Find Trade Colleges
Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers in Virginia
Get the information you need to know about working as a Police or Sheriff's Patrol Officer.
You’re in luck! Jobs for Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers in Virginia are projected to grow and these jobs tend to pay higher than average.
-
Projected employment for Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers in Virginia is growing faster than average.
-
Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers in Virginia earn higher salaries than the typical U.S. wage earner.
Featured schools near , edit
How Many Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers Work in Virginia?
In Virginia, there were 18,080 people working as Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers in the year 2018.
There were 18,700 Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers employed in this state in 2017.
That’s a decline of 620 jobs between 2017 and 2018.
The typical state has 7,830 Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers working in it, which means Virginia has more Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers than average.
Job Projections for Virginia
Jobs for Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers in this state are growing at a rate of 9.4% which is faster than the nationwide estimated projection of 7.0%.
Virginia Annual Job Openings
The BLS estimates there will be 1,430 annual job openings, and 20,660 total jobs in 2026 for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers in this state.
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 Virginia?
In 2018 wages for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers ranged from $38,170 to $82,180 with $53,570 being the median annual salary.
Broken down to an hourly rate, workers in this field made anywhere from $18.35 to $39.51. The median hourly rate was $25.76.
In 2017 the median pay for this field was $25.39 an hour.
The hourly rate grew by $0.37.
The median salary in Virginia is higher than the nationwide median salary.
Top Virginia 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 |
---|---|---|
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 15,950 | $71,120 |
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC | 4,070 | $51,670 |
Richmond, VA | 3,150 | $52,390 |
Roanoke, VA | 790 | $45,460 |
Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA | 660 | $42,160 |
Charlottesville, VA | 460 | $48,500 |
Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA | 430 | $47,970 |
Lynchburg, VA | 390 | $40,390 |
Winchester, VA-WV | 210 | $50,680 |
Harrisonburg, VA | 190 | $44,930 |
Staunton-Waynesboro, VA | 140 | $43,530 |
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 VA
You may also be interested in the following careers:
What Major Will Prepare You For a Police or Sheriff’s Patrol Officer Career?
- Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting
- Criminal Justice & Corrections
- Criminal Justice & Police Science
References
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
- College Factual
- National Center for Education Statistics
- O*NET Online
More about our data sources and methodologies.
Featured Schools
Request Info | Southern New Hampshire University You have goals. Southern New Hampshire University can help you get there. Whether you need a bachelor's degree to get into a career or want a master's degree to move up in your current career, SNHU has an online program for you. Find your degree from over 200 online programs. Learn More > |