Police Officer Hourly Pay (2026): How Much Do Cops Make Per Hour With Overtime?
The median police officer hourly pay is $37.76 per hour in 2026, equivalent to $78,542 annually (BLS captures W-2 base; overtime / detail income at NYPD / Boston PD / LAPD / SFPD pushes effective hourly $60–$120+/hour). Top union markets with strong overtime culture deliver $200,000–$400,000 total comp for senior officers.
2019 BLS
$30.36/hr
2025 BLS
$36.64/hr
2026 Current Est.
$37.76/hr
2019–2027 Growth
+28.2%
National Police Officer Hourly Rate Trend
2019–2025: BLS OEWS actual data. 2026+: CAGR 3.06% projection.
| Year | Median Hourly Rate | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | $30.36/hr | Actual |
| 2020 | $31.51/hr | Actual |
| 2021 | $31.06/hr | Actual |
| 2022 | $31.63/hr | Actual |
| 2023 | $34.75/hr | Actual |
| 2024 | $36.68/hr | Actual |
| 2025 | $36.64/hr | Actual |
| 2026(current) | $37.76/hr | Estimated |
| 2027 | $38.92/hr | Projected |
The national median hourly rate for police officers has grown steadily over the past 7 years of BLS data, reflecting strong demand for law enforcement services. At the current 3.06% CAGR, hourly rates are projected to continue rising through 2027.
Note: BLS actual data is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. Estimated and projected values are calculated using a 3.06% historical CAGR. Actual compensation may vary based on employer, experience, certifications, and local market conditions.
Police Officer Salary Per Hour by State
Hourly rates for police officers vary widely by state. Western and Northeastern states consistently top the rankings, while Southeastern states tend to fall below the national median of $37.76/hour.
| # | State | Avg Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $57.69 |
| 2 | Alaska | $55.83 |
| 3 | Washington | $53.65 |
| 4 | Illinois | $51.61 |
| 5 | New York | $50.20 |
| 6 | Colorado | $48.77 |
| 7 | Oregon | $46.10 |
| 8 | Minnesota | $45.78 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | $42.25 |
| 10 | Hawaii | $41.81 |
| 11 | District of Columbia | $41.63 |
| 12 | Connecticut | $40.90 |
| 13 | Ohio | $40.77 |
| 14 | Nebraska | $40.76 |
| 15 | Nevada | $40.37 |
| 16 | Arizona | $40.36 |
| 17 | Wisconsin | $39.63 |
| 18 | Texas | $39.40 |
| 19 | Massachusetts | $39.04 |
| 20 | Utah | $38.96 |
| 21 | Indiana | $38.70 |
| 22 | Iowa | $38.20 |
| 23 | New Jersey | $38.20 |
| 24 | Rhode Island | $38.04 |
| 25 | Idaho | $37.76 |
| 26 | Maryland | $37.32 |
| 27 | Michigan | $37.32 |
| 28 | Montana | $37.14 |
| 29 | New Hampshire | $36.88 |
| 30 | Vermont | $36.86 |
| 31 | Delaware | $36.78 |
| 32 | Florida | $36.11 |
| 33 | Maine | $35.82 |
| 34 | South Dakota | $35.74 |
| 35 | New Mexico | $34.97 |
| 36 | North Dakota | $34.93 |
| 37 | Oklahoma | $34.29 |
| 38 | Missouri | $32.81 |
| 39 | Tennessee | $31.96 |
| 40 | Kentucky | $30.81 |
| 41 | Kansas | $30.39 |
| 42 | Virginia | $29.92 |
| 43 | North Carolina | $29.87 |
| 44 | Wyoming | $29.50 |
| 45 | Georgia | $29.16 |
| 46 | South Carolina | $29.11 |
| 47 | Alabama | $28.15 |
| 48 | West Virginia | $28.08 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $26.31 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $25.23 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $24.05 |
| 52 | Puerto Rico | $22.31 |
How Much Do Police Officers Make Per Hour? Top 20 Cities
These 20 metro areas offer the highest hourly rates for police officers in the United States. Rates reflect the median hourly wage reported by BLS, or estimated from annual salary data.
