If you want to become a sheriff, you must obtain extensive law enforcement experience in supervising patrol officers that handle general law enforcement duties. If you have a passion for this profession and want to know a sheriff’s salary, you have come to the right place.
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Sheriff Salary Trend in the U.S.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers earned a national annual mean salary of $65,400 in 2018. The table below represents the salary trend for Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers over the past few years.
| Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers Salary Trend in the U.S. | |
|---|---|
| Year | Annual Mean Salary |
| 2016 | $62,760 |
| 2017 | $64,490 |
| 2018 | $65,400 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
The national mean annual salary for Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers was reported to be $62,760 in 2016. This figure gradually increased to $64,490 and $65,400 in 2017 and 2018 respectively. Taking these figures into consideration, it can be determined that the salary of Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers kept rising over the years. In 2018, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics also reported that the State Government is the highest paying industry in this occupation with the annual mean salary of $72,850.
Top Paying States for Sheriffs in the U.S.
The following bar-chart captures a clear comparison of the annual mean income of Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers among top paying states of the U.S.
Source: The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
The bar-chart shown above clearly ranks California as the number 1 top paying state for Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers with an annual mean salary of $101,380. Whereas, Illinois ranks as the 5th top paying state with $75,720 as the annual mean salary for this profession.
What is the Career Outlook of a Sheriff in the U.S.?
As per the data published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2018, a rise of 5% employment growth for Police and Detectives is expected over the decade i.e., from 2018 to 2028. This employment growth rate is supposed to be as fast as the average for other occupations.