Best states for an enforcement officer

Q: What is the best state for enforcement officers?

The best state to be an enforcement officer is North Dakota based on enforcement officer salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for enforcement officers?

The highest paying state for enforcement officers is Tennessee based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for enforcement officers?

The worst state for enforcement officers is Kansas, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

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We decided to bring you a list of the best states for jobs for enforcement officers in the United States. Enforcement officer positions are available in every state, but not all states are the same. Some states do not offer the same wages, benefits, time off, etc for enforcement officers.In fact, our research shows that North Dakota is the best state for enforcement officers in America. The best city in America for enforcement officers with the highest pay is Anchorage, AK.

We figured that the best places for enforcement officer jobs has three things everyone would agree on. There would be high annual wages, good career prospects (no matter what phase of the career you are in), and a lot of job opportunities.If you are currently seeking employment as an enforcement officer, you can find open job positions using Zippia's search tools.

10 best states for enforcement officers in 2026

1. North Dakota
Total enforcement officer jobs: 126
Average annual salary: $52,459
Lowest 10 percent earn: $40,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $68,000
Location Quotient:
1.05
Enforcement officer jobs in North Dakota
2. Washington
Total enforcement officer jobs: 962
Average annual salary: $60,755
Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $82,000
Location Quotient:
1.02
Enforcement officer jobs in Washington
3. New York
Total enforcement officer jobs: 1,862
Average annual salary: $48,660
Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $69,000
Location Quotient:
1.12
Enforcement officer jobs in New York
4. Alaska
Total enforcement officer jobs: 104
Average annual salary: $65,231
Lowest 10 percent earn: $54,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $78,000
Location Quotient:
0.96
Enforcement officer jobs in Alaska
5. Connecticut
Total enforcement officer jobs: 474
Average annual salary: $47,670
Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $66,000
Location Quotient:
1.1
Enforcement officer jobs in Connecticut
6. Mississippi
Total enforcement officer jobs: 310
Average annual salary: $43,706
Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $58,000
Location Quotient:
1.13
Enforcement officer jobs in Mississippi
7. New Jersey
Total enforcement officer jobs: 1,055
Average annual salary: $47,631
Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $67,000
Location Quotient:
1.03
Enforcement officer jobs in New Jersey
8. Nevada
Total enforcement officer jobs: 358
Average annual salary: $39,486
Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $54,000
Location Quotient:
1.32
Enforcement officer jobs in Nevada
9. California
Total enforcement officer jobs: 4,773
Average annual salary: $45,696
Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $63,000
Location Quotient:
1.26
Enforcement officer jobs in California
10. Oregon
Total enforcement officer jobs: 464
Average annual salary: $47,180
Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $64,000
Location Quotient:
0.86
Enforcement officer jobs in Oregon

Enforcement officer jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be an enforcement officer

You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.

Detailed list of the best states for an enforcement officer

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	North Dakota	$52,459	$40,000	755,393	126
2	Washington	$60,755	$44,000	7,405,743	962
3	New York	$48,660	$34,000	19,849,399	1,862
4	Alaska	$65,231	$54,000	739,795	104
5	Connecticut	$47,670	$34,000	3,588,184	474
6	Mississippi	$43,706	$32,000	2,984,100	310
7	New Jersey	$47,631	$33,000	9,005,644	1,055
8	Nevada	$39,486	$28,000	2,998,039	358
9	California	$45,696	$32,000	39,536,653	4,773
10	Oregon	$47,180	$34,000	4,142,776	464
11	Colorado	$39,847	$30,000	5,607,154	976
12	Hawaii	$45,644	$39,000	1,427,538	128
13	Minnesota	$41,005	$30,000	5,576,606	876
14	Rhode Island	$39,456	$28,000	1,059,639	178
15	New Hampshire	$40,284	$30,000	1,342,795	207
16	West Virginia	$38,660	$28,000	1,815,857	184
17	Arizona	$37,755	$27,000	7,016,270	994
18	Iowa	$39,933	$30,000	3,145,711	402
19	Massachusetts	$39,123	$29,000	6,859,819	1,214
20	Texas	$39,152	$28,000	28,304,596	2,322
21	Vermont	$36,908	$28,000	623,657	103
22	Pennsylvania	$36,261	$25,000	12,805,537	1,404
23	Utah	$38,614	$28,000	3,101,833	323
24	Indiana	$37,791	$28,000	6,666,818	648
25	Florida	$35,074	$25,000	20,984,400	2,492
26	Montana	$38,648	$29,000	1,050,493	108
27	Delaware	$36,278	$25,000	961,939	160
28	Michigan	$37,255	$27,000	9,962,311	795
29	Maryland	$36,336	$25,000	6,052,177	938
30	Alabama	$32,492	$24,000	4,874,747	657
31	District of Columbia	$40,858	$29,000	693,972	156
32	Nebraska	$34,633	$26,000	1,920,076	260
33	Maine	$33,686	$26,000	1,335,907	171
34	Illinois	$36,275	$27,000	12,802,023	1,287
35	New Mexico	$32,710	$24,000	2,088,070	269
36	Virginia	$31,139	$22,000	8,470,020	1,566
37	Missouri	$33,667	$25,000	6,113,532	652
38	Wyoming	$33,932	$25,000	579,315	44
39	Wisconsin	$31,110	$23,000	5,795,483	708
40	Idaho	$34,349	$25,000	1,716,943	91
41	South Dakota	$32,003	$24,000	869,666	111
42	Oklahoma	$30,736	$23,000	3,930,864	359
43	Ohio	$31,054	$22,000	11,658,609	1,091
44	Georgia	$29,896	$22,000	10,429,379	1,226
45	Arkansas	$28,707	$21,000	3,004,279	321
46	South Carolina	$29,115	$22,000	5,024,369	521
47	North Carolina	$30,624	$23,000	10,273,419	961
48	Louisiana	$29,015	$21,000	4,684,333	375
49	Kentucky	$29,399	$22,000	4,454,189	370
50	Tennessee	$27,077	$20,000	6,715,984	610
51	Kansas	$28,451	$21,000	2,913,123	280

Highest paying states for enforcement officers

Rank	State	Avg. Enforcement Officer Salary
1	North Dakota	$52,459
2	Washington	$60,755
3	New York	$48,660
4	Alaska	$65,231
5	Connecticut	$47,670
6	Mississippi	$43,706
7	New Jersey	$47,631
8	Nevada	$39,486
9	California	$45,696
10	Oregon	$47,180
11	Colorado	$39,847
12	Hawaii	$45,644
13	Minnesota	$41,005
14	Rhode Island	$39,456
15	New Hampshire	$40,284
16	West Virginia	$38,660
17	Arizona	$37,755
18	Iowa	$39,933
19	Massachusetts	$39,123
20	Texas	$39,152
21	Vermont	$36,908
22	Pennsylvania	$36,261
23	Utah	$38,614
24	Indiana	$37,791
25	Florida	$35,074
26	Montana	$38,648
27	Delaware	$36,278
28	Michigan	$37,255
29	Maryland	$36,336
30	Alabama	$32,492
31	District of Columbia	$40,858
32	Nebraska	$34,633
33	Maine	$33,686
34	Illinois	$36,275
35	New Mexico	$32,710
36	Virginia	$31,139
37	Missouri	$33,667
38	Wyoming	$33,932
39	Wisconsin	$31,110
40	Idaho	$34,349
41	South Dakota	$32,003
42	Oklahoma	$30,736
43	Ohio	$31,054
44	Georgia	$29,896
45	Arkansas	$28,707
46	South Carolina	$29,115
47	North Carolina	$30,624
48	Louisiana	$29,015
49	Kentucky	$29,399
50	Tennessee	$27,077
51	Kansas	$28,451

Best states for an enforcement officer

10 best states for enforcement officers in 2026

1. North Dakota

2. Washington

3. New York

4. Alaska

5. Connecticut

6. Mississippi

7. New Jersey

8. Nevada

9. California

10. Oregon

Enforcement officer jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be an enforcement officer

Detailed list of the best states for an enforcement officer

Highest paying states for enforcement officers

Enforcement officer best states FAQs

What is the best state for enforcement officers?

What is the highest paying state for enforcement officers?

What is the worst state for enforcement officers?

Search for enforcement officer jobs

Total enforcement officer jobs:	126
Average annual salary:	$52,459
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$40,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$68,000
Location Quotient:	1.05