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Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers in Kentucky
Is Kentucky a good place for you to work as a Police or Sheriff's Patrol Officer?
You’re in luck! Jobs for Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers in Kentucky are projected to grow and these jobs tend to pay higher than average.
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Projected employment for Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers in Kentucky is growing faster than average.
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Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers in Kentucky earn lower salaries than the typical U.S. wage earner.
What Major Will Prepare You For a Police or Sheriff’s Patrol Officer Career?
- Natural Resources & Conservation
- Natural Resource Management
- Environmental/Natural Resources Law Enforcement and Protective Services
- Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting
- Criminal Justice & Corrections
- Criminal Justice & Police Science
- Criminalistics & Criminal Science
- Law Enforcement Investigation & Interviewing
- Law Enforcement Record-Keeping & Evidence Management
- Critical Incident Response/Special Police Operations
- Protective Services Operations
- Maritime Law Enforcement
How Many Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers Work in Kentucky?
In 2018, there were 7,830 Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers working in the state.
There were 7,520 Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers employed in this state in 2017.
That’s growth of 310 jobs between 2017 and 2018.
The amount of Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers working in the state is similar to the average state.
Job Projections for Kentucky
Jobs for Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers in this state are growing at a rate of 6.7% which is slower than the nationwide estimated projection of 7.0%.
Kentucky Annual Job Openings
The BLS is projecting 520 annual Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers job openings in Kentucky, and 7,690 total jobs in the year 2026.
Nationwide, the prediction is 49,500 annual jobs and 731,900 total jobs in 2026.
What do Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers Make in Kentucky?
In 2018 wages for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers ranged from $28,820 to $63,520 with $44,820 being the median annual salary.
Broken down to an hourly rate, workers in this field made anywhere from $13.85 to $30.54. The median hourly rate was $21.55.
Workers in this field were paid a median of $21.45 an hour in 2017.
The hourly rate grew by $0.10.
The median salary in Kentucky is higher than the nationwide median salary.
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Top Kentucky Metros for Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers
The table below shows some of the metros in this state with the most Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers.
Metro | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
---|---|---|
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | 4,090 | $67,730 |
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | 2,640 | $53,840 |
Lexington-Fayette, KY | 1,070 | $44,520 |
Evansville, IN-KY | 540 | $54,630 |
Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | 530 | $39,860 |
Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY | 500 | $45,660 |
Clarksville, TN-KY | 420 | n/a |
Bowling Green, KY | 350 | $43,640 |
Owensboro, KY | 150 | $48,430 |
Top States for Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers Employment
The table below shows the states where most Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers work.
State | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
---|---|---|
California | 72,680 | $104,790 |
Texas | 60,260 | $61,590 |
New York | 53,560 | $78,750 |
Florida | 37,650 | $57,320 |
Illinois | 30,370 | $82,670 |
Pennsylvania | 27,850 | $67,440 |
Ohio | 24,890 | $60,980 |
Georgia | 22,410 | $42,070 |
North Carolina | 22,350 | $46,160 |
New Jersey | 19,950 | $85,330 |
Virginia | 18,080 | $53,570 |
Massachusetts | 16,830 | $68,030 |
Michigan | 16,270 | $57,690 |
Missouri | 13,510 | $48,080 |
Tennessee | 13,410 | $44,270 |
Maryland | 12,650 | $67,030 |
Indiana | 12,340 | $54,570 |
Louisiana | 11,810 | $40,480 |
Alabama | 11,410 | $44,560 |
Arizona | 11,320 | $65,220 |
Below are the states where Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers get paid the most:
State | Annual Median Salary |
---|---|
California | $104,790 |
New Jersey | $85,330 |
Alaska | $84,830 |
Illinois | $82,670 |
Washington | $78,870 |
New York | $78,750 |
Colorado | $74,550 |
Hawaii | $73,370 |
Oregon | $71,670 |
District of Columbia | $71,570 |
Related Careers in Kentucky
You may also be interested in the following careers:
References
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
- College Factual
- National Center for Education Statistics
- O*NET Online
More about our data sources and methodologies.