How Much Money Does a Police Officer Make?

Police work is dangerous, stressful and usually involves long hours that can run into the night. Even with all that, many consider police work to be one of the most rewarding careers. Here's some insight into how much money a police officer makes.

According to the United States Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics, police officers' median annual wages in 2008 were $51,410. Comparatively, median annual wages for service in the Federal government was $46,620, in State government $57,270, in local government $51,020, and in education $43,350. Median annual wages for detectives and criminal investigators was $60,910. A 2008 survey by the International City-County Management Association indicated that Police Chiefs earned between $90,570 and $113,939. Police Corporals earned between $49,421 and $67,173.

Supplemental Pay

The amount of money a police officer makes is highly dependent on his or her location. For example, police forces in large metropolitan areas are able to negotiate greater hazardous duty pay, differential shift pay, education incentive pay, and merit pay through their collective bargaining agreements. Usually, the more officers in an agency, and the larger the metro area, the better the pay and benefits.

Benefits

Police officer pay should also take into consideration the benefits given to civilian employees, which can be quite generous. Police officers are essentially public workers and are often entitled to better health insurance benefits that include prescription drugs, hearing aids, dental and vision care, and more. While they do work long hours, policemen benefit from paid vacations, the lengths of which increase over the course of years served on the police force.

Police officers are required to have a high school-level education. Some departments now require 1 or 2 years of college, and some even require a college degree. A police officer also must demonstrate a level of stamina and agility, depending on their roles within the police force.