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Deputy sheriff demographics and statistics in the US

Deputy sheriff demographics research summary. Zippia estimates deputy sheriff demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our deputy 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 deputy sheriffs after extensive research and analysis:

  • There are over 120,523 deputy sheriffs currently employed in the United States.
  • 17.2% of all deputy sheriffs are women, while 82.8% are men.
  • The average deputy sheriff age is 39 years old.
  • The most common ethnicity of deputy sheriffs is White (61.3%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (15.7%), Black or African American (13.7%) and Unknown (4.9%).
  • Deputy sheriffs are most in-demand in Los Angeles, CA.
  • Santa Rosa, CA pays an annual average wage of $64,971, the highest in the US.
  • In 2022, women deputy sheriffs earned 93% of what men earned.
  • Washington is the best state for deputy sheriffs to live.
  • Deputy sheriffs are 90% more likely to work at government companies in comparison to private companies.
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Deputy sheriff demographics by:

Deputy sheriff gender statistics

17.2% of deputy sheriffs are women and 82.8% of deputy sheriffs are men.
  • Male, 82.8%
  • Female, 17.2%

Deputy sheriff gender ratio

GenderPercentages
Male82.8%
Female17.2%

Deputy sheriff gender pay gap

Women earn 93¢ for every $1 earned by men

male-income
Male income
$51,960
female-income
Female income
$48,442

Deputy sheriff gender ratio over time

This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in deputy sheriff positions over time. Currently, 17.2% of deputy sheriffs are female.
Male
Female
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021

Deputy sheriff gender ratio by year

YearMaleFemale
201083.78%16.22%
201183.75%16.25%
201283.55%16.45%
201384.19%15.81%
201484.07%15.93%
201584.52%15.48%
201684.83%15.17%
201784.53%15.47%
201883.25%16.75%
201982.65%17.35%
202084.70%15.30%
202182.80%17.20%

Deputy sheriff related jobs gender ratio

We compared deputy 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 titleMaleFemale
Matron8%92%
Deputy Treasurer19%81%
Unemployment Examiner29%71%
Deputy Sheriff83%17%
Town Marshal96%4%
Fugitive Investigator97%3%
Deputy Sheriff-K9 Handler98%2%

Deputy sheriff demographics by race

The most common ethnicity among deputy sheriffs is White, which makes up 61.3% of all deputy sheriffs. Comparatively, 15.7% of deputy sheriffs are Hispanic or Latino and 13.7% of deputy sheriffs are Black or African American.
  • White, 61.3%
  • Hispanic or Latino, 15.7%
  • Black or African American, 13.7%
  • Unknown, 4.9%
  • Asian, 3.3%
  • American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%

Deputy sheriff race

Deputy sheriff racePercentages
White61.3%
Hispanic or Latino15.7%
Black or African American13.7%
Unknown4.9%
Asian3.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native1.1%

Deputy sheriff race and ethnicity over time

See how deputy sheriff racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.

Deputy sheriff race and ethnicity by year

YearWhiteBlack or African AmericanAsianHispanic or Latino
201067.18%13.95%2.57%13.17%
201167.35%14.00%2.82%12.52%
201267.05%14.06%2.37%12.59%
201367.55%13.44%2.53%12.73%
201466.93%13.51%2.72%12.99%
201566.31%13.85%2.92%13.59%
201666.16%13.96%2.59%13.95%
201765.74%14.03%2.62%13.88%
201864.86%13.31%3.11%14.83%
201966.28%12.86%2.92%14.39%
202063.24%14.11%3.15%14.36%
202161.35%13.67%3.27%15.73%

Deputy sheriff wage gap by race

According to our data, asian deputy sheriffs have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american deputy sheriffs have the lowest average salary at $49,030.
$56,000
$54,000
$52,000
$50,000
$48,000
Unknown
White
Black or African American
Asian
Hispanic or Latino
EthnicitySalary
Unknown$50,727
White$51,435
Black or African American$49,030
Asian$54,536
Hispanic or Latino$54,290

Average deputy sheriff age

See how the average age of deputy sheriffs varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female

Deputy sheriff age by race and gender

RaceMale ageFemale age
Black or African American4243
Unknown3837
Asian3843
Hispanic or Latino3936
White3939
American Indian and Alaska Native41.5

Deputy sheriff age breakdown

The average age of deputy sheriffs is 40+ years years old, representing 50% of the deputy sheriff population.

40+ years

30-40 years

20-30 years


Deputy sheriff age breakdown

Deputy Sheriff YearsPercentages
40+ years50%
30-40 years34%
20-30 years16%

Deputy sheriff educational attainment

The most common degree for deputy sheriffs is bachelor's degree, with 42% of deputy sheriffs earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 29% and associate degree degree at 15%.
  • Bachelor's, 42%
  • Associate, 29%
  • High School Diploma, 15%
  • Master's, 6%
  • Other Degrees, 8%

Deputy sheriffs by degree level

Deputy sheriff degreePercentages
Bachelor's42%
Associate29%
High School Diploma15%
Master's6%
Other Degrees8%

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Deputy sheriff wage gap by degree level

According to the data, deputy sheriffs with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $58,986 annually. With a Doctorate degree, deputy sheriffs earn a median annual income of $57,739 compared to $55,184 for deputy sheriffs with an Bachelor's degree.
$62,000
$59,000
$56,000
$53,000
$50,000
$47,000
$44,000
Master's Degree
High School Diploma or Less
Bachelor's Degree
Doctorate Degree
Some College/ Associate Degree
EducationSalary
Master's Degree$58,986
High School Diploma or Less$46,826
Bachelor's Degree$55,184
Doctorate Degree$57,739
Some College/ Associate Degree$51,867

Deputy sheriff employment statistics

Most deputy sheriffs work for a government in the government industry.

