Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers salary in Washington, DC

Median pay for police & sheriff's patrol officers in Washington, DC: $77,160/yr

Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $60,200 – $104,050 · about 14,470 employed locally

Above the typical metro median ($69,845) by +$7,315 (+10%).

What it's really worth in Washington

With Washington's cost of living at 110 (US=100), that $77,160 has the buying power of about $70,438 in an average-cost US metro.

Local context: median household income $119,803 · median home $583,013 · median rent $2,416/mo.

Full Washington cost of living & taxes →

How Washington ranks for this job

On raw pay, Washington, DC is 73rd of the 186 metros we hold police & sheriff's patrol officers wages for. Once Washington's cost of living is applied, it ranks 111th.

The headline number flatters Washington. Once housing and everyday costs are taken into account, police & sheriff's patrol officers here keep less of what they earn than the raw salary implies.

What that salary buys in Washington

A median home in Washington, DC costs $583,013 — about 7.6× this salary, against a typical US metro figure of 4.7×. Buying is harder here than in the average metro on this income.

Median rent of $2,416/mo works out at 38% of gross pay — above the conventional 30% affordability ceiling, so renting would stretch this salary.

Where police & sheriff's patrol officers earn more

Pay on its own is only half the picture, so each row shows what rent costs there relative to Washington.

Metro	Median pay	vs Washington	Rent vs Washington
San Jose, CA	$145,340	+88%	1.5×
San Francisco, CA	$134,860	+75%	1.3×
Vallejo, CA	$125,130	+62%	1×
Santa Maria, CA	$118,140	+53%	1.4×

Who hires police & sheriff's patrol officers around Washington

Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.

• U.S. Department of Defense · Government

Other jobs in Washington