How to Become Police Officer
Police Officer Salary by State
If you are planning to become a Police Officer than you must know that the average Police Officer Salary is somewhere around $40,000 – $50,000 and the best thing is that you are going to serve the community. There are several factors that determine the salary of a police officer i.e The Position held, the brand of Police department you choose to enter in the respective state.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “The middle 50 percent earned between $38,850 and $64,940. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $30,070, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $79,680. Median annual wages were $46,620 in Federal Government, $57,270 in State government, $51,020 in local government and $43,350 in educational services.” In most places in the U.S. a family can live very comfortably on these salaries, including buying their own homes.
According to the International City-County Management Association’s annual Police and Fire Personnel, Salaries, and Expenditures Survey, average salaries for sworn full-time positions in 2008 were as follows:
Position Minimum salary Maximum salary w/o longevity
Police Chief $90,570 $113,930
Deputy Chief 74,834 96,209
Police Captain 72,761 91,178
Police Lieutenant 65,688 79,268
Police Sergeant 58,739 70,349
Police Corporal 49,421 61,173
The ranges of the different positions can be attributed to the budget of the agency, the individual qualifications of the officers and the workload that the officers are required to handle. In addition to a market rate salary, police officers receive additional benefits such as paid vacation, life insurance, health insurance and sick leave. They also receive an allowance for their uniforms and equipment. Police officers are also eligible f