Patrol officer demographics and statistics in the US
Patrol officer demographics research summary. Zippia estimates patrol officer demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our patrol 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 patrol officers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 293,261 patrol officers currently employed in the United States.
- 17.1% of all patrol officers are women, while 82.9% are men.
- The average patrol officer age is 39 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of patrol officers is White (59.8%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (18.5%), Black or African American (12.5%) and Unknown (4.6%).
- Patrol officers are most in-demand in Los Angeles, CA.
- Seattle, WA pays an annual average wage of $46,993, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women patrol officers earned 95% of what men earned.
- North Dakota is the best state for patrol officers to live.
- Patrol officers are 58% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to government companies.
On this page
Patrol officer demographics by:
Patrol officer gender statistics
17.1% of patrol officers are women and 82.9% of patrol officers are men.
- Male, 82.9%
- Female, 17.1%
Patrol officer gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 82.9% |
| Female | 17.1% |
Patrol officer gender pay gap
Women earn 95¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$36,635
Female income
$34,674
Patrol officer gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in patrol officer positions over time. Currently, 17.1% of patrol officers are female.
Patrol officer gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 83.86% | 16.14% |
| 2011 | 83.83% | 16.17% |
| 2012 | 83.64% | 16.36% |
| 2013 | 84.27% | 15.73% |
| 2014 | 84.15% | 15.85% |
| 2015 | 84.60% | 15.40% |
| 2016 | 84.91% | 15.09% |
| 2017 | 84.61% | 15.39% |
| 2018 | 83.34% | 16.66% |
| 2019 | 82.74% | 17.26% |
| 2020 | 84.78% | 15.22% |
| 2021 | 82.88% | 17.12% |
Patrol officer related jobs gender ratio
We compared patrol 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% |
| Patrol Officer | 83% | 17% |
| 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%
Patrol officer demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among patrol officers is White, which makes up 59.8% of all patrol officers. Comparatively, 18.5% of patrol officers are Hispanic or Latino and 12.5% of patrol officers are Black or African American.
- White, 59.8%
- Hispanic or Latino, 18.5%
- Black or African American, 12.5%
- Unknown, 4.6%
- Asian, 3.5%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
Patrol officer race
| Patrol officer race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 59.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 18.5% |
| Black or African American | 12.5% |
| Unknown | 4.6% |
| Asian | 3.5% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.1% |
Patrol officer race and ethnicity over time
See how patrol officer racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Patrol officer race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 65.68% | 12.82% | 2.77% | 15.94% |
| 2011 | 65.86% | 12.87% | 3.01% | 15.29% |
| 2012 | 65.55% | 12.93% | 2.57% | 15.36% |
| 2013 | 66.05% | 12.31% | 2.72% | 15.49% |
| 2014 | 65.43% | 12.38% | 2.91% | 15.76% |
| 2015 | 64.81% | 12.72% | 3.12% | 16.36% |
| 2016 | 64.66% | 12.83% | 2.78% | 16.72% |
| 2017 | 64.25% | 12.90% | 2.81% | 16.65% |
| 2018 | 63.36% | 12.17% | 3.31% | 17.60% |
| 2019 | 64.78% | 11.73% | 3.11% | 17.16% |
| 2020 | 61.74% | 12.97% | 3.34% | 17.13% |
| 2021 | 59.85% | 12.54% | 3.46% | 18.49% |
Patrol officer wage gap by race
According to our data, asian patrol officers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american patrol officers have the lowest average salary at $35,006.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $35,952 |
| White | $36,346 |
| Black or African American | $35,006 |
| Asian | $38,048 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $37,918 |
Average patrol officer age
See how the average age of patrol officers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Patrol 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 |
Patrol officer age breakdown
The average age of patrol officers is 40+ years years old, representing 50% of the patrol officer population.
Patrol officer age breakdown
| Patrol Officer Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 50% |
| 30-40 years | 34% |
| 20-30 years | 16% |
Patrol officer educational attainment
The most common degree for patrol officers is bachelor's degree, with 43% of patrol officers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 26% and associate degree degree at 17%.
- Bachelor's, 43%
- Associate, 26%
- High School Diploma, 17%
- Master's, 5%
- Other Degrees, 9%
Patrol officers by degree level
| Patrol officer degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 43% |
| Associate | 26% |
| High School Diploma | 17% |
| Master's | 5% |
| Other Degrees | 9% |
Patrol officer jobs you might like
Patrol officer wage gap by degree level
According to the data, patrol officers with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $40,455 annually. With a Doctorate degree, patrol officers earn a median annual income of $39,742 compared to $38,402 for patrol officers with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $40,455 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $33,756 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $38,402 |
| Doctorate Degree | $39,742 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $36,578 |
Patrol officer employment statistics
Most patrol officers work for a private in the government industry.
Company size where patrol officers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where patrol officers work.
Patrol officer jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 8% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 14% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 30% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 7% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 29% |
| > 10,000 employees | 12% |
Patrol officer jobs by company type
Employees with the patrol officer job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most patrol officers prefer to work at private companies over government companies.
Patrol officer jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 10% |
| Public | 5% |
| Private | 58% |
| Government | 27% |
Patrol officer jobs by industry
The most common industries for patrol officers are government, utilities and professional.
Patrol officer industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Government | 27% |
| Utilities | 19% |
| Professional | 12% |
| Education | 11% |
| Manufacturing | 6% |
| Media | 4% |
| Hospitality | 4% |
| Technology | 3% |
| Transportation | 2% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Internet | 2% |
| Non Profits | 2% |
| Health Care | 2% |
| Construction | 2% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Retail | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
Patrol officer turnover and employment statistics
Patrol officer unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for patrol officers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Patrol officer unemployment rate by year
| Year | Patrol 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 patrol officer tenure
The average patrol officer stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 12,907 patrol officers resumes in Zippia's database.
Patrol officer tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 20% |
| 1-2 years | 31% |
| 3-4 years | 17% |
| 5-7 years | 15% |
| 8-10 years | 6% |
| 11+ years | 12% |
Patrol officer LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of patrol 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Jailer | 5.55% | 2,228 |
| Patrol Officer | 7.15% | - |
| Alcohol Law Enforcement Agent | 8.65% | 26,771 |
| Bailiff | 11.11% | 130 |
Similar patrol officer jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Jailer | 5.55% | 2,228 |
| Alcohol Law Enforcement Agent | 8.65% | 26,771 |
| Bailiff | 11.11% | 130 |
Foreign languages spoken by patrol officers
The most common foreign language among patrol officers is Spanish at 70.0%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 5.6% and Arabic is the third-most popular at 5.2%.
- Spanish, 70.0%
- French, 5.6%
- Arabic, 5.2%
- German, 2.6%
- Carrier, 2.2%
- Other, 14.4%
Patrol officer languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 70.0% |
| French | 5.6% |
| Arabic | 5.2% |
| German | 2.6% |
| Carrier | 2.2% |
| Other | 14.4% |
