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Law enforcement specialist salary
Average law enforcement specialist salary
$75,567
Understanding Law Enforcement Specialist Salaries
A Law Enforcement Specialist plays a vital role in maintaining public safety and enforcing laws. As of October 2025, the average salary for this position is $75,567 per year, with variations based on geographical location and experience level. For instance, specialists with several years of experience can expect to earn significantly more than entry-level positions.
According to data, states such as California and New York offer some of the highest salaries for law enforcement specialists. This disparity often reflects the cost of living and demand for law enforcement personnel in those areas.
Additionally, career advancement opportunities exist, allowing specialists to transition into roles with greater responsibilities and higher pay. Understanding the salary landscape is essential for those looking to pursue a career in law enforcement, enabling them to make informed decisions about their career paths.
Salary Estimates by Experience Level
- Entry-Level: Approximately $50,000
- Mid-Level: $75,000
- Senior-Level: $100,000+
By recognizing these trends, aspiring law enforcement specialists can better navigate their career options and maximize their earning potential.
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Where can a Law Enforcement Specialist earn more?
Law enforcement specialist salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level law enforcement specialist | $59,600 | $28.65 |
| Mid-level law enforcement specialist | $78,800 | $37.89 |
| Senior-level law enforcement specialist | $95,800 | $46.07 |
Law enforcement specialist salary estimates from across the web
Average law enforcement specialist salary by state
The highest-paying states for law enforcement specialists are New York, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania. The lowest average law enforcement specialist salary states are Arkansas, Idaho, and Montana.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for law enforcement specialists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $110,882 | $53.31 |
| 2 | Pennsylvania | $101,682 | $48.89 |
| 3 | New York | $119,633 | $57.52 |
| 4 | Delaware | $90,143 | $43.34 |
| 5 | Maryland | $96,447 | $46.37 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $117,227 | $56.36 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $98,368 | $47.29 |
| 8 | Alaska | $86,725 | $41.69 |
| 9 | Ohio | $93,330 | $44.87 |
| 10 | Illinois | $95,476 | $45.90 |
| 11 | Vermont | $90,913 | $43.71 |
| 12 | New Hampshire | $100,852 | $48.49 |
| 13 | West Virginia | $89,413 | $42.99 |
| 14 | New Jersey | $100,166 | $48.16 |
| 15 | Rhode Island | $99,006 | $47.60 |
| 16 | Washington | $94,003 | $45.19 |
| 17 | Michigan | $79,100 | $38.03 |
| 18 | Iowa | $70,597 | $33.94 |
| 19 | Arizona | $70,875 | $34.07 |
| 20 | Indiana | $77,006 | $37.02 |
| 21 | Florida | $67,534 | $32.47 |
| 22 | Nevada | $72,764 | $34.98 |
| 23 | Mississippi | $86,576 | $41.62 |
| 24 | Maine | $84,669 | $40.71 |
| 25 | Oregon | $77,225 | $37.13 |
| 26 | Texas | $80,616 | $38.76 |
| 27 | North Carolina | $66,275 | $31.86 |
| 28 | California | $71,514 | $34.38 |
| 29 | Virginia | $66,886 | $32.16 |
| 30 | North Dakota | $72,642 | $34.92 |
| 31 | Nebraska | $59,100 | $28.41 |
| 32 | Alabama | $64,864 | $31.18 |
| 33 | Utah | $61,254 | $29.45 |
| 34 | Hawaii | $55,376 | $26.62 |
| 35 | Georgia | $62,509 | $30.05 |
| 36 | Missouri | $61,501 | $29.57 |
| 37 | Kentucky | $60,925 | $29.29 |
| 38 | Minnesota | $65,513 | $31.50 |
| 39 | Wisconsin | $58,472 | $28.11 |
| 40 | Louisiana | $58,587 | $28.17 |
| 41 | Wyoming | $51,179 | $24.61 |
| 42 | Montana | $52,726 | $25.35 |
| 43 | Colorado | $59,456 | $28.58 |
| 44 | South Carolina | $62,243 | $29.92 |
| 45 | Arkansas | $54,667 | $26.28 |
| 46 | Idaho | $52,821 | $25.39 |
| 47 | New Mexico | $59,785 | $28.74 |
| 48 | Kansas | $51,011 | $24.52 |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $56,409 | $27.12 |
| 50 | Tennessee | $54,811 | $26.35 |
| 51 | South Dakota | $48,863 | $23.49 |
Highest paying cities for law enforcement specialists
The highest-paying cities for law enforcement specialists are New York, NY, Washington, DC, and Union, NJ.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $121,370 | $58.35 |
| 2 | Washington, DC | $111,616 | $53.66 |
| 3 | Union, NJ | $100,460 | $48.30 |
| 4 | Boston, MA | $98,541 | $47.38 |
| 5 | Chicago, IL | $96,292 | $46.29 |
| 6 | Seattle, WA | $95,567 | $45.95 |
| 7 | San Marcos, TX | $83,074 | $39.94 |
| 8 | Plainfield, IN | $75,871 | $36.48 |
| 9 | San Francisco, CA | $75,045 | $36.08 |
| 10 | Las Vegas, NV | $72,513 | $34.86 |
| 11 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $71,750 | $34.50 |
| 12 | Flagstaff, AZ | $69,924 | $33.62 |
