Law enforcement officer demographics and statistics in the US
Law enforcement officer demographics research summary. Zippia estimates law enforcement officer demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our law enforcement officer estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about law enforcement officers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 19,911 law enforcement officers currently employed in the United States.
- 19.7% of all law enforcement officers are women, while 80.3% are men.
- The average law enforcement officer age is 39 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of law enforcement officers is White (59.6%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (18.2%), Black or African American (13.3%) and Unknown (4.7%).
- Law enforcement officers are most in-demand in Columbia, SC.
- The government industry is the highest-paying for law enforcement officers.
- 7% of all law enforcement officers are LGBT.
On this page
Law enforcement officer demographics by:
Law enforcement officer gender statistics
19.7% of law enforcement officers are women and 80.3% of law enforcement officers are men.
- Male, 80.3%
- Female, 19.7%
Law enforcement officer gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 80.3% |
| Female | 19.7% |
Law enforcement officer gender pay gap
Women earn 95¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$40,310
Female income
$38,199
Law enforcement officer gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in law enforcement officer positions over time. Currently, 19.7% of law enforcement officers are female.
Law enforcement officer gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 81.37% | 18.63% |
| 2011 | 81.33% | 18.67% |
| 2012 | 81.11% | 18.89% |
| 2013 | 81.83% | 18.17% |
| 2014 | 81.69% | 18.31% |
| 2015 | 82.19% | 17.81% |
| 2016 | 82.54% | 17.46% |
| 2017 | 82.20% | 17.80% |
| 2018 | 80.78% | 19.22% |
| 2019 | 80.11% | 19.89% |
| 2020 | 82.40% | 17.60% |
| 2021 | 80.27% | 19.73% |
Law enforcement officer related jobs gender ratio
We compared law enforcement officers 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% |
| Law Enforcement Officer | 80% | 20% |
| 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%
Law enforcement officer demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among law enforcement officers is White, which makes up 59.6% of all law enforcement officers. Comparatively, 18.2% of law enforcement officers are Hispanic or Latino and 13.3% of law enforcement officers are Black or African American.
- White, 59.6%
- Hispanic or Latino, 18.2%
- Black or African American, 13.3%
- Unknown, 4.7%
- Asian, 3.1%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
Law enforcement officer race
| Law enforcement officer race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 59.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 18.2% |
| Black or African American | 13.3% |
| Unknown | 4.7% |
| Asian | 3.1% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.1% |
Law enforcement officer race and ethnicity over time
See how law enforcement officer racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Law enforcement officer race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 65.44% | 13.60% | 2.39% | 15.67% |
| 2011 | 65.61% | 13.65% | 2.64% | 15.02% |
| 2012 | 65.30% | 13.70% | 2.19% | 15.09% |
| 2013 | 65.80% | 13.08% | 2.35% | 15.22% |
| 2014 | 65.19% | 13.16% | 2.54% | 15.49% |
| 2015 | 64.56% | 13.49% | 2.74% | 16.09% |
| 2016 | 64.42% | 13.61% | 2.40% | 16.45% |
| 2017 | 64.00% | 13.67% | 2.44% | 16.38% |
| 2018 | 63.12% | 12.95% | 2.93% | 17.33% |
| 2019 | 64.53% | 12.51% | 2.74% | 16.89% |
| 2020 | 61.50% | 13.75% | 2.97% | 16.86% |
| 2021 | 59.60% | 13.31% | 3.09% | 18.22% |
Law enforcement officer wage gap by race
According to our data, asian law enforcement officers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american law enforcement officers have the lowest average salary at $38,556.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $39,575 |
| White | $39,999 |
| Black or African American | $38,556 |
| Asian | $41,829 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $41,689 |
Average law enforcement officer age
See how the average age of law enforcement officers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Law enforcement officer 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 |
Law enforcement officer age breakdown
The average age of law enforcement officers is 40+ years years old, representing 50% of the law enforcement officer population.
Law enforcement officer age breakdown
| Law Enforcement Officer Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 50% |
| 30-40 years | 34% |
| 20-30 years | 16% |
Law enforcement officer educational attainment
The most common degree for law enforcement officers is bachelor's degree, with 47% of law enforcement officers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 26% and associate degree degree at 10%.
- Bachelor's, 47%
- Associate, 26%
- High School Diploma, 10%
- Master's, 9%
- Other Degrees, 8%
Law enforcement officers by degree level
| Law enforcement officer degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 47% |
| Associate | 26% |
| High School Diploma | 10% |
| Master's | 9% |
| Other Degrees | 8% |
Law enforcement officer jobs you might like
Law enforcement officer wage gap by degree level
According to the data, law enforcement officers with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $44,414 annually. With a Doctorate degree, law enforcement officers earn a median annual income of $43,649 compared to $42,209 for law enforcement officers with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $44,414 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $37,210 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $42,209 |
| Doctorate Degree | $43,649 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $40,248 |
Law enforcement officer employment statistics
Most law enforcement officers work for a government in the government industry.
Company size where law enforcement officers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where law enforcement officers work.
Law enforcement officer jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 7% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 11% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 25% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 9% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 33% |
| > 10,000 employees | 15% |
Law enforcement officer jobs by company type
Employees with the law enforcement officer job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most law enforcement officers prefer to work at government companies over private companies.
Law enforcement officer jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 12% |
| Public | 4% |
| Private | 25% |
| Government | 59% |
Law enforcement officer jobs by industry
The most common industries for law enforcement officers are government, education and professional.
Law enforcement officer industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Government | 56% |
| Education | 12% |
| Professional | 6% |
| Finance | 4% |
| Utilities | 4% |
| Non Profits | 2% |
| Fortune 500 | 2% |
| Technology | 2% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Media | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Health Care | 1% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Retail | 1% |
| Manufacturing | 1% |
Law enforcement officer turnover and employment statistics
Law enforcement officer unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for law enforcement officers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Law enforcement officer unemployment rate by year
| Year | Law enforcement officer 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 law enforcement officer tenure
The average law enforcement officer stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 3,968 law enforcement officers resumes in Zippia's database.
Law enforcement officer tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 10% |
| 1-2 years | 24% |
| 3-4 years | 18% |
| 5-7 years | 17% |
| 8-10 years | 7% |
| 11+ years | 24% |
Law enforcement officer LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of law enforcement officers 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Corporal | 5.55% | 320 |
| Law Enforcement Officer | 7.15% | - |
| Signal Intelligence Analyst | 8.65% | 15,016 |
| City Bailiff | 11.11% | 5,122 |
Similar law enforcement officer jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Corporal | 5.55% | 320 |
| Signal Intelligence Analyst | 8.65% | 15,016 |
| City Bailiff | 11.11% | 5,122 |
Foreign languages spoken by law enforcement officers
The most common foreign language among law enforcement officers is Spanish at 69.3%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Arabic at 4.5% and French is the third-most popular at 3.4%.
- Spanish, 69.3%
- Arabic, 4.5%
- French, 3.4%
- German, 2.3%
- Tagalog, 2.3%
- Other, 18.2%
Law enforcement officer languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 69.3% |
| Arabic | 4.5% |
| French | 3.4% |
| German | 2.3% |
| Tagalog | 2.3% |
| Other | 18.2% |
