With the median annual salary for a police officer reaching over $69,000, the personal finance Web site WalletHub recently released its report, “Best & Worst States to Be a Police Officer in 2024,” as well as expert commentary, to help identify where this career is the most worthwhile.
WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 30 key metrics. The data set ranges from the median income for law enforcement officers to police deaths per 1,000 officers to state and local spending on police. Note: “Law enforcement officers” include police and sheriff’s patrol officers, detectives and criminal investigators.
Law enforcement is a career which is always in the public eye and there are 800,000 law enforcement officers nationwide. Being a police officer is significantly more dangerous than many other occupations. Because of such risks, law enforcement agencies must offer enough incentives to attract and retain officers. To start, there’s a $69,160 mean annual wage and typically a generous benefits package which can include retirement contribution matches, tuition assistance, ample leave time, a take-home vehicle, and access to health and fitness facilities.
How well officers are compensated varies from place to place, though, as does the quality of their work environment.
