Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates; State POST commissions and legislatures, State peace officer standards: statutes, administrative rules and POST commission pages. Data captured September 30, 2026.
How to become a police officer in Maryland
- Certifying body
- Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission (MPTSC), Dept. of Public Safety and Correctional Services
- Certification
- Police officer certification (provisional certification on hire, full certification after entrance-level and field training)
- Minimum age
- 21 for provisional certification. Applicants may attend an academy younger but may not perform police duties until 21 (COMAR 12.04.01.04A).
- Education
- High school diploma or GED; agencies may accept a college degree instead (COMAR 12.04.01.04C).
- Citizenship
- U.S. citizen, or a permanent resident who is an honorably discharged U.S. veteran with a pending citizenship application. Certification ends if citizenship is not obtained (Public Safety Art. §3-209(a)(5),(b); COMAR 12.04.01.04B, .06A(3)).
- Driver's license
- Valid driver's license, and the agency must review the driving record (COMAR 12.04.01.04I).
- Disqualifiers
- Felony, or misdemeanor punishable by more than 1 year (PS §3-213; COMAR 12.04.01.05B). Must be eligible under federal and Maryland law to possess a handgun, which also bars domestic-violence misdemeanants (COMAR .04D). Prior CDS use is limited under COMAR .16, but prior cannabis use is not a disqualifier (PS §3-209(f)). Background, psychological, medical and drug screening required.
- Basic academy
- Commission-approved entrance-level police training program, at least 850 hours (COMAR 12.04.01.09A(2)). Field training (COMAR .17) is extra and not counted toward the 850.
- State exam
- None required
- Fitness standard
- Applicants must submit to a physical agility assessment set by the Commission, and an annual assessment as a condition of certification (PS §3-209(a)(3),(e)). COMAR 12.04.01 does not list events; academies set entrance standards (.09I).
- Time to certify
- Provisional certification lasts 365 cumulative days, the probationary period for completing entrance-level training (COMAR 12.04.01.03D,F; PS §3-215(d), §3-216).
- Officers from other states
- Comparative-compliance waiver for out-of-state or federal officers with comparable training who either worked in law enforcement within 5 years or trained within 2 years (COMAR 12.04.01.14E; PS §3-209(a)(1)(ii)). They must complete Maryland Criminal Code, Motor Vehicle Code and Juvenile Law blocks, emergency medical care, a DUI/SFST course and firearms qualification, and meet all selection standards.
- Continuing training
- 18 hours of Commission-approved in-service per calendar year (rank of first-line supervisor and below) plus annual firearms qualification (COMAR 12.04.01.12A; 12.04.02). Mental-health assessment every 2 years and annual physical agility assessment (PS §3-209(e)).
Covers sworn officers of the State Police, county and municipal police, sheriffs' offices, and listed transit, university, DNR and other forces (PS §3-201(f)). Correctional officers fall under a separate correctional training commission. There is no statewide licensing exam; the academy does the testing (COMAR .09).
Source: State POST commissions and legislatures, State peace officer standards: statutes, administrative rules and POST commission pages. Data captured October 2, 2026.
Pay in Maryland, all employers Sourced
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers (SOC 33-3051) in Maryland, all employers combined: BLS state estimates do not separate government from private.
| Measure | MD |
|---|---|
| Workers | 9,720 |
| 10th percentile | $58,580 |
| Median | $77,970 |
| 90th percentile | $113,700 |
| National median, government employers | $76,300 |
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — national estimates by ownership. Data captured September 30, 2026.
Pension in Maryland
Local employees: Local police and firefighters
| Plan | Accrual | Normal retirement | Employee pays | Social Security |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Law Enforcement Officers' Pension System (LEOPS) Members enrolled on or after July 1, 2011 | 2% | age 50, regardless of service | 7% | Not stated |
The statewide plan a new hire usually joins. Some cities and counties run their own plans; check with the employer. Each plan's formula, vesting, cost-of-living adjustment and retiree health are on the Maryland pension plans list.
Source: State retirement systems, Official state retirement system pages, member handbooks and statutes. Data captured October 2, 2026.
Employers in Maryland
81 police departments in Maryland.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Crime Data Explorer — law-enforcement agencies by state (API). Data captured September 30, 2026.
Free practice tests for Maryland
Maryland Police and Correctional Training Commissions Certification ExamMaryland exam · free on Open Exam Prep- IPMA-HR / PSHRA Entry-Level Police Officer Test (PO-EL)Entrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- Law Enforcement Aptitude Battery (LEAB)Entrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- National Criminal Justice Officer Selection Inventory (NCJOSI-3)Entrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- National Police Officer Selection Test (POST)Entrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- NTN FrontLine National - Law Enforcement ExamPractice for a named exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- Police Aptitude and Character Test (PACT)Entrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
Source: Open Exam Prep, Open Exam Prep free practice tests. Data captured October 1, 2026. Each link was opened and its exam title checked on the date shown.
More about this job
Requirements, hiring process, training, schedule and day-to-day work are on the national Police Officer page.
Police Officer in other states
More government jobs in Maryland
Maryland government jobs · Maryland public pension plans · police officer standards in Maryland · exam practice in Maryland