Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers Salary in Colorado
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers in Colorado earn a median $97,350 a year, +28% against the national median of $76,210; they and rank 5th of 51 states by median. Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers earn 63% more than the median across all occupations in Colorado ($59,800). Colorado pays more than every neighbouring state: Arizona, Utah, Nebraska, New Mexico, Wyoming, Oklahoma and Kansas range from $59,230 in Kansas to $78,880 in Arizona. Colorado employs 9,610 police and sheriff's patrol officers, 3.35 per 1,000 jobs, the 24th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.78 means it is less common in Colorado than nationally.
Colorado vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Colorado | Hourly | $31.41 | $36.85 | $46.81 | $49.34 | $52.55 | $43.54 | 9,610 | 3.35 | 0.78 |
| Annual | $65,340 | $76,640 | $97,350 | $102,620 | $109,300 | $90,550 | ||||
| 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
- 5th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 24th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 0.78
- Jobs per 1,000
- 3.35
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Colorado'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 Colorado
7 metropolitan areas and 3 nonmetropolitan areas touching Colorado 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $49.02 | $101,970 | $76,640 | $113,630 | 4,990 | 3.10 | 0.72 |
| Boulder, CO | $48.11 | $100,060 | $78,430 | $104,690 | 370 | 1.92 | 0.45 |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $46.51 | $96,740 | $75,660 | $102,630 | 600 | 3.56 | 0.83 |
| Greeley, CO | $46.45 | $96,620 | $75,270 | $101,800 | 460 | 3.87 | 0.90 |
| Grand Junction, CO | $45.02 | $93,640 | $64,380 | $97,410 | 240 | 3.53 | 0.82 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $44.03 | $91,580 | $63,000 | $97,620 | 1,240 | 3.94 | 0.91 |
| Pueblo, CO | $36.57 | $76,060 | $71,580 | $91,250 | 270 | 4.40 | 1.02 |
| Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $38.13 | $79,320 | $60,420 | $105,830 | 500 | 3.76 | 0.87 |
| Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $34.04 | $70,800 | $52,480 | $101,650 | 490 | 4.49 | 1.04 |
| Eastern and Southern Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $27.98 | $58,200 | $42,960 | $102,630 | 450 | 6.46 | 1.50 |
Neighbouring states
See the national page for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers (every state ranked) and the Colorado 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 Colorado 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.