Officer demographics and statistics in the US
Officer demographics research summary. Zippia estimates officer demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our 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 officers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 61,916 officers currently employed in the United States.
- 36.1% of all officers are women, while 63.9% are men.
- The average officer age is 43 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of officers is White (51.9%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (18.6%), Black or African American (15.2%) and Asian (6.6%).
- In 2022, women earned 97% of what men earned.
- 6% of all officers are LGBT.
- Officers are 51% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to government companies.
On this page
Officer demographics by:
Officer gender statistics
36.1% of officers are women and 63.9% of officers are men.
- Male, 63.9%
- Female, 36.1%
Officer gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 63.9% |
| Female | 36.1% |
Officer gender pay gap
Women earn 97¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$56,371
Female income
$54,750
Officer gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in officer positions over time. Currently, 36.1% of officers are female.
Officer gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 67.03% | 32.97% |
| 2011 | 65.51% | 34.49% |
| 2012 | 67.00% | 33.00% |
| 2013 | 67.14% | 32.86% |
| 2014 | 66.11% | 33.89% |
| 2015 | 66.98% | 33.02% |
| 2016 | 66.51% | 33.49% |
| 2017 | 65.00% | 35.00% |
| 2018 | 66.04% | 33.96% |
| 2019 | 65.44% | 34.56% |
| 2020 | 62.86% | 37.14% |
| 2021 | 63.90% | 36.10% |
Officer related jobs gender ratio
We compared officers with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, rescue boat operator and bodyguard have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Playground Monitor | 18% | 82% |
| School Crossing Guard | 21% | 79% |
| Crossing Guard | 23% | 77% |
| Officer | 64% | 36% |
| Bouncer | 94% | 6% |
| Bodyguard | 96% | 4% |
| Rescue Boat Operator | 98% | 2% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Officer demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among officers is White, which makes up 51.9% of all officers. Comparatively, 18.6% of officers are Hispanic or Latino and 15.2% of officers are Black or African American.
- White, 51.9%
- Hispanic or Latino, 18.6%
- Black or African American, 15.2%
- Asian, 6.6%
- Unknown, 5.7%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.0%
Officer race
| Officer race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 51.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 18.6% |
| Black or African American | 15.2% |
| Asian | 6.6% |
| Unknown | 5.7% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 2.0% |
Officer race and ethnicity over time
See how officer racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Officer race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 61.46% | 15.58% | 5.44% | 13.45% |
| 2011 | 59.40% | 15.52% | 5.42% | 15.02% |
| 2012 | 59.07% | 15.80% | 5.34% | 15.13% |
| 2013 | 59.40% | 15.36% | 5.60% | 15.23% |
| 2014 | 58.08% | 16.20% | 5.30% | 15.56% |
| 2015 | 57.71% | 15.63% | 5.79% | 16.01% |
| 2016 | 57.35% | 15.40% | 5.57% | 16.89% |
| 2017 | 57.24% | 16.32% | 5.24% | 16.69% |
| 2018 | 57.49% | 15.20% | 5.44% | 16.70% |
| 2019 | 56.48% | 15.91% | 6.26% | 16.56% |
| 2020 | 51.81% | 16.48% | 6.31% | 17.95% |
| 2021 | 51.93% | 15.25% | 6.64% | 18.58% |
Officer wage gap by race
According to our data, white officers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Unknown officers have the lowest average salary at $54,377.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $54,377 |
| White | $57,459 |
| Black or African American | $56,748 |
| Asian | $57,352 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $55,978 |
Average officer age
See how the average age of officers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Officer age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 45 | 41 |
| Unknown | 37.5 | 39 |
| Asian | 45 | 44 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 36 | 36.5 |
| White | 45 | 47 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 38.5 | 37 |
Officer age breakdown
The average age of officers is 40+ years years old, representing 56% of the officer population.
Officer age breakdown
| Officer Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 56% |
| 30-40 years | 21% |
| 20-30 years | 22% |
Officer educational attainment
The most common degree for officers is bachelor's degree, with 56% of officers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 14% and associate degree degree at 11%.
- Bachelor's, 56%
- Associate, 14%
- Master's, 11%
- High School Diploma, 10%
- Other Degrees, 9%
Officers by degree level
| Officer degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 56% |
| Associate | 14% |
| Master's | 11% |
| High School Diploma | 10% |
| Other Degrees | 9% |
Officer jobs you might like
Officer wage gap by degree level
According to the data, officers with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $77,264 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, officers earn a median annual income of $63,064 compared to $54,006 for officers with an Associate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $77,264 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $49,199 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $63,064 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $54,006 |
Officer employment statistics
Most officers work for a private in the government industry.
Company size where officers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where officers work.
Officer jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 5% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 14% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 21% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 8% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 30% |
| > 10,000 employees | 23% |
Officer jobs by company type
Employees with the officer job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most officers prefer to work at private companies over government companies.
Officer jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 8% |
| Public | 13% |
| Private | 51% |
| Government | 28% |
Officer jobs by industry
The most common industries for officers are government, finance and utilities.
Officer industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Government | 25% |
| Finance | 12% |
| Utilities | 11% |
| Professional | 10% |
| Education | 7% |
| Fortune 500 | 5% |
| Manufacturing | 4% |
| Health Care | 4% |
| Non Profits | 4% |
| Technology | 4% |
| Media | 2% |
| Transportation | 2% |
| Hospitality | 2% |
| Retail | 2% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
Officer turnover and employment statistics
Officer unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for officers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Officer unemployment rate by year
| Year | Officer unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 12.24% |
| 2011 | 11.62% |
| 2012 | 10.40% |
| 2013 | 9.08% |
| 2014 | 8.18% |
| 2015 | 7.21% |
| 2016 | 6.47% |
| 2017 | 5.77% |
| 2018 | 5.47% |
| 2019 | 4.75% |
| 2020 | 6.85% |
| 2021 | 7.46% |
Average officer tenure
The average officer stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 47,883 officers resumes in Zippia's database.
Officer tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 20% |
| 1-2 years | 35% |
| 3-4 years | 16% |
| 5-7 years | 14% |
| 8-10 years | 5% |
| 11+ years | 10% |
Officer LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Crossing Guard | 3.84% | 16,018 |
| Officer | 6.29% | - |
| Playground Monitor | 7.17% | 4,816 |
| Water Safety Instructor | 7.20% | 44,102 |
| Bail Bond Agent | 8.27% | 26,182 |
| Screener | 15.51% | 3,108 |
Similar officer jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Crossing Guard | 3.84% | 16,018 |
| Playground Monitor | 7.17% | 4,816 |
| Water Safety Instructor | 7.20% | 44,102 |
| Bail Bond Agent | 8.27% | 26,182 |
| Screener | 15.51% | 3,108 |
Foreign languages spoken by officers
The most common foreign language among officers is Spanish at 45.1%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 11.9% and Arabic is the third-most popular at 4.8%.
- Spanish, 45.1%
- French, 11.9%
- Arabic, 4.8%
- German, 4.7%
- Chinese, 4.7%
- Other, 28.8%
Officer languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 45.1% |
| French | 11.9% |
| Arabic | 4.8% |
| German | 4.7% |
| Chinese | 4.7% |
| Other | 28.8% |