| 13 | Arlington, VA | $69,156 | $33.25 |
| 14 | Boca Raton, FL | $66,413 | $31.93 |
| 15 | Mobile, AL | $65,386 | $31.44 |
| 16 | Atlanta, GA | $62,692 | $30.14 |
| 17 | Boulder, CO | $59,302 | $28.51 |
| 18 | Madison, WI | $56,989 | $27.40 |
| 19 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $55,378 | $26.62 |
Law enforcement specialist salary details
A law enforcement specialist's salary ranges from $35,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $159,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a law enforcement specialist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $159,000 | $13,250 | $76 |
| 75th Percentile | $112,000 | $9,333 | $54 |
| Average | $75,567 | $6,297 | $36 |
| 25th Percentile | $50,000 | $4,167 | $24 |
| 10th Percentile | $35,000 | $2,917 | $17 |
Highest paying law enforcement specialist jobs
The highest paying types of law enforcement specialists are first officer, specialist, and patrol sergeant.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ranger | $32,117 | $2,676 | $15.44 | 748 |
| Community Services Officer | $38,039 | $3,170 | $18.29 | 181,257 |
| First Officer | $82,510 | $6,876 | $39.67 | 89,899 |
| Public Safety Officer | $36,596 | $3,050 | $17.59 | 122,048 |
| Campus Safety Officer | $35,875 | $2,990 | $17.25 | 114,874 |
| Military Police | $42,633 | $3,553 | $20.50 | 4,476 |
Top companies hiring law enforcement specialists now:
Which companies pay law enforcement specialists the most?
Law enforcement specialist salaries at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett and Dentons are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average law enforcement specialist salary at companies like Google and Iowa State Association of Counties are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Simpson Thacher & Bartlett | $196,859 | $94.64 |
| 2 | Dentons | $151,361 | $72.77 |
| 3 | $139,987 | $67.30 | |
| 4 | Iowa State Association of Counties | $82,830 | $39.82 |
| 5 | Live Nation Entertainment | $81,884 | $39.37 |
| 6 | Siegel | $79,027 | $37.99 |
| 7 | Epiq | $72,857 | $35.03 |
| 8 | Federal Reserve | $70,247 | $33.77 |
| 9 | San Bernardino County | $66,452 | $31.95 |
| 10 | Richards Kibbe & Orbe | $65,945 | $31.70 |
| 11 | University of Colorado Boulder | $65,066 | $31.28 |
| 12 | Coconino Community College | $62,039 | $29.83 |
| 13 | University of Wisconsin System | $55,486 | $26.68 |
| 14 | Amazon | $55,368 | $26.62 |
| 15 | Iowa Department of Transportation | $54,749 | $26.32 |
| 16 | Univ Of Colorado-Colorado Spgs | $53,776 | $25.85 |
| 17 | Liberty Healthcare | $52,871 | $25.42 |
| 18 | State of West Virginia | $48,732 | $23.43 |
| 19 | Indiana State Police | $43,615 | $20.97 |
| 20 | Texas State Teachers Association | $35,810 | $17.22 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Law enforcement specialist salary trends
The average law enforcement specialist salary has risen by $13,040 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average law enforcement specialist earned $62,527 annually, but today, they earn $75,567 a year. That works out to a 10% change in pay for law enforcement specialists over the last decade.
Compare law enforcement specialist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average law enforcement specialist salary over time
Compare law enforcement specialist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Law enforcement specialist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $75,600 | $36.33 | +3.6% |
| 2024 | $72,800 | $35.01 | +2.8% |
| 2023 | $70,800 | $34.02 | +0.5% |
| 2022 | $70,400 | $33.84 | +2.2% |
| 2021 | $68,800 | $33.08 | +2.3% |
Recently added law enforcement specialist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City of Amarillo, Tx | Law Enforcement Records Specialist | Amarillo, TX | 06/29/2025 | $28,655 |
| Department of Homeland Security | Law Enforcement Specialist (Driver Instructor) | Artesia, NM | 06/28/2025 | $88,621 |
| Department of Homeland Security | Law Enforcement Specialist (Explosive Detection Canine Handler) | Washington, DC | 06/26/2025 | $84,601 |
| Ada County (Id | Law Enforcement Records Specialist | Boise, ID | 06/26/2025 | $40,175 |
| Department of Homeland Security | Law Enforcement Specialist (Maritime Instructor) | Charleston, SC | 06/22/2025 | $88,621 |
| State of Iowa | Cedar Falls Law Enforcement Dispatcher/Communications Center Specialist 1 | Des Moines, IA | 06/19/2025 | $49,400 |
| Department of Homeland Security | Law Enforcement Specialist (Computer Forensics Instructor) | Brunswick, GA | 06/17/2025 | $105,383 |
| News | Enforcement Specialist | Denver, CO | 06/14/2025 | $67,500 |
| Snap Inc. | Law Enforcement Operations Specialist | Los Angeles, CA | 06/13/2025 | $60,000 |
| Snapchat | Law Enforcement Operations Specialist | New York, NY | 06/12/2025 | $60,000 |
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