Company size where deputy sheriffs work

Below, you can see the size of companies where deputy sheriffs work.

< 50 employees

50 - 100 employees

100 - 500 employees

500 - 1,000 employees

1,000 - 10,000 employees

> 10,000

Deputy sheriff jobs by employer size

Company sizePercentages
< 50 employees9%
50 - 100 employees19%
100 - 500 employees48%
500 - 1,000 employees10%
1,000 - 10,000 employees14%
> 10,000 employees1%

Deputy sheriff jobs by company type

Employees with the deputy sheriff job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most deputy sheriffs prefer to work at government companies over private companies.

Education

Private

Government

Deputy sheriff jobs by sector

Company typePercentages
Education1%
Private8%
Government90%

Deputy sheriff jobs by industry

The most common industries for deputy sheriffs are government, non profits and health care.

Government

Non Profits

Health Care

Professional

Hospitality

Deputy sheriff industry statistics

Deputy sheriff turnover and employment statistics

Deputy sheriff unemployment rate over time

The unemployment rate for deputy sheriffs between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Deputy sheriff unemployment rate by year

YearDeputy sheriff unemployment rate
20102.07%
20112.19%
20121.94%
20131.72%
20141.41%
20151.11%
20161.02%
20171.12%
20180.98%
20191.03%
20201.37%
20211.40%

Average deputy sheriff tenure

The average deputy sheriff stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 19,044 deputy sheriffs resumes in Zippia's database.

Less than one year

1-2 years

3-4 years

5-7 years

8-10 years

11+ years

Deputy sheriff tenure statistics

Number of yearsPercentages
Less than 1 year12%
1-2 years26%
3-4 years17%
5-7 years18%
8-10 years7%
11+ years20%

Deputy sheriff LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs

Review the percent of deputy sheriffs that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
Job titleLGBTJob openings
Youth Corrections Officer5.55%59,947
Deputy Sheriff7.15%-
Customs Collector8.65%62,183
Court Bailiff11.11%762

Similar deputy sheriff jobs LGBT demographics

ProfessionPercentages of LGBT Job openings
Youth Corrections Officer5.55%59,947
Customs Collector8.65%62,183
Court Bailiff11.11%762

Foreign languages spoken by deputy sheriffs

The most common foreign language among deputy sheriffs is Spanish at 68.1%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is German at 4.2% and Carrier is the third-most popular at 3.4%.
  • Spanish, 68.1%
  • German, 4.2%
  • Carrier, 3.4%
  • French, 3.1%
  • Russian, 3.1%
  • Other, 18.1%

Deputy sheriff languages spoken

Foreign languagePercentages
Spanish68.1%
German4.2%
Carrier3.4%
French3.1%
Russian3.1%
Other18.1%

Deputy sheriff jobs

Deputy sheriff location demographics

The amount you can make as a deputy sheriff can depend on where you live. For example, the highest salary of deputy sheriffs is $63,589. Use our chart to find out where that salary is located.

Where do deputy sheriffs earn the most?

Deputy sheriffs earn the most in California, where the average deputy sheriff salary is $60,939. The map here shows where deputy sheriffs earn the highest salaries in the U.S. The darker areas across the 50 states highlight the highest salaries.
Average salary

Which city has the most Deputy Sheriffs?

By looking through more than 19,044 resumes, we found that the most popular places for deputy sheriffs are New Orleans, LA and Los Angeles, CA.
Number of Deputy Sheriffs

Deputy sheriff jobs by state

RankStateNumber of jobsAverage salary
1California453$60,939
2Virginia235$39,960
3Texas157$45,657
4Indiana143$38,527
5Maryland133$48,525
6Florida126$40,779
7Georgia105$36,502
8Washington94$59,045
9North Carolina88$33,198
10New York78$58,609
11Massachusetts74$46,476
12Ohio70$52,102
13Colorado65$53,123
14District of Columbia53$48,136
15Arizona52$44,867
16Michigan51$45,343
17Illinois50$53,044
18Pennsylvania50$40,157
19South Carolina48$42,022
20Minnesota45$55,011
21Wisconsin41$48,821
22Oregon32$58,685
23Utah30$40,750
24Missouri30$38,716
25New Jersey28$56,236
26Montana28$41,828
27Tennessee25$41,364
28Alaska24$45,703
29New Mexico24$44,582
30Louisiana24$41,170
31Kansas23$51,279
32Hawaii23$46,265
33Idaho23$39,932
34Oklahoma22$36,654
35Mississippi21$36,556
36Alabama21$38,613
37Maine19$51,864
38Nevada19$49,189
39Iowa13$48,607
40Nebraska12$35,934
41West Virginia10$51,830
42Kentucky10$49,527
43Connecticut10$49,248
44Delaware7$49,464
45New Hampshire6$44,347
46Arkansas6$41,767
47South Dakota5$40,031
48North Dakota4$47,182
49Rhode Island4$48,103
50Wyoming3$52,865
51Vermont2$41,722

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