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The differences between chiefs of police and police sergeants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a chief of police has an average salary of $77,582, which is higher than the $65,562 average annual salary of a police sergeant.
The top three skills for a chief of police include patrol, public safety and criminal justice. The most important skills for a police sergeant are patrol, public safety, and emergency situations.
| Chief Of Police | Police Sergeant | |
| Yearly salary | $77,582 | $65,562 |
| Hourly rate | $37.30 | $31.52 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 69,344 | 81,493 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 43% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A Chief Of Police is the title typically given to the top official in the chain of command of a police department. They plan, coordinate, supervise, and evaluate police department operations.
A Police Sergeant is responsible for supervising patrol officers and agents, as assigned. They oversee and assess the performance of subordinates, such as disciplinary actions, continued training, and counseling.
Chiefs of police and police sergeants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Chief Of Police | Police Sergeant | |
| Average salary | $77,582 | $65,562 |
| Salary range | Between $49,000 And $120,000 | Between $48,000 And $89,000 |
| Highest paying City | Berkeley, CA | Santa Cruz, CA |
| Highest paying state | Maine | Washington |
| Best paying company | Ohlone College | Loyola University Maryland |
| Best paying industry | Government | Government |
There are a few differences between a chief of police and a police sergeant in terms of educational background:
| Chief Of Police | Police Sergeant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 43% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | Pennsylvania State University | Pennsylvania State University |
Here are the differences between chiefs of police' and police sergeants' demographics:
| Chief Of Police | Police Sergeant | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.7% Female, 8.3% | Male, 90.2% Female, 9.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.9% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 13.6% Asian, 2.1% White, 68.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5% | Black or African American, 11.0% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 15.6% Asian, 1.8% White, 66.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |