Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers Salary in West Virginia
In West Virginia, police and sheriff's patrol officers earn a median $56,960 a year, well below the national median of $76,210 (−25%); the state ranks 47th of 51 states by median. Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers earn 26% more than the median across all occupations in West Virginia ($45,300). Every neighbouring state pays more: Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio, Virginia and Kentucky range from $60,490 in Kentucky to $85,470 in Pennsylvania. West Virginia employs 2,900 police and sheriff's patrol officers, 4.14 per 1,000 jobs, the 39th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.96 is close to the national share.
West Virginia vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| West Virginia | Hourly | $20.17 | $23.53 | $27.39 | $29.49 | $33.64 | $26.88 | 2,900 | 4.14 | 0.96 |
| Annual | $41,950 | $48,950 | $56,960 | $61,330 | $69,980 | $55,900 | ||||
| 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
- 47th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 39th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 0.96
- Jobs per 1,000
- 4.14
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of West Virginia'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 West Virginia
10 metropolitan areas and 2 nonmetropolitan areas touching West Virginia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $40.39 | $84,000 | $63,530 | $119,240 | 14,630 | 4.67 | 1.08 |
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | $31.74 | $66,020 | $56,890 | $96,360 | 360 | 3.33 | 0.77 |
| Winchester, VA-WV | $28.35 | $58,960 | $49,360 | $78,750 | 220 | 3.29 | 0.76 |
| Wheeling, WV-OH | $28.07 | $58,380 | $43,850 | $77,850 | 300 | 5.10 | 1.18 |
| Beckley, WV | $27.88 | $57,980 | $42,670 | $70,240 | 250 | 5.86 | 1.36 |
| Charleston, WV | $27.62 | $57,460 | $41,950 | $70,980 | 510 | 4.88 | 1.13 |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $26.98 | $56,130 | $40,140 | $71,480 | 620 | 4.37 | 1.01 |
| Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | $26.70 | $55,540 | $50,250 | $58,320 | 130 | 3.58 | 0.83 |
| Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH | $26.51 | $55,140 | $41,670 | $78,090 | 270 | 7.46 | 1.73 |
| Morgantown, WV | $26.45 | $55,010 | $37,740 | $66,870 | 220 | 3.31 | 0.77 |
| Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $26.27 | $54,630 | $40,820 | $68,910 | 570 | 3.94 | 0.91 |
| Southern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $26.10 | $54,280 | $38,500 | $70,830 | 360 | 4.71 | 1.09 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Virginia | $27.39 | $56,960 | 2,900 | 0.96 |
| Kentucky | $29.08 | $60,490 | 7,890 | 0.91 |
| Maryland | $37.49 | $77,970 | 9,720 | 0.82 |
| Ohio | $37.03 | $77,020 | 23,430 | 0.98 |
| Pennsylvania | $41.09 | $85,470 | 26,510 | 1.01 |
| 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 West Virginia 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 West Virginia 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.