Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers Salary in Tennessee
In Tennessee, police and sheriff's patrol officers earn a median $59,280 a year, well below the national median of $76,210 (−22%); the state ranks 43rd of 51 states by median. Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers earn 25% more than the median across all occupations in Tennessee ($47,380). Among neighbouring states, Virginia, Kentucky, Missouri and North Carolina pay more (up to $65,870 in Virginia) and Georgia, Alabama, Arkansas and Mississippi pay less (down to $46,140 in Mississippi). Tennessee employs 15,630 police and sheriff's patrol officers, 4.77 per 1,000 jobs, the 14th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.11 is close to the national share.
Tennessee vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Tennessee | Hourly | $20.93 | $23.42 | $28.50 | $36.26 | $38.21 | $29.72 | 15,630 | 4.77 | 1.11 |
| Annual | $43,520 | $48,710 | $59,280 | $75,410 | $79,480 | $61,830 | ||||
| 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
- 43rd of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 14th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.11
- Jobs per 1,000
- 4.77
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Tennessee'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 Tennessee
10 metropolitan areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas touching Tennessee 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 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $33.07 | $68,780 | $49,440 | $93,820 | 4,730 | 4.31 | 1.00 |
| Cleveland, TN | $28.27 | $58,800 | $42,700 | $74,840 | 250 | 5.72 | 1.33 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | $27.70 | $57,610 | $46,690 | $75,400 | 730 | 7.08 | 1.64 |
| Knoxville, TN | $27.11 | $56,380 | $43,830 | $77,390 | 1,860 | 4.38 | 1.02 |
| Jackson, TN | $25.64 | $53,320 | $40,750 | $64,820 | 460 | 5.41 | 1.25 |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | $24.68 | $51,330 | $44,720 | $78,000 | 730 | 2.70 | 0.63 |
| Morristown, TN | $23.42 | $48,710 | $40,710 | $60,930 | 310 | 6.48 | 1.50 |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $23.38 | $48,620 | $45,540 | $67,930 | 690 | 5.79 | 1.34 |
| Johnson City, TN | $22.38 | $46,560 | $36,350 | $73,150 | 340 | 4.18 | 0.97 |
| East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $25.12 | $52,250 | $36,610 | $73,710 | 1,010 | 7.16 | 1.66 |
| West Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $22.44 | $46,680 | $37,450 | $70,980 | 810 | 6.87 | 1.59 |
| South Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $22.37 | $46,520 | $37,410 | $72,630 | 790 | 7.19 | 1.67 |
| North Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $22.14 | $46,040 | $36,160 | $74,720 | 670 | 5.81 | 1.35 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee | $28.50 | $59,280 | 15,630 | 1.11 |
| Alabama | $24.65 | $51,270 | 11,710 | 1.29 |
| Arkansas | $22.92 | $47,670 | 5,710 | 1.02 |
| Georgia | $27.94 | $58,120 | 22,170 | 1.05 |
| Kentucky | $29.08 | $60,490 | 7,890 | 0.91 |
| Missouri | $28.59 | $59,460 | 13,570 | 1.07 |
| Mississippi | $22.18 | $46,140 | 8,070 | 1.61 |
| North Carolina | $28.51 | $59,300 | 22,370 | 1.05 |
| Virginia | $31.67 | $65,870 | 19,970 | 1.13 |
See the national page for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers (every state ranked) and the Tennessee 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 Tennessee 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.