Patrolman demographics and statistics in the US
Patrolman demographics research summary. Zippia estimates patrolman demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our patrolman estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about patrolmen after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 286,478 patrolmen currently employed in the United States.
- 8.7% of all patrolmen are women, while 91.3% are men.
- The average patrolman age is 39 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of patrolmen is White (62.4%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (16.6%), Black or African American (12.7%) and Unknown (4.3%).
- In 2022, women earned 95% of what men earned.
- 7% of all patrolmen are LGBT.
- Patrolmen are 53% more likely to work at government companies in comparison to private companies.
On this page
Patrolman demographics by:
Patrolman gender statistics
8.7% of patrolmen are women and 91.3% of patrolmen are men.
- Male, 91.3%
- Female, 8.7%
Patrolman gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 91.3% |
| Female | 8.7% |
Patrolman gender pay gap
Women earn 95¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$40,052
Female income
$37,863
Patrolman gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in patrolman positions over time. Currently, 8.7% of patrolmen are female.
Patrolman gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 91.83% | 8.17% |
| 2011 | 91.81% | 8.19% |
| 2012 | 91.70% | 8.30% |
| 2013 | 92.05% | 7.95% |
| 2014 | 91.98% | 8.02% |
| 2015 | 92.23% | 7.77% |
| 2016 | 92.40% | 7.60% |
| 2017 | 92.24% | 7.76% |
| 2018 | 91.53% | 8.47% |
| 2019 | 91.20% | 8.80% |
| 2020 | 92.33% | 7.67% |
| 2021 | 91.28% | 8.72% |
Patrolman related jobs gender ratio
We compared patrolmen 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% |
| Patrolman | 91% | 9% |
| 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%
Patrolman demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among patrolmen is White, which makes up 62.4% of all patrolmen. Comparatively, 16.6% of patrolmen are Hispanic or Latino and 12.7% of patrolmen are Black or African American.
- White, 62.4%
- Hispanic or Latino, 16.6%
- Black or African American, 12.7%
- Unknown, 4.3%
- Asian, 3.1%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
Patrolman race
| Patrolman race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 62.4% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 16.6% |
| Black or African American | 12.7% |
| Unknown | 4.3% |
| Asian | 3.1% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.9% |
Patrolman race and ethnicity over time
See how patrolman racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Patrolman race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 68.25% | 12.94% | 2.42% | 14.03% |
| 2011 | 68.43% | 12.99% | 2.67% | 13.38% |
| 2012 | 68.12% | 13.04% | 2.22% | 13.45% |
| 2013 | 68.62% | 12.42% | 2.37% | 13.59% |
| 2014 | 68.00% | 12.50% | 2.56% | 13.85% |
| 2015 | 67.38% | 12.83% | 2.77% | 14.45% |
| 2016 | 67.23% | 12.95% | 2.43% | 14.82% |
| 2017 | 66.82% | 13.01% | 2.47% | 14.74% |
| 2018 | 65.93% | 12.29% | 2.96% | 15.70% |
| 2019 | 67.35% | 11.85% | 2.77% | 15.26% |
| 2020 | 64.31% | 13.09% | 2.99% | 15.22% |
| 2021 | 62.42% | 12.65% | 3.12% | 16.59% |
Patrolman wage gap by race
According to our data, asian patrolmen have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american patrolmen have the lowest average salary at $38,233.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $39,289 |
| White | $39,730 |
| Black or African American | $38,233 |
| Asian | $41,631 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $41,486 |
Average patrolman age
See how the average age of patrolmen varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Patrolman 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 |
Patrolman age breakdown
The average age of patrolmen is 40+ years years old, representing 50% of the patrolman population.
Patrolman age breakdown
| Patrolman Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 50% |
| 30-40 years | 34% |
| 20-30 years | 16% |
Patrolman educational attainment
The most common degree for patrolmen is bachelor's degree, with 34% of patrolmen earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 32% and associate degree degree at 20%.
- Bachelor's, 34%
- Associate, 32%
- High School Diploma, 20%
- Master's, 6%
- Other Degrees, 8%
Patrolmen by degree level
| Patrolman degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 34% |
| Associate | 32% |
| High School Diploma | 20% |
| Master's | 6% |
| Other Degrees | 8% |
Patrolman jobs you might like
Patrolman wage gap by degree level
According to the data, patrolmen with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $44,324 annually. With a Doctorate degree, patrolmen earn a median annual income of $43,526 compared to $42,027 for patrolmen with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $44,324 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $36,839 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $42,027 |
| Doctorate Degree | $43,526 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $39,988 |
Patrolman employment statistics
Most patrolmen work for a government in the government industry.
Company size where patrolmen work
Below, you can see the size of companies where patrolmen work.
Patrolman jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 10% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 14% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 42% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 4% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 21% |
| > 10,000 employees | 10% |
Patrolman jobs by company type
Employees with the patrolman job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most patrolmen prefer to work at government companies over private companies.
Patrolman jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 8% |
| Public | 7% |
| Private | 32% |
| Government | 53% |
Patrolman jobs by industry
The most common industries for patrolmen are government, education and professional.
Patrolman industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Government | 52% |
| Education | 8% |
| Professional | 5% |
| Manufacturing | 5% |
| Utilities | 4% |
| Hospitality | 4% |
| Transportation | 3% |
| Non Profits | 3% |
| Health Care | 3% |
| Technology | 3% |
| Finance | 3% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Media | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
Patrolman turnover and employment statistics
Patrolman unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for patrolmen between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Patrolman unemployment rate by year
| Year | Patrolman 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 patrolman tenure
The average patrolman stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 6,503 patrolmen resumes in Zippia's database.
Patrolman tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 15% |
| 1-2 years | 33% |
| 3-4 years | 19% |
| 5-7 years | 15% |
| 8-10 years | 6% |
| 11+ years | 13% |
Patrolman LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of patrolmen 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Deputy Sheriff, Building Guard | 5.55% | 22,627 |
| Patrolman | 7.15% | - |
| Federal Investigator | 8.65% | 5,213 |
| Court Bailiff | 11.11% | 762 |
Similar patrolman jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Deputy Sheriff, Building Guard | 5.55% | 22,627 |
| Federal Investigator | 8.65% | 5,213 |
| Court Bailiff | 11.11% | 762 |
Foreign languages spoken by patrolmen
The most common foreign language among patrolmen is Spanish at 67.0%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 4.3% and Dakota is the third-most popular at 3.2%.
- Spanish, 67.0%
- French, 4.3%
- Dakota, 3.2%
- Arabic, 3.2%
- Korean, 3.2%
- Other, 19.1%
Patrolman languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 67.0% |
| French | 4.3% |
| Dakota | 3.2% |
| Arabic | 3.2% |
| Korean | 3.2% |
| Other | 19.1% |
