Sheriff demographics and statistics in the US
Sheriff demographics research summary. Zippia estimates sheriff demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our sheriff estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about sheriffs after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 6,524 sheriffs currently employed in the United States.
- 35.3% of all sheriffs are women, while 64.7% are men.
- The average sheriff age is 39 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of sheriffs is White (59.7%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (21.2%), Black or African American (10.6%) and Unknown (4.6%).
- Sheriffs are most in-demand in San Diego, CA.
- The government industry is the highest-paying for sheriffs.
- 7% of all sheriffs are LGBT.
On this page
Sheriff demographics by:
Sheriff gender statistics
35.3% of sheriffs are women and 64.7% of sheriffs are men.
- Male, 64.7%
- Female, 35.3%
Sheriff gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 64.7% |
| Female | 35.3% |
Sheriff gender pay gap
Women earn 92¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$48,080
Female income
$44,168
Sheriff gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in sheriff positions over time. Currently, 35.3% of sheriffs are female.
Sheriff gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 66.27% | 33.73% |
| 2011 | 66.22% | 33.78% |
| 2012 | 65.90% | 34.10% |
| 2013 | 66.96% | 33.04% |
| 2014 | 66.74% | 33.26% |
| 2015 | 67.50% | 32.50% |
| 2016 | 68.02% | 31.98% |
| 2017 | 67.51% | 32.49% |
| 2018 | 65.41% | 34.59% |
| 2019 | 64.44% | 35.56% |
| 2020 | 67.81% | 32.19% |
| 2021 | 64.67% | 35.33% |
Sheriff related jobs gender ratio
We compared sheriffs 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% |
| Sheriff | 65% | 35% |
| 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%
Sheriff demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among sheriffs is White, which makes up 59.7% of all sheriffs. Comparatively, 21.2% of sheriffs are Hispanic or Latino and 10.6% of sheriffs are Black or African American.
- White, 59.7%
- Hispanic or Latino, 21.2%
- Black or African American, 10.6%
- Unknown, 4.6%
- Asian, 2.9%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%
Sheriff race
| Sheriff race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 59.7% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 21.2% |
| Black or African American | 10.6% |
| Unknown | 4.6% |
| Asian | 2.9% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.0% |
Sheriff race and ethnicity over time
See how sheriff racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Sheriff race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 65.57% | 10.90% | 2.19% | 18.68% |
| 2011 | 65.74% | 10.96% | 2.43% | 18.03% |
| 2012 | 65.43% | 11.01% | 1.99% | 18.10% |
| 2013 | 65.93% | 10.39% | 2.14% | 18.23% |
| 2014 | 65.32% | 10.46% | 2.33% | 18.50% |
| 2015 | 64.69% | 10.80% | 2.54% | 19.10% |
| 2016 | 64.54% | 10.91% | 2.20% | 19.46% |
| 2017 | 64.13% | 10.98% | 2.23% | 19.39% |
| 2018 | 63.24% | 10.26% | 2.73% | 20.34% |
| 2019 | 64.66% | 9.81% | 2.53% | 19.90% |
| 2020 | 61.62% | 11.06% | 2.76% | 19.87% |
| 2021 | 59.73% | 10.62% | 2.89% | 21.23% |
Sheriff wage gap by race
According to our data, asian sheriffs have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american sheriffs have the lowest average salary at $44,818.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $46,703 |
| White | $47,493 |
| Black or African American | $44,818 |
| Asian | $50,979 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $50,701 |
Average sheriff age
See how the average age of sheriffs varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Sheriff 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 |
Sheriff age breakdown
The average age of sheriffs is 40+ years years old, representing 50% of the sheriff population.
Sheriff age breakdown
| Sheriff Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 50% |
| 30-40 years | 34% |
| 20-30 years | 16% |
Sheriff educational attainment
The most common degree for sheriffs is bachelor's degree, with 36% of sheriffs earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 27% and associate degree degree at 19%.
- Bachelor's, 36%
- Associate, 27%
- High School Diploma, 19%
- Master's, 6%
- Other Degrees, 12%
Sheriffs by degree level
| Sheriff degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 36% |
| Associate | 27% |
| High School Diploma | 19% |
| Master's | 6% |
| Other Degrees | 12% |
Sheriff jobs you might like
Sheriff wage gap by degree level
According to the data, sheriffs with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $56,056 annually. With a Doctorate degree, sheriffs earn a median annual income of $54,625 compared to $51,714 for sheriffs with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $56,056 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $42,391 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $51,714 |
| Doctorate Degree | $54,625 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $47,975 |
Sheriff employment statistics
Company size where sheriffs work
Below, you can see the size of companies where sheriffs work.
Sheriff jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 13% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 19% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 51% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 4% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 11% |
| > 10,000 employees | 2% |
Sheriff turnover and employment statistics
Sheriff unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for sheriffs between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Sheriff unemployment rate by year
| Year | Sheriff 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 sheriff tenure
The average sheriff stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 618 sheriffs resumes in Zippia's database.
Sheriff tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 16% |
| 1-2 years | 27% |
| 3-4 years | 15% |
| 5-7 years | 15% |
| 8-10 years | 7% |
| 11+ years | 21% |
Sheriff LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of sheriffs 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 Juvenile Officer | 5.55% | 57,571 |
| Sheriff | 7.15% | - |
| Internal Affairs Investigator | 8.65% | 15,880 |
| Court Deputy | 11.11% | 2,480 |
Similar sheriff jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Deputy Juvenile Officer | 5.55% | 57,571 |
| Internal Affairs Investigator | 8.65% | 15,880 |
| Court Deputy | 11.11% | 2,480 |
Foreign languages spoken by sheriffs
The most common foreign language among sheriffs is Spanish at 80.0%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 8.0% and Dakota is the third-most popular at 4.0%.
- Spanish, 80.0%
- French, 8.0%
- Dakota, 4.0%
- Hmong, 4.0%
- Serbian, 4.0%
Sheriff languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 80.0% |
| French | 8.0% |
| Dakota | 4.0% |
| Hmong | 4.0% |
| Serbian | 4.0% |
