Police officer demographics and statistics in the US
Police officer demographics research summary. Zippia estimates police officer demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our police 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 police officers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 324,951 police officers currently employed in the United States.
- 16.8% of all police officers are women, while 83.2% are men.
- The average police officer age is 39 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of police officers is White (60.0%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (18.2%), Black or African American (12.9%) and Unknown (4.6%).
- In 2022, women earned 94% of what men earned.
- 7% of all police officers are LGBT.
- Police officers are 74% more likely to work at government companies in comparison to private companies.
On this page
Police officer demographics by:
Police officer gender statistics
16.8% of police officers are women and 83.2% of police officers are men.
- Male, 83.2%
- Female, 16.8%
Police officer gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 83.2% |
| Female | 16.8% |
Police officer gender pay gap
Women earn 94¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$54,340
Female income
$51,038
Police officer gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in police officer positions over time. Currently, 16.8% of police officers are female.
Police officer gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 84.14% | 15.86% |
| 2011 | 84.11% | 15.89% |
| 2012 | 83.92% | 16.08% |
| 2013 | 84.54% | 15.46% |
| 2014 | 84.42% | 15.58% |
| 2015 | 84.86% | 15.14% |
| 2016 | 85.17% | 14.83% |
| 2017 | 84.87% | 15.13% |
| 2018 | 83.62% | 16.38% |
| 2019 | 83.03% | 16.97% |
| 2020 | 85.04% | 14.96% |
| 2021 | 83.17% | 16.83% |
Police officer related jobs gender ratio
We compared police 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% |
| Police 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%
Police officer demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among police officers is White, which makes up 60.0% of all police officers. Comparatively, 18.2% of police officers are Hispanic or Latino and 12.9% of police officers are Black or African American.
- White, 60.0%
- Hispanic or Latino, 18.2%
- Black or African American, 12.9%
- Unknown, 4.6%
- Asian, 3.3%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%
Police officer race
| Police officer race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 60.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 18.2% |
| Black or African American | 12.9% |
| Unknown | 4.6% |
| Asian | 3.3% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.0% |
Police officer race and ethnicity over time
See how police officer racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Police officer race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 65.81% | 13.19% | 2.61% | 15.62% |
| 2011 | 65.99% | 13.25% | 2.86% | 14.97% |
| 2012 | 65.68% | 13.30% | 2.41% | 15.04% |
| 2013 | 66.18% | 12.68% | 2.57% | 15.17% |
| 2014 | 65.56% | 12.75% | 2.76% | 15.43% |
| 2015 | 64.94% | 13.09% | 2.96% | 16.04% |
| 2016 | 64.79% | 13.20% | 2.62% | 16.40% |
| 2017 | 64.37% | 13.27% | 2.66% | 16.33% |
| 2018 | 63.49% | 12.55% | 3.15% | 17.28% |
| 2019 | 64.91% | 12.10% | 2.96% | 16.84% |
| 2020 | 61.87% | 13.35% | 3.19% | 16.80% |
| 2021 | 59.98% | 12.91% | 3.31% | 18.17% |
Police officer wage gap by race
According to our data, asian police officers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american police officers have the lowest average salary at $51,592.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $53,186 |
| White | $53,849 |
| Black or African American | $51,592 |
| Asian | $56,741 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $56,513 |
Average police officer age
See how the average age of police officers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Police 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 |
Police officer age breakdown
The average age of police officers is 40+ years years old, representing 50% of the police officer population.
Police officer age breakdown
| Police Officer Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 50% |
| 30-40 years | 34% |
| 20-30 years | 16% |
Police officer educational attainment
The most common degree for police officers is bachelor's degree, with 49% of police officers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 26% and associate degree degree at 11%.
- Bachelor's, 49%
- Associate, 26%
- High School Diploma, 11%
- Master's, 6%
- Other Degrees, 8%
Police officers by degree level
| Police officer degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 49% |
| Associate | 26% |
| High School Diploma | 11% |
| Master's | 6% |
| Other Degrees | 8% |
Police officer jobs you might like
Police officer wage gap by degree level
According to the data, police officers with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $60,863 annually. With a Doctorate degree, police officers earn a median annual income of $59,712 compared to $57,344 for police officers with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $60,863 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $49,513 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $57,344 |
| Doctorate Degree | $59,712 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $54,252 |
Police officer employment statistics
Most police officers work for a government in the government industry.
Company size where police officers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where police officers work.
Police officer jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 7% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 11% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 37% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 6% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 29% |
| > 10,000 employees | 9% |
Police officer jobs by company type
Employees with the police officer job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most police officers prefer to work at government companies over private companies.
Police officer jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 9% |
| Public | 1% |
| Private | 17% |
| Government | 74% |
Police officer jobs by industry
The most common industries for police officers are government, education and professional.
Police officer industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Government | 70% |
| Education | 9% |
| Professional | 4% |
| Transportation | 3% |
| Utilities | 3% |
| Hospitality | 3% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Media | 2% |
| Non Profits | 2% |
| Health Care | 2% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Manufacturing | 1% |
| Technology | 1% |
Police officer turnover and employment statistics
Police officer unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for police officers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Police officer unemployment rate by year
| Year | Police 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 police officer tenure
The average police officer stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 56,794 police officers resumes in Zippia's database.
Police officer tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 13% |
| 1-2 years | 25% |
| 3-4 years | 15% |
| 5-7 years | 17% |
| 8-10 years | 7% |
| 11+ years | 22% |
Police officer LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of police 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Commissary Officer | 5.55% | 57,186 |
| Police Officer | 7.15% | - |
| Unemployment Examiner | 8.65% | 2,130 |
| Bailiff | 11.11% | 130 |
Similar police officer jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Commissary Officer | 5.55% | 57,186 |
| Unemployment Examiner | 8.65% | 2,130 |
| Bailiff | 11.11% | 130 |
Foreign languages spoken by police officers
The most common foreign language among police officers is Spanish at 70.5%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 4.8% and Arabic is the third-most popular at 3.3%.
- Spanish, 70.5%
- French, 4.8%
- Arabic, 3.3%
- German, 3.2%
- Portuguese, 2.5%
- Other, 15.7%
Police officer languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 70.5% |
| French | 4.8% |
| Arabic | 3.3% |
| German | 3.2% |
| Portuguese | 2.5% |
| Other | 15.7% |
