Salary AI Book a Demo

Sheriff/Police Chief Salary in the United States

How much does a Sheriff/Police Chief make in the United States?

As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Sheriff/Police Chief in the United States is $130,589 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $63.

However, a Sheriff/Police Chief's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $155,186
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $117,488 to $143,464
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $105,560
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Sheriff/Police Chief Salaries

A Sheriff/Police Chief's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Sheriff/Police Chief Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Sheriff/Police Chief's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Criminal Investigator (0-0 years): $75,991
  • Police Sergeant (0-5 years): $83,560
  • Police Lieutenant (5+ years): $107,234
  • Sheriff/Police Chief (5-10 years): $130,589
Job Role Years of Experience Average Salary
Criminal Investigator0-0 years$75,991
Police Sergeant0-5 years$83,560
Police Lieutenant5+ years$107,234
Sheriff/Police Chief5-10 years$130,589
View as Graph

How Do Sheriff/Police Chieves Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Sheriff/Police Chieves. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $144,588.
  • California: $144,040.
  • Massachusetts: $142,120.

Top Paying Cities for Sheriff/Police Chief

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $164,712
  • San Francisco: $162,908
  • Oakland: $159,475

What Skills Can Increase a Sheriff/Police Chief's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Leadership (Mentioned in 7.1% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
  • Public Relations (Mentioned in 2.31% Job Postings): Public relations (PR) is the practice of deliberately managing the spread of information between an individual or an organization (such as a business, government agency, or a nonprofit organization) and the public. Public relations may include an organization or individual gaining exposure to their audiences using topics of public interest and news items that do not require direct payment. This differentiates it from advertising as a form of marketing communications. Public relations is the idea of creating coverage for clients for free, rather than marketing or advertising. But now, advertising is also a part of greater PR Activities. An example of good public relations would be generating an article featuring a client, rather than paying for the client to be advertised next to the article. The aim of public relations is to inform the public, prospective customers, investors, partners, employees, and other stakeholders and ultimately persuade them to maintain a positive or favorable view about the organization, its leadership, products, or political decisions. Public relations professionals typically work for PR and marketing firms, businesses and companies, government, and public officials as PIOs and nongovernmental organizations, and nonprofit organizations. Jobs central to public relations include account coordinator, account executive, account supervisor, and media relations manager.
  • Public Administration (Mentioned in 1.54% Job Postings): Public administration is a field in which leaders serve communities to advance the common good and effect positive change.
Skills Demand Percentage
Leadership 7.1%
Public Relations 2.31%
Public Administration 1.54%
See More Skills

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Sheriff/Police Chief's salary.

  • Collaboration: Can increase your salary by up to 15%.
  • Strategic Planning: Can increase your salary by up to 12%.
  • Innovation: Can increase your salary by up to 11%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Collaboration $150,177
15%
Strategic Planning $146,260
12%
Innovation $144,954
11%
Get Latest Data

Sheriff/Police Chief Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Sheriff/Police Chief salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $134,768. While startup companies pay approximate $115,156.

Sheriff/Police Chief Salary by Company Size

Company Size Employees Average Salary
Startup 1~50 $115,156
Growth Stage 51~500 $121,498
Established 501~5000 $130,465
Enterprise 5000+ $134,768

How Education impacts an Sheriff/Police Chief's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Sheriff/Police Chief enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for an Sheriff/Police Chief with a Bachelor's Degree is between $117,705 and $121,504.

Sheriff/Police Chief Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Sheriff/Police Chief
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 2.4%
High School 20.5%
Associates 12.0%
Bachelors 33.7%
Masters 27.1%
Doctorate 4.2%
View as Graph

Sheriff/Police Chief Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Sheriff/Police Chief's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on August 01, 2026
$117,488
Average $130,589/year
$143,464
$9,791
Average $10,882/month
$11,955
$2,259
Average $2,511/week
$2,759
$56
Average $63/hour
$69
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $143,464 $11,955 $2,759 $69
Average $130,589 $10,882 $2,511 $63
25th Percentile $117,488 $9,791 $2,259 $56

Most common benefits for Sheriff/Police Chief

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Sheriff/Police Chief

Here are companies hiring for Sheriff/Police Chief and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Sheriff/Police Chief Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Sheriff/Police Chief job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

For Employees

Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.

Get a Salary Increase

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

Search Job Openings

For Employers

Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.

Adjust Employee Salary

Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.

Price My Industry Jobs

FAQ about Sheriff/Police Chief

1. Where can a Sheriff/Police Chief earn the most?

A Sheriff/Police Chief's earning potential can vary widely depending on several factors, including location, industry, experience, education, and the specific employer. According to the latest salary data by Salary.com, a Sheriff/Police Chief earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of a Sheriff/Police Chief is $164,712.

2. What is the highest pay for Sheriff/Police Chief?

The highest pay for Sheriff/Police Chief is $155,186.

3. What is the lowest pay for Sheriff/Police Chief?

The lowest pay for Sheriff/Police Chief is $105,560.

4. What are the responsibilities of Sheriff/Police Chief?

Enforces the law on a town, city, or county level. Responsibilities include police service planning, organizational development, personnel management, community policing, and community relations. May also be involved in administrative, financial/budgetary, and operations/labor relations tasks. Requires a bachelor's degree in criminal justice. Typically reports to an elected official. Manages a departmental sub-function within a broader departmental function. Creates functional strategies and specific objectives for the sub-function and develops budgets/policies/procedures to support the functional infrastructure. Deep knowledge of the managed sub-function and solid knowledge of the overall departmental function. Typically requires at least 10 years of law enforcement experience.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:

  • Detailed skills and competency reports for specific positions
  • Job and employee pricing reports
  • Compensation data tools, salary structures, surveys and benchmarks.
Learn about CompAnalyst
lower level job