley, CO — $96,620 Fort Collins-Loveland, CO — $96,740 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI — $97,190 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA — $97,200 Bend, OR — $97,230 Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA — $98,030 Modesto, CA — $98,230 Yakima, WA — $98,340 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA — $99,810 Stockton-Lodi, CA — $99,900 Boulder, CO — $100,060 Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA — $100,480 Fresno, CA — $100,770 Columbus, OH — $100,890 Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA — $101,440 Bellingham, WA — $101,810 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA — $101,860 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA — $101,870 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO — $101,970 Kennewick-Richland, WA — $104,570 Fairbanks-College, AK — $105,370 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ — $105,540 Redding, CA — $107,270 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN — $107,810 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA — $110,400 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA — $111,460 Anchorage, AK — $115,020 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA — $115,120 Salinas, CA — $118,220 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA — $119,640 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA — $120,900 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA — $121,980 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA — $122,970 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA — $125,910 Napa, CA — $127,310 Vallejo, CA — $129,900 Carson City, NV — $131,210 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA — $132,000 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA — $136,140 Washington metro area Each dot is one metro area with a published median — hover any dot for the name and figure. Metros without published estimates are not drawn.
The Washington metro area has the 65th-highest published median for this occupation among the 386 metro areas where BLS publishes it. Higher medians often track higher living costs — this is a pay comparison, not a ranking of where the job is “best”.
About this estimate These figures are survey estimates from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program — modeled from employer reports collected over three years and benchmarked to May 2025. They describe what employers in this area currently pay across all industries, not what any individual worker will be offered.
Employment counts wage-and-salary jobs in the occupation (self-employed workers are excluded). Estimates carry sampling error; percentile wages are rounded by BLS. Some values are suppressed by BLS for confidentiality or quality — suppressed values appear here as “not published”, never as zero. Read the full methodology .