Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers Salary in Pennsylvania
The median for police and sheriff's patrol officers in Pennsylvania is $85,470 a year, somewhat above the national $76,210 (+12%); the state ranks 11th of 51 states by median. Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers earn 72% more than the median across all occupations in Pennsylvania ($49,690). Among neighbouring states, Delaware, New York and New Jersey pay more (up to $92,970 in Delaware) and Maryland, Ohio and West Virginia pay less (down to $56,960 in West Virginia). Pennsylvania employs 26,510 police and sheriff's patrol officers, 4.37 per 1,000 jobs, the 6th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.01 is close to the national share.
Pennsylvania vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $23.41 | $30.33 | $41.09 | $46.62 | $52.78 | $39.38 | 26,510 | 4.37 | 1.01 |
| Annual | $48,680 | $63,080 | $85,470 | $96,970 | $109,780 | $81,910 | ||||
| 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
- 11th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 6th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.01
- Jobs per 1,000
- 4.37
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Pennsylvania'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 Pennsylvania
16 metropolitan areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas touching Pennsylvania 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gettysburg, PA | $44.00 | $91,530 | $57,350 | $120,200 | 230 | 7.15 | 1.66 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $43.07 | $89,580 | $55,040 | $121,200 | 13,160 | 4.54 | 1.05 |
| Reading, PA | $41.85 | $87,060 | $58,670 | $114,300 | 690 | 3.98 | 0.92 |
| Lancaster, PA | $41.73 | $86,800 | $55,540 | $105,660 | 760 | 3.01 | 0.70 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $40.64 | $84,530 | $53,130 | $105,660 | 1,610 | 4.27 | 0.99 |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $40.61 | $84,470 | $45,480 | $110,270 | 1,480 | 4.41 | 1.02 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $39.99 | $83,190 | $50,470 | $107,630 | 5,080 | 4.56 | 1.06 |
| Erie, PA | $38.88 | $80,860 | $47,360 | $107,650 | 660 | 5.48 | 1.27 |
| York-Hanover, PA | $38.25 | $79,550 | $60,730 | $110,630 | 630 | 3.44 | 0.80 |
| Lebanon, PA | $38.19 | $79,430 | $57,410 | $108,460 | 210 | 3.90 | 0.90 |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $34.72 | $72,210 | $49,310 | $105,660 | 1,360 | 5.32 | 1.23 |
| Chambersburg, PA | $33.97 | $70,670 | $50,950 | $98,510 | 250 | 4.14 | 0.96 |
| Altoona, PA | $33.92 | $70,560 | $36,220 | $107,060 | 240 | 4.06 | 0.94 |
| State College, PA | $33.90 | $70,510 | $46,150 | $99,080 | 360 | 5.25 | 1.22 |
| Williamsport, PA | $32.07 | $66,710 | $42,930 | $105,160 | 230 | 4.56 | 1.06 |
| Johnstown, PA | $28.48 | $59,240 | $45,170 | $96,950 | 200 | 4.11 | 0.95 |
| Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $35.85 | $74,570 | $42,340 | $105,250 | 810 | 6.26 | 1.45 |
| Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $33.19 | $69,040 | $40,540 | $106,620 | 710 | 5.03 | 1.17 |
| Central Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $32.07 | $66,710 | $45,640 | $97,840 | 800 | 4.26 | 0.99 |
| Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $32.07 | $66,710 | $41,430 | $106,160 | 870 | 5.83 | 1.35 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | $41.09 | $85,470 | 26,510 | 1.01 |
| Delaware | $44.70 | $92,970 | 1,800 | 0.86 |
| Maryland | $37.49 | $77,970 | 9,720 | 0.82 |
| New Jersey | $44.53 | $92,610 | 21,780 | 1.18 |
| New York | $44.61 | $92,790 | 53,470 | 1.28 |
| Ohio | $37.03 | $77,020 | 23,430 | 0.98 |
| West Virginia | $27.39 | $56,960 | 2,900 | 0.96 |
See the national page for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers (every state ranked) and the Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania 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.