County sheriff demographics and statistics in the US
County sheriff demographics research summary. Zippia estimates county sheriff demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our county sheriff estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about county sheriffs after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 5,471 county sheriffs currently employed in the United States.
- 32.9% of all county sheriffs are women, while 67.1% are men.
- The average county sheriff age is 39 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of county sheriffs is White (60.0%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (18.7%), Black or African American (12.3%) and Unknown (4.4%).
- In 2022, women earned 92% of what men earned.
- 7% of all county sheriffs are LGBT.
- County sheriffs are 58% more likely to work at government companies in comparison to private companies.
On this page
County sheriff demographics by:
County sheriff gender statistics
32.9% of county sheriffs are women and 67.1% of county sheriffs are men.
- Male, 67.1%
- Female, 32.9%
County sheriff gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 67.1% |
| Female | 32.9% |
County sheriff gender pay gap
Women earn 92¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$49,539
Female income
$45,511
County sheriff gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in county sheriff positions over time. Currently, 32.9% of county sheriffs are female.
County sheriff gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 68.61% | 31.39% |
| 2011 | 68.56% | 31.44% |
| 2012 | 68.25% | 31.75% |
| 2013 | 69.27% | 30.73% |
| 2014 | 69.07% | 30.93% |
| 2015 | 69.79% | 30.21% |
| 2016 | 70.30% | 29.70% |
| 2017 | 69.81% | 30.19% |
| 2018 | 67.78% | 32.22% |
| 2019 | 66.84% | 33.16% |
| 2020 | 70.09% | 29.91% |
| 2021 | 67.07% | 32.93% |
County sheriff related jobs gender ratio
We compared county sheriffs with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, deputy sheriff-k9 handler and fugitive investigator have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Matron | 8% | 92% |
| Deputy Treasurer | 19% | 81% |
| Unemployment Examiner | 29% | 71% |
| County Sheriff | 67% | 33% |
| Town Marshal | 96% | 4% |
| Fugitive Investigator | 97% | 3% |
| Deputy Sheriff-K9 Handler | 98% | 2% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
County sheriff demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among county sheriffs is White, which makes up 60.0% of all county sheriffs. Comparatively, 18.7% of county sheriffs are Hispanic or Latino and 12.3% of county sheriffs are Black or African American.
- White, 60.0%
- Hispanic or Latino, 18.7%
- Black or African American, 12.3%
- Unknown, 4.4%
- Asian, 3.7%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
County sheriff race
| County sheriff race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 60.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 18.7% |
| Black or African American | 12.3% |
| Unknown | 4.4% |
| Asian | 3.7% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.9% |
County sheriff race and ethnicity over time
See how county sheriff racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
County sheriff race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 65.80% | 12.56% | 3.04% | 16.18% |
| 2011 | 65.97% | 12.61% | 3.29% | 15.53% |
| 2012 | 65.66% | 12.66% | 2.85% | 15.60% |
| 2013 | 66.16% | 12.04% | 3.00% | 15.73% |
| 2014 | 65.55% | 12.12% | 3.19% | 16.00% |
| 2015 | 64.92% | 12.45% | 3.40% | 16.60% |
| 2016 | 64.77% | 12.57% | 3.06% | 16.96% |
| 2017 | 64.36% | 12.63% | 3.09% | 16.89% |
| 2018 | 63.47% | 11.91% | 3.58% | 17.84% |
| 2019 | 64.89% | 11.47% | 3.39% | 17.40% |
| 2020 | 61.85% | 12.71% | 3.62% | 17.37% |
| 2021 | 59.96% | 12.27% | 3.74% | 18.73% |
County sheriff wage gap by race
According to our data, asian county sheriffs have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american county sheriffs have the lowest average salary at $46,180.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $48,121 |
| White | $48,934 |
| Black or African American | $46,180 |
| Asian | $52,523 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $52,237 |
Average county sheriff age
See how the average age of county sheriffs varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
County sheriff age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 42 | 43 |
| Unknown | 38 | 37 |
| Asian | 38 | 43 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 39 | 36 |
| White | 39 | 39 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 41.5 |
County sheriff age breakdown
The average age of county sheriffs is 40+ years years old, representing 50% of the county sheriff population.
