School Resource Officer: Pay & Requirements

Overview

Sourced

Maintain order and protect life and property by enforcing local, tribal, state, or federal laws and ordinances. Perform a combination of the following duties: patrol a specific area; direct traffic; issue traffic summonses; investigate accidents; apprehend and arrest suspects, or serve legal processes of courts. Includes police officers working at educational institutions.

O*NET definition of Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers (SOC 33-3051) · Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed.

663,800

in government (SOC 33-3051)

99%

of this occupation works for government

$76,300

median pay in government

Local

levels of government

Occupation figures cover every job classified under SOC 33-3051, including Border Patrol Agent, CBP Officer (Customs & Border Protection), Deputy Sheriff, Federal Police Officer (VA, Pentagon, Capitol…).

Titles employers use

Deputy SheriffPatrol OfficerPolice OfficerState TrooperK-9 Handler (Canine Handler)Law Enforcement OfficerPeace OfficerPolice Patrol OfficerPublic Safety Officer (PSO)SRO (School Resource Officer)

How people usually get in Editorial

sworn officer assignment. Requirements vary by employer; each employer page will list its exact rules.

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — national estimates by ownership; U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), O*NET 31.0 Database; GovJobs Wiki (editorial). Data captured September 30, 2026.

Requirements

Sourced

Typical entry requirements (BLS, SOC 33-3051)

Education needed to enter: High school diploma or equivalent
Related work experience: None
On-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training

Education workers say the job requires

Less than a High School Diploma

High School Diploma or the equivalent

42%

Post-Secondary Certificate

18%

Some College Courses

Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree

33%

Bachelor's Degree

Share of surveyed workers in Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers (SOC 33-3051) naming each level as required to be hired, 37 respondents, O*NET survey August 2026. Each employer sets its own minimum.

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35 — education and training assignments by detailed occupation (Tables 5.3, 5.4); U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), O*NET 31.0 Database. Data captured September 30, 2026.

How to get hired

Sourced

The education typically required to enter the occupation ranges from a high school diploma to a college degree. Most police and detectives must graduate from their agency's training academy before completing on-the-job training. Other requirements vary, but candidates usually must be at least 21 years old and able to meet rigorous physical and personal qualifications.

From the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile “Police and Detectives”, published August 27, 2026 · Read the full profile. National guidance; each employer runs its own hiring process.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–35 edition (XML compilation). Data captured September 30, 2026.

Academy and training

Sourced

Training to become competent (BLS)

SOC 33-3051: Moderate-term on-the-job training

Preparation level (O*NET)

Job zone: Medium Preparation Needed

Academy length, curriculum and paid-training policies are set by each employer and state; they are part of the employer collection stage.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35 — education and training assignments by detailed occupation (Tables 5.3, 5.4). Data captured September 30, 2026.

Promotion ladder

Editorial

Rank and step: paramilitary rank × time-in-service step (officer → sergeant → lieutenant → captain …). Typical structure for a municipal police department; titles, steps and timing differ by employer.

Police Recruit / Academy Trainee
Police Officer (probationary)
Police Officer (steps to top)
Corporal / Senior Officer (dept-specific)
Sergeant
Lieutenant
Captain
Commander / Major / Inspector
Deputy Chief / Assistant Chief
Chief of Police

Assignments and specialty tracks

Field Training OfficerDetective / Investigator (rank in some depts, e.g. NYPD grades)K-9SWATMotors / TrafficSchool Resource OfficerInternal Affairs

Source: GovJobs Wiki (editorial).

Pay

Sourced

Federal

$75,250

State

$84,510

Local

$75,780

All government

$76,300

Private sector

$59,390

Median annual wage by employer type, national, May 2025. Federal includes the U.S. Postal Service; state and local include public schools and hospitals.

Employer type	Workers	10th pct.	25th	Median	75th	90th
Federal	11,870	$55,560	$63,420	$75,250	$88,740	$111,160
State	68,340	$56,280	$67,190	$84,510	$102,250	$126,880
Local	583,600	$47,100	$58,750	$75,780	$97,340	$113,980
All government	663,800	$47,610	$59,370	$76,300	$97,620	$115,270
Private sector	6,720	$41,290	$47,790	$59,390	$78,710	$98,750

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — national estimates by ownership. Data captured September 30, 2026.

Schedule

Sourced

Work schedule

Regular

57%

Irregular

43%

Seasonal

Typical work week

Less than 40 hours

40 hours

31%

More than 40 hours

68%

Share of surveyed workers in the occupation (O*NET work context, August 2026). Shift patterns and differentials depend on the employer.

Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), O*NET 31.0 Database. Data captured September 30, 2026.

Day-to-day work

Sourced

Provide for public safety by maintaining order, responding to emergencies, protecting people and property, enforcing motor vehicle and criminal laws, and promoting good community relations.4.7
Identify, pursue, and arrest suspects and perpetrators of criminal acts.4.7
Verify that the proper legal charges have been made against law offenders.4.5
Render aid to accident survivors and other persons requiring first aid for physical injuries.4.5
Record facts to prepare reports that document incidents and activities.4.5
Review facts of incidents to determine if criminal act or statute violations were involved.4.4
Investigate illegal or suspicious activities.4.4
Drive vehicles or patrol specific areas to detect law violators, issue citations, and make arrests.4.4
Monitor, note, report, and investigate suspicious persons and situations, safety hazards, and unusual or illegal activity in patrol area.4.3
Investigate traffic accidents and other accidents to determine causes and to determine if a crime has been committed.4.3

The 10 most important of 25 core tasks for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers, ranked by importance (1–5) in the O*NET survey of August 2026.

Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), O*NET 31.0 Database. Data captured September 30, 2026.

13Derived

Employer directory

Sourced

11,828 police departments. Municipal and county police departments in the FBI's law-enforcement agency list. States with the most:

Pennsylvania · 912 Texas · 780 Illinois · 722 Ohio · 701 New Jersey · 488 California · 464 Michigan · 439 Missouri · 439 New York · 422 Wisconsin · 366 Georgia · 356 North Carolina · 338

2,985 sheriff's offices. County sheriff's offices in the FBI's law-enforcement agency list. States with the most:

Texas · 254 Georgia · 158 Kentucky · 120 Missouri · 114 Kansas · 104 Illinois · 102 Iowa · 99 North Carolina · 99 Tennessee · 94 Nebraska · 93 Indiana · 91 Ohio · 88

As reported by each employer to its federal registry.

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Crime Data Explorer — law-enforcement agencies by state (API). Data captured September 30, 2026.

By state

Sourced

Median annual wage for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers (SOC 33-3051) in each state, all employers (BLS state estimates do not separate government from private). Highest first.

State	Workers	10th pct.	Median	90th pct.
California	65,940	$76,300	$118,880	$153,190
Washington	9,160	$79,120	$102,080	$132,200
Illinois	29,180	$58,420	$100,520	$119,560
Alaska	1,260	$60,670	$99,130	$137,340
Colorado	9,610	$65,340	$97,350	$109,300
Delaware	1,800	$62,470	$92,970	$130,870
New York	53,470	$53,000	$92,790	$118,250
New Jersey	21,780	$57,740	$92,610	$134,260
District of Columbia	4,720	$66,420	$88,650	$119,660
Oregon	5,030	$66,380	$88,140	$109,350
Pennsylvania	26,510	$48,680	$85,470	$109,780
Hawaii	2,420	$77,480	$83,820	$108,110
Minnesota	9,160	$60,670	$83,360	$106,160
Connecticut	6,500	$63,310	$82,170	$102,660
Massachusetts	17,040	$61,160	$78,940	$108,150
Arizona	12,010	$60,990	$78,880	$98,560
Nevada	5,720	$62,250	$78,140	$102,810
Wisconsin	12,320	$58,530	$78,090	$94,450
Maryland	9,720	$58,580	$77,970	$113,700
Utah	5,500	$60,290	$77,310	$99,920
Rhode Island	1,940	$59,020	$77,230	$91,760
Ohio	23,430	$51,110	$77,020	$103,210
Texas	63,100	$51,240	$75,900	$98,350
Nebraska	3,490	$54,680	$74,620	$95,210
North Dakota	1,630	$58,620	$74,500	$91,440
Florida	43,630	$51,330	$74,470	$98,190
Iowa	5,130	$59,360	$74,470	$101,520
Michigan	16,750	$47,780	$73,730	$89,220
Indiana	12,980	$52,170	$73,370	$100,010
New Hampshire	2,460	$57,930	$71,640	$89,940
Montana	2,160	$55,330	$70,050	$84,150
New Mexico	4,580	$48,400	$69,180	$85,740
Vermont	1,020	$53,950	$68,910	$95,530
Maine	2,120	$55,930	$67,050	$91,270
Idaho	2,810	$48,840	$66,990	$97,980
Wyoming	1,310	$57,130	$66,140	$76,840
Virginia	19,970	$50,000	$65,870	$96,820
South Dakota	2,000	$47,540	$60,740	$91,900
Kentucky	7,890	$38,780	$60,490	$77,970
Oklahoma	9,660	$36,480	$59,700	$94,940
Missouri	13,570	$43,210	$59,460	$90,770
North Carolina	22,370	$46,040	$59,300	$80,240
Tennessee	15,630	$43,520	$59,280	$79,480
Kansas	6,130	$42,040	$59,230	$90,530
Georgia	22,170	$43,690	$58,120	$76,250
South Carolina	12,930	$45,060	$58,070	$78,760
West Virginia	2,900	$41,950	$56,960	$69,980
Alabama	11,710	$37,480	$51,270	$77,220
Louisiana	12,400	$36,470	$48,380	$69,140
Arkansas	5,710	$35,210	$47,670	$70,190
Mississippi	8,070	$33,230	$46,140	$61,550

51 states with published estimates.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates. Data captured September 30, 2026.

Not yet collected

These dimensions are part of every job page. We publish them only once they are sourced from official documents such as job postings, pay plans, union contracts and state standards.

05 Probation
Probation length and what ends it
Not yet collected
09 Benefits and pension
Pension plan and formula, retirement age and years, DROP, retiree health, Social Security coverage, 457(b) and PSLF eligibility
Not yet collected
10 Union contracts
Bargaining unit, union and the current contract, with its source and effective dates
Not yet collected
11 Transfers and lateral entry
Lateral entry policy, certification reciprocity, lateral bonuses and moves between agencies
Not yet collected
14 Exam practice
Named entrance and licensing exams, with free practice tests where they exist
Not yet collected

School Resource Officer

Overview

Titles employers use

Requirements

Education workers say the job requires

How to get hired

Academy and training

Promotion ladder

Assignments and specialty tracks

Pay

Schedule

Day-to-day work

Related jobs

Employer directory

By state

Not yet collected