| # | City | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sunnyvale, CA | $69.04 |
| 2 | Santa Clara, CA | $68.59 |
| 3 | San Jose, CA | $67.45 |
| 4 | Oakland, CA | $66.90 |
| 5 | Fremont, CA | $65.41 |
| 6 | San Francisco, CA | $65.40 |
| 7 | Carson City, NV | $65.01 |
| 8 | Vallejo, CA | $64.36 |
| 9 | Napa, CA | $63.08 |
| 10 | Santa Rosa, CA | $62.38 |
| 11 | Petaluma, CA | $61.78 |
| 12 | Anaheim, CA | $61.52 |
| 13 | Santa Cruz, CA | $60.93 |
| 14 | Long Beach, CA | $60.64 |
| 15 | Los Angeles, CA | $60.43 |
| 16 | Santa Maria, CA | $59.91 |
| 17 | Oxnard, CA | $59.28 |
| 18 | Thousand Oaks, CA | $59.04 |
| 19 | Salinas, CA | $58.58 |
| 20 | Bellevue, WA | $57.60 |
Police Officer Hourly Rate: Municipal / State Trooper / County Sheriff / Federal Pay
Police officer compensation varies dramatically by employer type (municipal vs state trooper vs county sheriff vs federal law enforcement) and overtime / detail culture. NYPD, Boston PD, SFPD, Honolulu PD officers routinely earn 50–100%+ of base in overtime / details.
Staff police officer hourly equivalent — at $37.76/hour median (annualized from $78,542 at 2,080 hours). Standard W-2 base hourly.
Strong-union municipal PD with overtime (top tier) — NYPD (largest municipal PD in U.S.) with strong PBA contracts; Boston PD with Quinn Bill education premium; SFPD; LAPD; San Jose PD; Oakland PD; Honolulu PD; Newark PD with HPAE union; Yonkers PD. Senior officers earn $130,000–$200,000+ base with overtime / detail driving total comp to $200K–$400K.
State trooper — NJ State Police, NY State Police, CHP (California Highway Patrol), MA State Police, PA State Police, MI State Police, TX DPS troopers. Competitive with municipal at senior level.
County sheriff — Cook County (IL), LA County (CA), Maricopa County (AZ), Harris County (TX), Miami-Dade. Strong county sheriff agencies.
Federal law enforcement (FBI, DEA, ATF, USSS, USMS) — federal agents at GS-7 entry through GS-15 senior plus LEAP (Law Enforcement Availability Pay) adding 25% to base. PSLF eligible.
Capitol Police / FPS / USPIS / NCIS / OSI — federal law enforcement.
Paid detail / extra duty — off-duty assignments at construction sites, events, retail. Full hourly rate plus 1.5× during callbacks. Strong revenue stream at northeast and west coast agencies.
California / Alaska double-time — state law requires 2× pay after 12 consecutive hours in California; after 8 hours in some Alaska union contracts. Stacking 12-hour shifts pushes effective hourly above $80/hour at high-base CA PDs.
SWAT / K-9 / motorcycle / detective specialty pay — $2–$5/hour specialty differential.
| Schedule | Weekly | Monthly | Annual (50 wks) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 days/week (24 hrs) | $906 | $3,924 | $45,313 |
| 4 days/week (32 hrs) | $1,208 | $5,232 | $60,417 |
| Full-time (40 hrs) | $1,510 | $6,540 | $75,521 |
* Based on the national median hourly rate of $37.76. Actual earnings vary by location.
Police Officer Pay Per Hour vs Similar Healthcare Roles
How does police officer hourly pay compare to similar allied health professions? Here's a side-by-side comparison using BLS 2025 national median data:
| Occupation | Hourly |
|---|---|
| Police Officer ★ | $37.76 |
| Firefighter | $28.13 |
| Detective / Criminal Investigator | $45.86 |
| Correctional Officer | $25.24 |
| Security Guard | $17.32 |
★ = Police Officer (2026 projected). Other roles: BLS OEWS 2025 national median wages.
Factors That Drive Police Officer Hourly Pay Differences
Police officer hourly pay varies dramatically by employer (strong-union municipal vs state trooper vs county sheriff vs federal), state cost of living, overtime / detail culture, and pension value. The national median sits at $37.76/hour BLS-reported, but effective hourly rates with overtime at NYPD / Boston PD / SFPD / Honolulu reach $80–$140+ effective in top union markets like Sunnyvale, CA.
This guide breaks down the five biggest drivers of police officer hourly pay differences. Whether you're a POST academy candidate, a working officer considering federal LEO transition, or a chief benchmarking competitive wages, the framework below is the central reference.
