Police patrol officer demographics and statistics in the US
Police patrol officer demographics research summary. Zippia estimates police patrol officer demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our police 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 police patrol officers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 283,559 police patrol officers currently employed in the United States.
- 14.0% of all police patrol officers are women, while 86.0% are men.
- The average police patrol officer age is 39 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of police patrol officers is White (59.8%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (19.0%), Black or African American (12.5%) and Unknown (4.3%).
- In 2022, women earned 95% of what men earned.
- 7% of all police patrol officers are LGBT.
- Police patrol officers are 57% more likely to work at government companies in comparison to private companies.
On this page
Police patrol officer demographics by:
Police patrol officer gender statistics
14.0% of police patrol officers are women and 86.0% of police patrol officers are men.
- Male, 86.0%
- Female, 14.0%
Police patrol officer gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 86.0% |
| Female | 14.0% |
Police patrol officer gender pay gap
Women earn 95¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$44,942
Female income
$42,579
Police patrol officer gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in police patrol officer positions over time. Currently, 14.0% of police patrol officers are female.
Police patrol officer gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 86.80% | 13.20% |
| 2011 | 86.77% | 13.23% |
| 2012 | 86.61% | 13.39% |
| 2013 | 87.15% | 12.85% |
| 2014 | 87.04% | 12.96% |
| 2015 | 87.42% | 12.58% |
| 2016 | 87.68% | 12.32% |
| 2017 | 87.43% | 12.57% |
| 2018 | 86.35% | 13.65% |
| 2019 | 85.84% | 14.16% |
| 2020 | 87.57% | 12.43% |
| 2021 | 85.97% | 14.03% |
Police patrol officer related jobs gender ratio
We compared police 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% |
| Police Patrol Officer | 86% | 14% |
| 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 patrol officer demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among police patrol officers is White, which makes up 59.8% of all police patrol officers. Comparatively, 19.0% of police patrol officers are Hispanic or Latino and 12.5% of police patrol officers are Black or African American.
- White, 59.8%
- Hispanic or Latino, 19.0%
- Black or African American, 12.5%
- Unknown, 4.3%
- Asian, 3.4%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%
Police patrol officer race
| Police patrol officer race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 59.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 19.0% |
| Black or African American | 12.5% |
| Unknown | 4.3% |
| Asian | 3.4% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.0% |
Police patrol officer race and ethnicity over time
See how police patrol officer racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Police patrol officer race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 65.68% | 12.80% | 2.71% | 16.47% |
| 2011 | 65.85% | 12.85% | 2.96% | 15.82% |
| 2012 | 65.55% | 12.91% | 2.51% | 15.89% |
| 2013 | 66.05% | 12.29% | 2.66% | 16.02% |
| 2014 | 65.43% | 12.36% | 2.85% | 16.29% |
| 2015 | 64.81% | 12.70% | 3.06% | 16.89% |
| 2016 | 64.66% | 12.81% | 2.72% | 17.25% |
| 2017 | 64.24% | 12.88% | 2.76% | 17.18% |
| 2018 | 63.36% | 12.16% | 3.25% | 18.13% |
| 2019 | 64.78% | 11.71% | 3.06% | 17.69% |
| 2020 | 61.74% | 12.95% | 3.28% | 17.66% |
| 2021 | 59.85% | 12.52% | 3.41% | 19.02% |
Police patrol officer wage gap by race
According to our data, asian police patrol officers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american police patrol officers have the lowest average salary at $42,979.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $44,119 |
| White | $44,594 |
| Black or African American | $42,979 |
| Asian | $46,642 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $46,486 |
Average police patrol officer age
See how the average age of police patrol officers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Police 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 |
Police patrol officer age breakdown
The average age of police patrol officers is 40+ years years old, representing 50% of the police patrol officer population.
Police patrol officer age breakdown
| Police Patrol Officer Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 50% |
| 30-40 years | 34% |
| 20-30 years | 16% |
Police patrol officer educational attainment
The most common degree for police patrol officers is bachelor's degree, with 50% of police patrol officers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 26% and associate degree degree at 9%.
- Bachelor's, 50%
- Associate, 26%
- High School Diploma, 9%
- Master's, 7%
- Other Degrees, 8%
Police patrol officers by degree level
| Police patrol officer degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 50% |
| Associate | 26% |
| High School Diploma | 9% |
| Master's | 7% |
| Other Degrees | 8% |
Police patrol officer jobs you might like
Police patrol officer wage gap by degree level
According to the data, police patrol officers with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $49,538 annually. With a Doctorate degree, police patrol officers earn a median annual income of $48,680 compared to $47,068 for police patrol officers with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $49,538 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $41,472 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $47,068 |
| Doctorate Degree | $48,680 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $44,872 |
Police patrol officer employment statistics
Most police patrol officers work for a government in the government industry.
Company size where police patrol officers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where police patrol officers work.
Police patrol officer jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 8% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 16% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 33% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 5% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 30% |
| > 10,000 employees | 7% |
Police patrol officer jobs by company type
Employees with the police patrol officer job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most police patrol officers prefer to work at government companies over private companies.
Police patrol officer jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 15% |
| Public | 1% |
| Private | 27% |
| Government | 57% |
Police patrol officer jobs by industry
The most common industries for police patrol officers are government, education and hospitality.
Police patrol officer industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Government | 57% |
| Education | 15% |
| Hospitality | 4% |
| Professional | 4% |
| Construction | 3% |
| Retail | 3% |
| Manufacturing | 3% |
| Transportation | 2% |
| Non Profits | 2% |
| Telecommunication | 2% |
| Finance | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Fortune 500 | 1% |
| Technology | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
Police patrol officer turnover and employment statistics
Police patrol officer unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for police patrol officers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Police patrol officer unemployment rate by year
| Year | Police 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 police patrol officer tenure
The average police patrol officer stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 1,091 police patrol officers resumes in Zippia's database.
Police patrol officer tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 11% |
| 1-2 years | 27% |
| 3-4 years | 19% |
| 5-7 years | 17% |
| 8-10 years | 7% |
| 11+ years | 20% |
Police patrol officer LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of police 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Corporal | 5.55% | 320 |
| Police Patrol Officer | 7.15% | - |
| Signals Analyst | 8.65% | 9,995 |
| Bailiff | 11.11% | 130 |
Similar police patrol officer jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Corporal | 5.55% | 320 |
| Signals Analyst | 8.65% | 9,995 |
| Bailiff | 11.11% | 130 |
Foreign languages spoken by police patrol officers
The most common foreign language among police patrol officers is Spanish at 42.9%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Carrier at 14.3% and Chinese is the third-most popular at 7.1%.
- Spanish, 42.9%
- Carrier, 14.3%
- Chinese, 7.1%
- German, 7.1%
- French, 7.1%
- Other, 21.5%
Police patrol officer languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 42.9% |
| Carrier | 14.3% |
| Chinese | 7.1% |
| German | 7.1% |
| French | 7.1% |
| Other | 21.5% |
