Police Officer Hourly Pay in Falls Church, VA: $26.94 (2026)
Quick Answer:Hourly pay for a police officer working in Falls Church, VA runs $26.94 at the median for 2026 — annualizing to $56,029 at a standard 2,080-hour year. Figures projected from BLS OEWS 2025 (SOC 33-3051). Weighted against Falls Church's regional price level (BEA RPP 103.2, 3% above national), each hour of work buys what $26.10 nationally would. A 24-hour part-time schedule grosses $33,621 per year.
Based on BLS state-level estimates · View source

In Falls Church, Virginia, police officer hourly pay is projected to be $26.94, a figure that falls significantly below the national hourly median of $37.76. For various types of employment arrangements, such as part-time roles often sought after in the profession, this translates to approximately $26,000 annually for a police officer working just three days a week, a challenging scenario for anyone depending on the income. The hourly earnings range from $18.24 for entry-level positions to $37.96 for the top earners, indicating room for advancement and specialization. Work settings vary tremendously, with officers spending time in patrol vehicles, courtrooms, or investigating crime scenes, all while adhering to the demands of their roles. These rates reflect estimated figures derived from wider annual salary data yet provide a tangible snapshot of what police professionals can expect to earn hourly in this specific Virginia locality.
About the Falls Church Market
Salary estimated from Virginia average ($62,000) adjusted for local cost of living.
Police Officer Hourly Wage Breakdown
| Percentile | Hourly Rate | Per 8hr Shift |
|---|---|---|
| Entry Level (P10) | $18.24 | $145.93 |
| Lower Range (P25) | $21.68 | $173.47 |
| Median (P50) | $26.94 | $215.52 |
| Upper Range (P75) | $33.38 | $267.05 |
| Top Earners (P90) | $37.96 | $303.66 |
Estimated Annual Income by Work Schedule in Falls Church
Based on $26.94/hr median hourly rate · 2026 est.
At $26.94/hr, a police officer working full-time (40 hr/wk) in Falls Church, VA can expect to earn approximately $56,035 per year (2026 est.). Part-time hygienists working 24 hours per week would earn around $32,328. With a cost-of-living index of 103.20 (above the national average), these earnings may be offset by higher expenses in Falls Church.
Hourly Rate Calculator
Schedule Comparison in Falls Church
| Schedule | Weekly | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full-Time (40 hrs) | $1,077.60 | $4,670 | $56,035 |
| Part-Time (24 hrs) | $646.56 | $2,802 | $33,621 |
| Per Diem (16 hrs) | $431.04 | $1,868 | $22,414 |
Compare PO Wages With Similar Roles
| Role | Median Hourly |
|---|---|
| Police Officer (Falls Church) | $26.94 |
| Firefighter (National Avg) | $28.13 |
| Detective / Criminal Investigator (National Avg) | $45.86 |
| Correctional Officer (National Avg) | $25.24 |
| Security Guard (National Avg) | $17.32 |
Police Officers in Falls Church, VA earn a median of $56,029 per year (2026 est.), which is 28.66% lower than the national median of $78,542 and 7.80% below the Virginia state average of $60,769.
Police Officer Hourly Pay vs. Cost of Living
Working 24h/week at $26.94/hr = $33,621/year (purchasing power: $32,578).
Working 40h/week (full-time) = $56,035/year (purchasing power: $54,297).
CoL index: 103.2 (100 = national average).
2019 BLS Actual
$21.66/hr
2025 BLS Actual
$26.14/hr
2026 Current Est.
$26.94/hr
2019–2027 Growth
+28.2%
Hourly Rate Trajectory for Police Officers in Falls Church (2019–2027)
2019–2025: actual BLS OEWS data for this metro area. 2026+: CAGR 3.06% projection.
| Year | Hourly Rate | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | $21.66/hr | Actual |
| 2020 | $22.48/hr | Actual |
| 2021 | $22.16/hr | Actual |
| 2022 | $22.57/hr | Actual |
| 2023 | $24.79/hr | Actual |
| 2024 | $28.36/hr | Actual |
| 2025 | $26.14/hr | Actual |
| 2026(current) | $26.94/hr | Estimated |
| 2027 | $27.76/hr | Projected |
Based on 7 years of BLS OEWS metropolitan area data, the median hourly rate for police officers in Falls Church grew 20.7% from $21.66/hr (2019) to $26.14/hr (2025). At a 3.06% projected growth rate, hourly pay is expected to reach $27.76/hr by 2027. Part-time and per-diem police officers can use this multi-year trend to benchmark future contract negotiations.
Note: Historical values (2019–2025) are actual BLS OEWS figures for the Falls Church metropolitan area, sourced from annual Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys. 2026–2026 figures are current estimates, and 2027 values are projections, calculated using a 3.06% CAGR derived from 7-year BLS historical data. Actual salaries may vary based on employer, experience, certifications, and local market conditions.
Working as an Hourly Police Officer in Falls Church
Potential earning scenarios for part-time officers highlight the benefits of commitment and the challenges that accompany lower hourly pay. A full-time officer, working a standard schedule, may expect to earn considerably more annually than a three-day-a-week officer; however, they also work significant overtime—which is increasingly common and paid at a rate of 1.5 times the base. This overtime can inflate earnings by as much as 50% in many departments, a crucial consideration for officers in Falls Church. Moreover, per-diem police officer pay shows that officers taking on extra duties can earn between $35 and $75 per hour for off-duty assignments, creating financial incentives that can motivate job selection. As for the type of employer, pay can vary markedly between municipal police departments and federal law enforcement agencies, with municipal positions often offering stability but potentially lower hourly rates when compared to the federal sector. Thus, it’s important for officers to weigh the overall compensation package—including benefits like health insurance—against purely hourly pay when making career decisions. For negotiating positions or exploring part-time work in this market, officers may find it advantageous to emphasize their training and experience with organizations like the FOP or NLEA to enhance their leverage.
More salary data for Falls Church, VA:
Frequently Asked Questions
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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.
Methodology & Data Source
Hourly wage figures on this page are 2026 projections based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2026 release. A 3.06% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), derived from 6-year national BLS wage trends, was applied to estimate current 2026 hourly rates for police officers in Falls Church. Part-time and full-time income estimates assume consistent weekly hours and do not account for overtime, benefits, or seasonal variation.
Data Sources & Methodology
Salary data for Falls Church is estimated from official BLS state-level occupational wage data (2025), adjusted for regional cost-of-living differences using BEA RPP (Regional Price Parities).
2026 figures are projected from 2025 BLS data using a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.06%, derived from historical BLS wage trends for police officers (SOC 33-3051).
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