1. Employer: Strong-Union Municipal / State Trooper / Sheriff / Federal
- Strong-union municipal PD (top tier) — NYPD, Boston PD, SFPD, LAPD, San Jose PD, Oakland PD, Honolulu PD, Newark PD.
- Federal LEO (FBI, DEA, ATF, USSS, USMS) — GS-7 to GS-15 + LEAP 25%.
- State trooper — NJ State Police, NY State Police, CHP, MA State Police, PA State Police.
- Third-service municipal EMS (separate from fire) — Wake County, MedStar Fort Worth.
- County sheriff — LA County, Cook County, Miami-Dade, Maricopa, Harris.
- Federal civilian LEO — Capitol Police, FPS, USPIS, NCIS, AFOSI.
- Local municipal PD (mid-tier) — most local PDs.
- Tribal police — federally recognized tribal nations.
2. Overtime / Detail Culture
- Northeast / West Coast overtime + detail (top tier) — NYPD, Boston PD, Chicago PD, SFPD, Honolulu PD officers earn 50–100%+ of base in overtime / details.
- Paid detail / extra duty — off-duty construction sites, events, retail. Strong revenue stream.
- Education incentive pay — Massachusetts Quinn Bill historically paid 10–25% above base for college-educated officers. Similar programs in CT, NJ.
- SWAT / K-9 / motorcycle / detective specialty pay — $2–$5/hour differential.
- FLSA section 7(k) for police — different overtime calculation than standard FLSA.
- California / Alaska double-time — 2× pay after 12 consecutive hours (CA) or 8 hours (AK union).
3. State Pension Systems
- Strong defined-benefit pension states — California (CalPERS), New York (NY State / NYC), New Jersey (PFRS), Massachusetts (Group 4), Connecticut, Illinois (POIF), Pennsylvania, Ohio (OP&F), Texas (TMPS), Florida (FRS Special Risk), Michigan, Washington (LEOFF).
- 20-year retirement — many states allow police retirement after 20–25 years with full / partial pension.
- Special pension tax treatment in retirement — Mississippi, Pennsylvania, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, NY for NY-source pension exempt or partially exempt.
- Federal FERS Special Category Employee (SCE) — federal LEO mandatory retirement at 57 with favorable pension calculation.
4. State Cost of Living and Tax
- State cost of living — Hawaii, California, NJ, MA, NY, WA, CT, MD lead nominal.
- State income tax — officers in TX, FL, TN, NV, WA, WY, SD, AK, NH keep more.
- Pension tax treatment — favorable in several states for police pension income in retirement.
5. Experience and Federal Transition Path
- Academy graduate / probationary officer — entry pay typically $50K–$70K.
- 2–5 year officer ($60K–$90K base) — most reach state median with overtime.
- 5–10 year senior officer ($80K–$110K base + overtime / detail) — senior with specialty assignments.
- 10+ year senior / sergeant / lieutenant ($100K–$200K+ with overtime) — top of municipal distribution.
- 20-year retirement option — many strong-pension states allow retirement at 20 years with full / partial pension. Second-career income.
- Federal LEO transition — many municipal officers pursue federal LEO (FBI, DEA, USSS, ATF) for federal pension and PSLF.
- Chief / command staff — administrative pay above hourly officer roles.
2026 Police Officer Hourly Pay Outlook
Police officer pay has grown at a compound annual rate of 3.06% nationally over the past five years — driven by post-2020 nationwide recruiting and retention challenges (forcing agencies to raise pay), sustained union-negotiated contract increases, expanding signing bonuses and lateral-transfer incentives in shortage markets (Phoenix, Las Vegas, Atlanta, Tampa, Houston, Dallas, Charlotte, Jacksonville), strong overtime / detail demand, and rapidly growing federal law enforcement hiring (CBP, ICE, FBI). The BLS projects police officer employment growth at 3% through 2033, with strong upward pay pressure from recruiting challenges and union contracts.
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Written by Jordan Lee, BA Criminal Justice
Career Analyst
Jordan Lee has over 10 years of experience in law enforcement. They specialize in community policing strategies. Jordan works with a municipal police department.
Data Sources & Methodology
Source: BLS, OEWS , released .
Compiled and verified by Jordan Lee, BA Criminal Justice, a licensed police officer with 10+ years of clinical experience. · View source data at BLS.gov
Methodology & Data Source
Salary figures on this page are 2026 projections based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2026 release. We applied a 3.06% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), derived from 6-year national BLS trends, to estimate current 2026 compensation.