Jetted FoxCareers · Police & investigation
Police and sheriff's patrol officers
Patrol an area, respond to emergency calls, enforce laws and make arrests. No college degree needed.
Start now · paid while you train
Starting pay ranges from about $17.92/hr in Mississippi to $46.77/hr in California.
Pay in every state
| State | Start | 2 years |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $18.02–21.28/hr | $24.65/hr |
| Alaska | $29.17–37.89/hr | $47.66/hr |
| Arizona | $29.32–32.96/hr | $37.92/hr |
| Arkansas | $16.93–19.28/hr | $22.92/hr |
| California | $36.69–46.77/hr | $57.15/hr |
| Colorado | $31.41–36.85/hr | $46.81/hr |
| Connecticut | $30.44–37.26/hr | $39.51/hr |
| Delaware | $30.03–36.32/hr | $44.70/hr |
| Florida | $24.68–29.10/hr | $35.81/hr |
| Georgia | $21–23.22/hr | $27.94/hr |
| Hawaii | $37.25–39.73/hr | $40.30/hr |
| Idaho | $23.48–27.93/hr | $32.21/hr |
| Illinois | $28.09–36.77/hr | $48.33/hr |
| Indiana | $25.08–29.19/hr | $35.27/hr |
| Iowa | $28.54–30.68/hr | $35.81/hr |
| Kansas | $20.21–23.40/hr | $28.48/hr |
| Kentucky | $18.65–23.05/hr | $29.08/hr |
| Louisiana | $17.54–20.72/hr | $23.26/hr |
| Maine | $26.89–29.44/hr | $32.24/hr |
| Maryland | $28.16–31.88/hr | $37.49/hr |
| Massachusetts | $29.40–34.60/hr | $37.95/hr |
| Michigan | $22.97–29.04/hr | $35.45/hr |
| Minnesota | $29.17–36.42/hr | $40.08/hr |
| Mississippi | $15.98–17.92/hr | $22.18/hr |
| Missouri | $20.77–22.48/hr | $28.59/hr |
| Montana | $26.60–28.78/hr | $33.68/hr |
| Nebraska | $26.29–30.37/hr | $35.88/hr |
| Nevada | $29.93–36.54/hr | $37.57/hr |
| New Hampshire | $27.85–29.56/hr | $34.44/hr |
| New Jersey | $27.76–32.25/hr | $44.53/hr |
| New Mexico | $23.27–28.30/hr | $33.26/hr |
| New York | $25.48–27.49/hr | $44.61/hr |
| North Carolina | $22.14–23.78/hr | $28.51/hr |
| North Dakota | $28.18–30.13/hr | $35.82/hr |
| Ohio | $24.57–30.14/hr | $37.03/hr |
| Oklahoma | $17.54–21.76/hr | $28.70/hr |
| Oregon | $31.91–37.58/hr | $42.38/hr |
| Pennsylvania | $23.41–30.33/hr | $41.09/hr |
| Rhode Island | $28.38–33.35/hr | $37.13/hr |
| South Carolina | $21.66–23.35/hr | $27.92/hr |
| South Dakota | $22.86–25.16/hr | $29.20/hr |
| Tennessee | $20.93–23.42/hr | $28.50/hr |
| Texas | $24.64–29.44/hr | $36.49/hr |
| Utah | $28.99–31.02/hr | $37.17/hr |
| Vermont | $25.94–28.69/hr | $33.13/hr |
| Virginia | $24.04–27.95/hr | $31.67/hr |
| Washington | $38.04–44.68/hr | $49.08/hr |
| Washington, DC | $31.93–37.12/hr | $42.62/hr |
| West Virginia | $20.17–23.53/hr | $27.39/hr |
| Wisconsin | $28.14–32.43/hr | $37.55/hr |
| Wyoming | $27.47–28.67/hr | $31.80/hr |
Estimates, May 2025. Start = what the lowest-paid 10–25% earn; 2 years = the median. US Bureau of Labor Statistics
What it takes
Before you're hired
Also: 21+ (some departments 18–20) · US citizen · Driver's license · Background check · Drug test · Psych exam · Fitness test
Once you're hired
State peace officer certification (POST): required in every state. It lets you work as a sworn officer with arrest powers. Rules differ by state; check your state's licensing board.
A normal day
You drive a patrol car through an assigned area for a 10- or 12-hour shift, answering calls about crashes, fights, thefts and domestic disputes. You talk to upset people, write tickets and reports, and sometimes make arrests. Hours of routine can turn into a dangerous situation in seconds.
The good parts
Paid academy and good starting pay for a high school diploma. Strong benefits and pension. Many paths inside the department: detective, K-9, SWAT, sergeant.
The hard parts
Real danger: car crashes, assaults and armed people. Nights, weekends and holidays, especially for new officers. You see violence, death and people at their worst, which wears on mental health.
Where it leads
Detective (after 2–5 years on patrol). Police sergeant (after 3–7 years and the sergeant's exam). detective, specialist units, sergeant, lieutenant and above, with a pension after 20-30 years.
Quick answers
Do police and sheriff's patrol officers need a college degree?
No. You can start now: paid while you train.
How long is the training for police and sheriff's patrol officers?
4–7 month paid police academy, then 3–6 months training with a senior officer.
How much do police and sheriff's patrol officers make?
About $22.84–28.50 an hour to start and $36.64 an hour at the median across the US (May 2025).
Is it a fit for you?
Answer a few questions and see your paths. Free, about 7 minutes.
Last updated October 13, 2026. Pay: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Jobs: BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Training, costs and requirements: Jetted Fox research (estimates). This site includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Jetted Fox has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Facts, not advice.