Research Summary. After extensive research by the Zippia data science team, we identified these details of sergeant salary by state for the United States as of 2026:
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New York has the highest sergeant salary of $67,929
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South Carolina has the lowest sergeant salary of $30,789
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The national average salary for sergeants is $48,557
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The national hourly pay for sergeants is $23.34
You can read more on the specific methodology.
Background
In today’s job market, salary remains a top priority for job seekers. Many individuals are asking, “How much do sergeants earn in my area?” Understanding regional salary variations is crucial for career planning and negotiation.
While the average salary can vary based on location and experience, there is reliable data available for average sergeant salaries across the United States. These insights can help prospective sergeants manage their expectations and guide their career paths more effectively.
Currently, New York stands out as the state with the highest average salary for sergeants.
Here’s a quick snapshot of the top ten states for sergeant salaries:
Let’s take a look at how we got here and a full ranking of all the states.
Highest-Paid Sergeants By State
| Rank | State | Average Sergeant Salary | 10th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $67,929 | $46,000 | $99,000 |
| 2 | Idaho | $65,265 | $45,000 | $93,000 |
| 3 | California | $63,773 | $42,000 | $95,000 |
| 4 | Maine | $61,013 | $44,000 | $82,000 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $60,239 | $41,000 | $88,000 |
| 6 | Delaware | $57,230 | $38,000 | $84,000 |
| 7 | Rhode Island | $56,744 | $39,000 | $81,000 |
| 8 | Nevada | $56,082 | $37,000 | $83,000 |
| 9 | Oregon | $55,846 | $37,000 | $82,000 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | $54,592 | $37,000 | $80,000 |
| 11 | Ohio | $54,052 | $38,000 | $76,000 |
| 12 | West Virginia | $53,705 | $37,000 | $76,000 |
| 13 | Washington | $52,822 | $36,000 | $77,000 |
| 14 | New Hampshire | $52,324 | $37,000 | $73,000 |
| 15 | Alaska | $50,444 | $40,000 | $62,000 |
| 16 | Illinois | $50,176 | $36,000 | $68,000 |
| 17 | Virginia | $49,484 | $33,000 | $72,000 |
| 18 | Hawaii | $48,878 | $39,000 | $59,000 |
| 19 | Kentucky | $47,478 | $35,000 | $63,000 |
| 20 | New Mexico | $47,147 | $34,000 | $65,000 |
| 21 | Arizona | $47,050 | $33,000 | $66,000 |
| 22 | Texas | $45,715 | $33,000 | $62,000 |
| 23 | Iowa | $45,708 | $34,000 | $60,000 |
| 24 | Utah | $44,485 | $31,000 | $62,000 |
| 25 | Kansas | $44,030 | $33,000 | $57,000 |
| 26 | Minnesota | $43,536 | $32,000 | $58,000 |
| 27 | Wyoming | $42,573 | $31,000 | $57,000 |
| 28 | Arkansas | $42,532 | $32,000 | $55,000 |
| 29 | North Carolina | $41,674 | $30,000 | $56,000 |
| 30 | Georgia | $40,809 | $31,000 | $53,000 |
| 31 | Connecticut | $40,706 | $28,000 | $59,000 |
| 32 | North Dakota | $40,581 | $31,000 | $52,000 |
| 33 | Tennessee | $40,555 | $31,000 | $53,000 |
| 34 | Florida | $40,354 | $30,000 | $54,000 |
| 35 | Colorado | $40,098 | $29,000 | $53,000 |
| 36 | Alabama | $40,068 | $30,000 | $52,000 |
| 37 | Maryland | $39,693 | $27,000 | $58,000 |
| 38 | Nebraska | $39,444 | $29,000 | $52,000 |
| 39 | Massachusetts | $38,962 | $27,000 | $55,000 |
| 40 | Missouri | $38,446 | $29,000 | $50,000 |
| 41 | Mississippi | $38,443 | $29,000 | $50,000 |
| 42 | Michigan | $37,771 | $26,000 | $53,000 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $37,622 | $28,000 | $49,000 |
| 44 | Vermont | $34,689 | $25,000 | $47,000 |
| 45 | Wisconsin | $34,641 | $25,000 | $47,000 |
| 46 | Indiana | $33,276 | $24,000 | $45,000 |
| 47 | Montana | $32,896 | $24,000 | $44,000 |
| 48 | South Dakota | $31,192 | $23,000 | $41,000 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $30,991 | $23,000 | $41,000 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $30,789 | $23,000 | $40,000 |
Methodology: Sergeant Salary By State
To better understand sergeant pay by state, Zippia has aggregated data across multiple channels, including the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Federal Labor Center (FLC), and Office of Personnel Management (OPM). We supplement this data with actual listed salaries from job postings. Finally, our data science team calculates a weighted average to establish the average pay for sergeants by state.
We ranked every state based on the average annual salary data for sergeants to identify which states offer the most competitive compensation.
Sergeant Salary By State FAQs
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What is the highest-paid state for sergeants?
The highest-paid state for sergeants is New York with an average salary of $67,929 per year.
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What city pays sergeants the most?
New York, NY pays sergeants the most, with an average salary of $68,391 per year.
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What is the worst state for sergeants?
The state with the lowest average salary for sergeants is South Carolina, at $30,789 per year.
Author
Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.
