Occupations · Protective Service

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. Includes police officers working at educational institutions.

O*NET 30.3 Database (USDOL/ETA) · occupation code 33-3051.00

$76,290median annual wage, May 2024

666,990people employed, United States

▲ 3.1%projected change, 2024→2034

53,700openings a year, incl. replacements

What it pays

A single “average salary” hides the spread. This is the whole distribution — the gap between the bottom and top bar is usually the number that matters.

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 · national, cross-industry · annual wage

Pay over time

Median up 73% between 2003 and 2024, before inflation. The band shows the 10th to 90th percentile.

BLS OEWS, one release per year. Before May 2011 only national estimates were published, so geography detail starts there.

Where the jobs are

Metro area	Median wage	Employed
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA	$105,790	54,830
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	$115,630	24,310
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI	$108,890	23,340
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL	$94,290	19,300
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	$91,470	16,120
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX	$75,450	15,910
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	$83,430	14,590
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	$90,640	12,400
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH	$78,610	11,420
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	$60,990	11,190
San Juan-Carolina-Caguas, PR	$45,500	10,780
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA	$133,190	7,860

BLS OEWS May 2024, metropolitan estimates · the 12 areas with the most people in this occupation

Typical education to enter: High school diploma or equivalent · BLS Employment Projections 2024–34

What people in this job actually do

Ordered by how important the work is rated.

Identify, pursue, and arrest suspects and perpetrators of criminal acts.
Provide for public safety by maintaining order, responding to emergencies, protecting people and property, enforcing motor vehicle and criminal laws, and promoting good community relations.
Record facts to prepare reports that document incidents and activities.
Render aid to accident survivors and other persons requiring first aid for physical injuries.
Review facts of incidents to determine if criminal act or statute violations were involved.
Investigate illegal or suspicious activities.
Monitor, note, report, and investigate suspicious persons and situations, safety hazards, and unusual or illegal activity in patrol area.
Testify in court to present evidence or act as witness in traffic and criminal cases.
Process prisoners, and prepare and maintain records of prisoner bookings and prisoner status during booking and pre-trial process.
Relay complaint and emergency-request information to appropriate agency dispatchers.
Monitor traffic to ensure motorists observe traffic regulations and exhibit safe driving procedures.
Drive vehicles or patrol specific areas to detect law violators, issue citations, and make arrests.

O*NET 30.3 task ratings, importance scale

Skills that matter most

Importance, rated 1 to 5.

Active Listening3.9

Speaking3.9

Critical Thinking3.8

Active Learning3.8

Reading Comprehension3.6

Monitoring3.5

Writing3.2

Learning Strategies2.6

Mathematics2.2

Science1.4

O*NET 30.3 skills, importance scale

Software and tools

A dot marks what O*NET flags as in demand.

Microsoft Access●Microsoft Excel●Microsoft Office software●Microsoft Outlook●Microsoft PowerPoint●Microsoft Visio●Microsoft Windows●Microsoft Word●Computer aided composite drawing softwareComputer aided dispatch softwareCorel WordPerfect Office SuiteCrime mapping softwareDatabase softwareDesignWare 3D EyeWitnessESRI ArcViewEmail softwareIBM Lotus 1-2-3Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System IAFISLaw enforcement information databasesMicrosoft Internet ExplorerNational Crime Information Center (NCIC) databaseNational Integrated Ballistics Information Network NIBINSmartDraw LegalSmugMug FlickrSpillman Technologies Records ManagementThe CAD Zone The Crime ZoneWeb browser software

O*NET 30.3 software skills · hot-technology flag

What this work is actually like

Conditions rated against the average across all occupations — only what makes this job different is listed.

3 / 5Medium preparation — vocational training or an associate degree, plus 1–2 years of work.

O*NET 30.3 Job Zones

Working conditions that stand out

In an Enclosed Vehicle or Operate Enclosed Equipment+2.5 above average

Dealing with Violent or Physically Aggressive People+2.4 above average

Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions+2.2 above average

Exposed to Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting Conditions+2.0 above average

Dealing With Unpleasant, Angry, or Discourteous People+1.8 above average

Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures+1.6 above average

Exposed to Disease or Infections+1.6 above average

O*NET 30.3 work context, frequency scale · observed 2022-08

How people actually get in

Share of workers by the education they hold.

High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)40%

Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)21%

Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)17%

Some College Courses15%

O*NET 30.2 education, training and experience · observed 2022-08

What kind of person the work suits

Occupational interest profile, rated 1 to 7.

Realistic5.4

Conventional4.3

Enterprising4.1

O*NET 30.2 occupational interests (RIASEC)

What you take with you

Skills rated for how well they transfer into other occupations.

Social Perceptiveness3.9

Coordination3.6

Judgment and Decision Making3.6

Persuasion3.6

Service Orientation3.5

Negotiation3.4

Time Management3.2

Complex Problem Solving3.2

O*NET 30.3 transferable skills, importance scale

Knowledge the work draws on

Public Safety and SecurityLaw and GovernmentEnglish LanguagePsychologyCustomer and Personal ServiceEducation and Training

Abilities it leans on

Oral ComprehensionProblem SensitivityInductive ReasoningDeductive ReasoningOral ExpressionSpeech Clarity

O*NET 30.3 abilities and knowledge, importance scale

How this job is advertised

The same work is posted under many titles — this is what to search for.

CopDeputyTrooperMarshalOfficerPatrolmanPolicemanConstableAnimal CopRoad DeputyPolicewomanPark PoliceBorder GuardDesk Officer

O*NET 30.3 job titles reported for this occupation

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What changed since 2015

Comparing O*NET release 20.1 (2015-10-01) with 30.3 (2026-05-01). Signs, not colour alone, carry the meaning. 1 entries that were only relabelled between releases are left out.

Now listed 7

+Microsoft PowerPoint+SmartDraw Legal+SmugMug Flickr+Computer aided dispatch software+Microsoft Windows+Microsoft Office software+Corel WordPerfect Office Suite

No longer listed 2

−Corel WordPerfect software−SmartDraw.com SmartDraw Legal

Diff across the O*NET releases held here in full since October 2015, following occupations through merges and retirements. O*NET re-surveys occupations on a rolling cycle, so “no change” can also mean “not re-surveyed”.

O*NET 30.3 related occupations

Also called

CopDeputyOfficerMarshalTrooperSheriffConstablePolicemanPatrolmanAnimal CopDeputy K-9K9 Handler

O*NET 30.3 alternative titles

The same work in Europe

ESCO occupation	ISCO	Match
police officer	5412.1	broader
civil enforcement officer	5419.2	broader
police detective	3355.2	broader
police inspector	3355.3	broader
street warden	5419.7	broader
court bailiff	3411.4	broader
criminal investigator	3355.1	broader

Official ESCO ↔ O*NET crosswalk (ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA)

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