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Job outlook for deputies in the United States
Deputy job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected deputy job growth rate is 3% from 2018-2028.
About 20,600 new jobs for deputies are projected over the next decade.
Deputy salaries have increased 10% for deputies in the last 5 years.
There are over 109,876 deputies currently employed in the United States.
There are 56,150 active deputy job openings in the US.
The average deputy salary is $53,682.
Are deputy jobs in demand?
Deputy job and salary trends over time
Deputy jobs over time
Deputy job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 109,876 | 0.03% |
| 2020 | 108,145 | 0.03% |
| 2019 | 109,859 | 0.03% |
| 2018 | 109,207 | 0.03% |
| 2017 | 109,382 | 0.03% |
Average deputy salary over time
Deputy salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $53,682 | $25.81 | +3.8% |
| 2025 | $51,724 | $24.87 | +2.9% |
| 2024 | $50,274 | $24.17 | +0.5% |
| 2023 | $50,004 | $24.04 | +2.3% |
| 2022 | $48,882 | $23.50 | +2.3% |
Deputy jobs by state
Most common states for deputies
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 279 | 40% |
| 2 | Delaware | 961,939 | 170 | 18% |
| 3 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 285 | 15% |
| 4 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 1,208 | 14% |
| 5 | Kentucky | 4,454,189 | 576 | 13% |
| 6 | Alaska | 739,795 | 95 | 13% |
| 7 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 742 | 12% |
| 8 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 378 | 12% |
| 9 | California | 39,536,653 | 4,401 | 11% |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 1,362 | 11% |
| 11 | Ohio | 11,658,609 | 1,226 | 11% |
| 12 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 676 | 11% |
| 13 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 652 | 11% |
| 14 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 623 | 11% |
| 15 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 119 | 11% |
| 16 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 706 | 10% |
| 17 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 677 | 10% |
| 18 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 661 | 10% |
| 19 | Hawaii | 1,427,538 | 136 | 10% |
| 20 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 368 | 9% |
Most common cities for deputies
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coronado | 1 | 4% | $69,110 |
| 2 | Springfield | 1 | 3% | $63,313 |
| 3 | Bethesda | 1 | 2% | $62,958 |
| 4 | East Hartford | 1 | 2% | $57,720 |
| 5 | San Luis Obispo | 1 | 2% | $85,278 |
| 6 | Terre Haute | 1 | 2% | $40,829 |
| 7 | Boulder | 1 | 1% | $57,982 |
| 8 | Gainesville | 1 | 1% | $45,255 |
| 9 | Killeen | 1 | 1% | $49,447 |
| 10 | Washington | 3 | 0% | $84,529 |
| 11 | Anchorage | 1 | 0% | $44,914 |
| 12 | Detroit | 1 | 0% | $50,187 |
| 13 | Los Angeles | 1 | 0% | $74,337 |
Deputy job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of deputy experts
University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh
Dr. Durmus Alper CAMLIBEL Ph.D.
Assistant ProfessorUniversity of Wisconsin - Oshkosh
Department of Criminal Justice
What general advice would you give to a Deputy?
Dr. Durmus Alper CAMLIBEL Ph.D.: They need to avoid being overzealous officers. They should not put their career at the center of their life. They need to spend quality time with their family. In law enforcement, good relations with the public and colleagues are essential. They need to develop good relationships with the people and their colleagues and expand their professional network. They always try to be a "problem solver officer" rather than a "problem creator officer." If someone asks for help from them, they should treat this person with dignity and respect. They should avoid being arrogant in their interaction with the public. Because arrogance is the worst plague, and Humility is the greatest virtue.
What Deputy skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Durmus Alper CAMLIBEL Ph.D.: The economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic apparently has brought uncertainty to the job market, and job opportunities, especially in some of the social sciences, are reduced. There is an old Turkish saying, "bread is in the mouth of the lion" (ekmek aslanın ağzında) that sums it up nicely. It implies that it is a struggle to make a living. Life after college is not easy. There is too much competition in the job market. Suppose graduates need to take a gap year. In that case, they need to continue to learn after graduation—an extra set of skills that can put them ahead of other applicants—learning another language can put the graduates on the top of other candidates since there are plenty of applicants just like them. Becoming fluent in a second language can bring graduates several advantages.
They can also apply for internship programs of local and federal criminal justice agencies during a gap year. The graduates can observe a criminal justice agency's working environment and the culture of a specific community. They can decide if they want to serve in the organization and the community. They should also consider international organizations' internship programs, such as the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) or Office of Counter-Terrorism internship programs. The UNODC has an office in New York. This internship program provides a framework for students (enrolled in, or have completed, the final academic year of a bachelor's level or equivalent degree programs) to develop their professional skills and gain practical work experience in an international environment. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, applicants may be requested to undertake the internship online.