In 2022, police officers earned the highest salaries in California. Police and sheriff’s patrol officers earned a median of $104,160, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Other leading states were Washington ($94,107), New Jersey ($88,100), Illinois ($86,130), and Hawaii ($86,080). Police officers earned more than the national average of $65,790 in 19 states and Washington, DC.
Even after accounting for differences in the cost of living across states, this trend holds true, with officers in California, Washington, and Illinois earning the highest salaries.