County sheriff age breakdown
| County Sheriff Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 50% |
| 30-40 years | 34% |
| 20-30 years | 16% |
County sheriff educational attainment
The most common degree for county sheriffs is bachelor's degree, with 39% of county sheriffs earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 25% and associate degree degree at 20%.
- Bachelor's, 39%
- Associate, 25%
- High School Diploma, 20%
- Master's, 6%
- Other Degrees, 10%
County sheriffs by degree level
| County sheriff degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 39% |
| Associate | 25% |
| High School Diploma | 20% |
| Master's | 6% |
| Other Degrees | 10% |
County sheriff jobs you might like
County sheriff wage gap by degree level
According to the data, county sheriffs with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $57,750 annually. With a Doctorate degree, county sheriffs earn a median annual income of $56,276 compared to $53,279 for county sheriffs with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $57,750 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $43,681 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $53,279 |
| Doctorate Degree | $56,276 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $49,431 |
County sheriff employment statistics
Most county sheriffs work for a government in the government industry.
Company size where county sheriffs work
Below, you can see the size of companies where county sheriffs work.
County sheriff jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 11% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 15% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 39% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 10% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 15% |
| > 10,000 employees | 9% |
County sheriff jobs by company type
Employees with the county sheriff job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most county sheriffs prefer to work at government companies over private companies.
County sheriff jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 4% |
| Public | 7% |
| Private | 31% |
| Government | 58% |
County sheriff jobs by industry
The most common industries for county sheriffs are government, professional and health care.
County sheriff industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Government | 55% |
| Health Care | 5% |
| Professional | 5% |
| Education | 4% |
| Finance | 3% |
| Utilities | 3% |
| Non Profits | 3% |
| Fortune 500 | 3% |
| Hospitality | 2% |
| Manufacturing | 2% |
| Retail | 2% |
| Telecommunication | 2% |
| Start-up | 2% |
| Technology | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Media | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
County sheriff turnover and employment statistics
County sheriff unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for county sheriffs between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
County sheriff unemployment rate by year
| Year | County sheriff unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 2.07% |
| 2011 | 2.19% |
| 2012 | 1.94% |
| 2013 | 1.72% |
| 2014 | 1.41% |
| 2015 | 1.11% |
| 2016 | 1.02% |
| 2017 | 1.12% |
| 2018 | 0.98% |
| 2019 | 1.03% |
| 2020 | 1.37% |
| 2021 | 1.40% |
Average county sheriff tenure
The average county sheriff stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 904 county sheriffs resumes in Zippia's database.
County sheriff tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 14% |
| 1-2 years | 27% |
| 3-4 years | 14% |
| 5-7 years | 17% |
| 8-10 years | 10% |
| 11+ years | 18% |
County sheriff LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of county sheriffs that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Correction Officer | 5.55% | 103,383 |
| County Sheriff | 7.15% | - |
| Violent Crimes Detective | 8.65% | 689 |
| Court Bailiff | 11.11% | 762 |
Similar county sheriff jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Correction Officer | 5.55% | 103,383 |
| Violent Crimes Detective | 8.65% | 689 |
| Court Bailiff | 11.11% | 762 |
Foreign languages spoken by county sheriffs
The most common foreign language among county sheriffs is Spanish at 75.0%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is German at 8.3% and Chinese is the third-most popular at 4.2%.
- Spanish, 75.0%
- German, 8.3%
- Chinese, 4.2%
- Japanese, 4.2%
- Dakota, 4.2%
- Other, 4.1%
County sheriff languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 75.0% |
| German | 8.3% |
| Chinese | 4.2% |
| Japanese | 4.2% |
| Dakota | 4.2% |
| Other | 4.1% |
