Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers Salary in Arkansas
In Arkansas, police and sheriff's patrol officers earn a median $47,670 a year, well below the national median of $76,210 (−37%); the state ranks 50th of 51 states by median. Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers earn 9% more than the median across all occupations in Arkansas ($43,630). Among neighbouring states, Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Tennessee and Louisiana pay more (up to $75,900 in Texas) and Mississippi pays less (down to $46,140 in Mississippi). Arkansas employs 5,710 police and sheriff's patrol officers, 4.38 per 1,000 jobs, the 32nd largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.02 is close to the national share.
Arkansas vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Arkansas | Hourly | $16.93 | $19.28 | $22.92 | $27.27 | $33.75 | $23.96 | 5,710 | 4.38 | 1.02 |
| Annual | $35,210 | $40,100 | $47,670 | $56,720 | $70,190 | $49,850 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $22.84 | $28.50 | $36.64 | $46.93 | $55.35 | $38.08 | 670,520 | – | – |
| Annual | $47,510 | $59,290 | $76,210 | $97,600 | $115,120 | $79,200 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 50th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 32nd of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.02
- Jobs per 1,000
- 4.38
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Arkansas's employment divided by its national share; 1.00 means the same share as the nation. Take-home pay at these wages: FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Metropolitan areas in Arkansas
7 metropolitan areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas touching Arkansas publish a row for police and sheriff's patrol officers, sorted by median. Areas crossing a state line are listed under every state they touch; a linked metro has its own profile.
| Area | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $36.26 | $75,410 | $47,060 | $79,480 | 3,630 | 5.93 | 1.38 |
| Texarkana, TX-AR | $27.49 | $57,180 | $40,330 | $72,010 | 400 | 6.94 | 1.61 |
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $26.37 | $54,840 | $40,160 | $76,040 | 1,520 | 4.25 | 0.98 |
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $25.68 | $53,420 | $43,810 | $61,360 | 870 | 3.16 | 0.73 |
| Fort Smith, AR-OK | $24.55 | $51,070 | $36,760 | $62,690 | 400 | 4.23 | 0.98 |
| Jonesboro, AR | $23.83 | $49,570 | $38,130 | $71,890 | 230 | 3.85 | 0.89 |
| Hot Springs, AR | $21.56 | $44,850 | $38,320 | $65,410 | 140 | 3.63 | 0.84 |
| South Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $20.89 | $43,440 | $34,540 | $61,610 | 690 | 5.89 | 1.36 |
| West Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $20.84 | $43,350 | $35,250 | $52,770 | 530 | 6.18 | 1.43 |
| East Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $19.19 | $39,920 | $30,950 | $56,750 | 430 | 6.31 | 1.46 |
| North Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $18.92 | $39,350 | $33,290 | $61,320 | 750 | 6.29 | 1.46 |
Neighbouring states
See the national page for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers (every state ranked) and the Arkansas wage profile (every occupation in the state).
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS Arkansas estimates.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.