Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers Salary in Wisconsin
The median for police and sheriff's patrol officers in Wisconsin is $78,090 a year, somewhat above the national $76,210 (+2%); the state ranks 18th of 51 states by median. Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers earn 55% more than the median across all occupations in Wisconsin ($50,270). Among neighbouring states, Illinois and Minnesota pay more (up to $100,520 in Illinois) and Iowa and Michigan pay less (down to $73,730 in Michigan). Wisconsin employs 12,320 police and sheriff's patrol officers, 4.19 per 1,000 jobs, the 19th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.97 is close to the national share.
Wisconsin vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Wisconsin | Hourly | $28.14 | $32.43 | $37.55 | $40.79 | $45.41 | $36.81 | 12,320 | 4.19 | 0.97 |
| Annual | $58,530 | $67,450 | $78,090 | $84,850 | $94,450 | $76,560 | ||||
| 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
- 18th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 19th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 0.97
- Jobs per 1,000
- 4.19
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Wisconsin'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 Wisconsin
15 metropolitan areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas touching Wisconsin 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $46.73 | $97,190 | $63,340 | $109,230 | 5,570 | 2.85 | 0.66 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $39.47 | $82,090 | $65,070 | $93,710 | 3,660 | 4.46 | 1.03 |
| Green Bay, WI | $39.00 | $81,110 | $60,280 | $94,460 | 580 | 3.33 | 0.77 |
| Madison, WI | $38.74 | $80,580 | $61,730 | $98,410 | 1,600 | 3.91 | 0.91 |
| Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | $38.56 | $80,200 | $58,980 | $99,420 | 330 | 3.52 | 0.82 |
| Fond du Lac, WI | $38.30 | $79,670 | $62,080 | $98,800 | 230 | 5.31 | 1.23 |
| Kenosha, WI | $37.88 | $78,780 | $78,050 | $93,120 | 360 | 4.75 | 1.10 |
| Wausau, WI | $37.57 | $78,150 | $59,130 | $98,800 | 250 | 3.63 | 0.84 |
| Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | $37.43 | $77,840 | $60,570 | $101,980 | 420 | 5.56 | 1.29 |
| Appleton, WI | $37.32 | $77,620 | $59,700 | $91,550 | 340 | 2.75 | 0.64 |
| Sheboygan, WI | $36.89 | $76,720 | $63,220 | $77,180 | 200 | 3.22 | 0.75 |
| Duluth, MN-WI | $36.64 | $76,220 | $58,300 | $102,740 | 510 | 4.07 | 0.94 |
| Eau Claire, WI | $36.27 | $75,440 | $53,140 | $98,800 | 310 | 3.56 | 0.83 |
| Janesville-Beloit, WI | $35.68 | $74,220 | $54,540 | $89,850 | 360 | 5.13 | 1.19 |
| La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | $35.60 | $74,050 | $47,180 | $90,130 | 290 | 3.41 | 0.79 |
| Western Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $34.79 | $72,360 | $57,060 | $94,670 | 590 | 4.63 | 1.07 |
| Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $34.41 | $71,570 | $52,060 | $79,100 | 1,040 | 5.28 | 1.22 |
| South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $33.19 | $69,020 | $53,450 | $78,990 | 1,120 | 5.33 | 1.24 |
| Northwestern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $30.00 | $62,400 | $50,590 | $75,570 | 390 | 8.02 | 1.86 |
Neighbouring states
See the national page for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers (every state ranked) and the Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin 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.