Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2010

33-3051 Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers

Maintain order and protect life and property by enforcing local, tribal, State, or Federal laws and ordinances. Perform a combination of the following duties: patrol a specific area; direct traffic; issue traffic summonses; investigate accidents; apprehend and arrest suspects, or serve legal processes of courts.

National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3) 		Mean hourly
wage		 Mean annual
wage (2) 		Wage RSE (3)
644,300 0.7 % $26.74 $55,620 0.7 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median) 		75% 90%
Hourly Wage $15.24 $19.63 $25.74 $33.21 $40.15
Annual Wage (2) $31,700 $40,830 $53,540 $69,070 $83,510

Industry profile for this occupation: Top

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Local Government (OES Designation) 549,330 9.82 $26.79 $55,710
State Government (OES Designation) 63,190 2.75 $27.98 $58,200
Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) 13,050 0.64 $24.80 $51,590
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 12,720 0.45 $22.39 $46,560
Junior Colleges 2,220 0.29 $20.72 $43,110

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Local Government (OES Designation) 549,330 9.82 $26.79 $55,710
State Government (OES Designation) 63,190 2.75 $27.98 $58,200
Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) 13,050 0.64 $24.80 $51,590
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 12,720 0.45 $22.39 $46,560
Junior Colleges 2,220 0.29 $20.72 $43,110

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
State Government (OES Designation) 63,190 2.75 $27.98 $58,200
Local Government (OES Designation) 549,330 9.82 $26.79 $55,710
Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals (8) (8) $26.71 $55,560
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 1,080 0.02 $25.73 $53,520
Postal Service 550 0.08 $25.08 $52,170

Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 75,730 5.41 1.07 $37.16 $77,290
New York 55,480 6.65 1.31 $28.98 $60,270
Texas 53,490 5.30 1.05 $24.25 $50,440
Florida 36,540 5.14 1.02 $26.84 $55,840
Illinois 30,110 5.45 1.07 $32.06 $66,680




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Maryland 16,660 6.76 1.33 $27.35 $56,900
New York 55,480 6.65 1.31 $28.98 $60,270
Mississippi 6,860 6.41 1.27 $15.11 $31,430
Louisiana 11,520 6.29 1.24 $18.28 $38,020
Alabama 11,330 6.27 1.24 $19.08 $39,700




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New Jersey 22,830 6.06 1.20 $38.13 $79,300
California 75,730 5.41 1.07 $37.16 $77,290
District of Columbia (8) (8) (8) $32.48 $67,560
Illinois 30,110 5.45 1.07 $32.06 $66,680
Nevada 4,790 4.30 0.85 $31.66 $65,840

Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division 22,490 5.89 1.16 $40.50 $84,230
Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, IL Metropolitan Division 20,770 5.87 1.16 $35.49 $73,810
Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX 14,480 5.80 1.14 $25.61 $53,270
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division 13,070 5.71 1.13 $31.26 $65,020
Philadelphia, PA Metropolitan Division 11,380 6.30 1.24 $28.30 $58,860
Baltimore-Towson, MD 9,820 7.92 1.56 $26.63 $55,390
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA 9,310 4.23 0.84 $21.08 $43,840
Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division 8,910 4.45 0.88 $27.41 $57,010
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 8,510 5.06 1.00 $29.72 $61,820
Sacramento--Arden-Arcade--Roseville, CA 8,220 10.02 1.98 $28.93 $60,170




Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Ocean City, NJ 470 12.43 2.45 $34.88 $72,550
Hinesville-Fort Stewart, GA 170 10.08 1.99 $17.77 $36,960
Sacramento--Arden-Arcade--Roseville, CA 8,220 10.02 1.98 $28.93 $60,170
Monroe, LA 710 9.67 1.91 $16.34 $33,990
San Angelo, TX 380 8.97 1.77 $23.73 $49,370
Prescott, AZ 460 8.60 1.70 $27.51 $57,230
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY 3,620 8.54 1.68 $23.51 $48,900
Merced, CA 480 8.43 1.66 $31.59 $65,700
Pine Bluff, AR 280 8.27 1.63 $18.52 $38,520
Jacksonville, NC 350 8.09 1.60 $18.26 $37,980