Police Departments

• Municipal police departments and local and county sheriff's offices hire the bulk of police officers in the United States. State police departments and federal agencies, from the FBI to the National Park Service, account for most of the remaining hiring. Railroads, the postal service and universities also have their own police forces.
  
  

Police Salaries

• The mean annual wage for a police officer in 2009 was $55,180. Salaries at the lower tier of earnings were $31,400 while the upper tier of police officers had average earnings of $83,550.
  
  

Police Salaries by Rank

• In 2008, police chiefs typically earned between $90,570 and $113,930 per year. Captains had earnings ranging from $72,761 to $91,178. Entry level police officers had salaries in the range of $49,421 to $61,173.
  
  

Police Salaries by Departments

• State troopers and other police employed by state government have the highest median salary of $58,860 annually, followed by local government police at $55,120. Police working for federal government have a median salary of $51,060 while university police forces have a median salary or $47,430.