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Job title · SOC 33-1012

Sheriff (elected)

Also known as: sheriff

01

Overview

Sourced

Directly supervise and coordinate activities of members of police force.

O*NET definition of First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives (SOC 33-1012) · Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed.

153,290
in government (SOC 33-1012)
99%
of this occupation works for government
$106,370
median pay in government
Local
levels of government

Titles employers use

LieutenantPatrol SergeantPolice CaptainPolice SergeantCaptainDeputy SheriffDetective SergeantPolice ChiefPolice LieutenantShift Supervisor
How people usually get in Editorial
election (county). 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; GovJobsWiki job taxonomy v1 (research round R240) (editorial). Data captured September 30, 2026.

02

Requirements

Sourced
Typical entry requirements (BLS, SOC 33-1012)
Education needed to enter
High school diploma or equivalent
Related work experience
Less than 5 years
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training

Education workers say the job requires

High School Diploma or the equivalent
56%
Post-Secondary Certificate
1%
Some College Courses
20%
Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree
4%
Bachelor's Degree
19%

Share of surveyed workers in First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives (SOC 33-1012) naming each level as required to be hired, 26 respondents, O*NET survey August 2024. 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.

04

Academy and training

Sourced
Training to become competent (BLS)
SOC 33-1012
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Preparation level (O*NET)
Job zone
Very Little to Some 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.

06

Promotion ladder

Editorial

Fixed salary (elected, appointed or per diem): elected/appointed; salary set by statute or ordinance. Typical structure for a elected, appointed or per-diem position; titles, steps and timing differ by employer.

  1. Elected or appointed; salary set by statute/ordinance or board contract (no ladder — compare peers)

Source: GovJobsWiki job taxonomy v1 (research round R240) (editorial).

07

Pay

Sourced
Federal
$181,600
State
$117,730
Local
$103,080
All government
$106,370
Private sector
$82,020

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 typeWorkers10th pct.25thMedian75th90th
Federal6,300$81,330$124,590$181,600$195,190$195,190
State18,450$77,660$95,590$117,730$137,470$166,180
Local128,550$61,780$80,160$103,080$129,720$160,610
All government153,290$63,440$82,200$106,370$132,860$165,430
Private sector1,320$58,190$66,930$82,020$102,300$120,630

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

08

Schedule

Sourced
Work schedule
Regular
72%
Irregular
28%
Seasonal
0%
Typical work week
Less than 40 hours
0%
40 hours
44%
More than 40 hours
56%

Share of surveyed workers in the occupation (O*NET work context, August 2024). 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.

12

Day-to-day work

Sourced
  1. Supervise and coordinate the investigation of criminal cases, offering guidance and expertise to investigators, and ensuring that procedures are conducted in accordance with laws and regulations.4.3
  2. Prepare work schedules and assign duties to subordinates.4.2
  3. Investigate and resolve personnel problems within organization and charges of misconduct against staff.4.1
  4. Direct collection, preparation, and handling of evidence and personal property of prisoners.4.1
  5. Explain police operations to subordinates to assist them in performing their job duties.4.1
  6. Maintain logs, prepare reports, and direct the preparation, handling, and maintenance of departmental records.4.1
  7. Inform personnel of changes in regulations and policies, implications of new or amended laws, and new techniques of police work.4.1
  8. Train staff in proper police work procedures.4.1
  9. Discipline staff for violation of department rules and regulations.4.1
  10. Monitor and evaluate the job performance of subordinates, and authorize promotions and transfers.4.0

The 10 most important of 17 core tasks for First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives, ranked by importance (1–5) in the O*NET survey of August 2024.

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

13Derived
City Council Member
Same job family
County Commissioner / Supervisor
Same job family
Governor
Same job family
Mayor
Same job family
State Legislator
Same job family
15

Employer directory

Sourced

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

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

16

By state

Sourced

Median annual wage for First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives (SOC 33-1012) in each state, all employers (BLS state estimates do not separate government from private). Highest first.

StateWorkers10th pct.Median90th pct.
California13,200$121,720$163,960$204,500
New Jersey7,650$114,480$142,990$181,010
Hawaii700$110,620$140,590$140,590
Alaska320$84,850$137,320$193,610
Washington2,750$105,710$136,280$180,770
Illinois4,900$81,750$135,080$162,640
District of Columbia1,230$98,690$134,760$195,190
Nevada1,300$94,260$132,100$163,940
Delaware410$98,030$131,080$190,120
Colorado2,790$88,800$126,810$156,310
New York12,750$94,100$124,080$189,550
Oregon1,470$96,670$122,130$151,920
Maryland6,700$78,720$120,700$160,590
Minnesota2,870$79,050$118,750$136,430
Texas5,540$70,910$111,000$149,570
Utah1,360$82,270$110,500$135,490
Connecticut2,240$94,500$109,360$142,020
Nebraska730$73,920$106,100$143,290
Arizona2,790$81,350$104,850$158,610
Massachusetts5,540$77,110$104,320$159,680
Pennsylvania5,690$72,840$102,400$137,980
Virginia3,750$67,690$101,230$179,030
Florida9,900$62,840$100,880$157,160
New Hampshire940$79,790$100,060$121,910
Vermont210$79,780$99,280$129,940
Iowa1,370$76,150$98,840$126,470
Ohio5,170$64,540$98,380$131,250
North Dakota440$77,090$98,300$128,430
Michigan3,290$69,680$98,140$122,200
Rhode Island820$77,160$97,690$136,470
Wisconsin2,080$77,250$97,120$125,950
Idaho930$65,850$94,920$137,450
Missouri3,490$59,610$94,440$125,000
Maine440$77,630$92,350$118,590
New Mexico1,320$59,990$92,200$130,510
Wyoming430$66,890$91,400$113,360
North Carolina4,820$61,750$91,100$124,120
Montana450$68,050$89,380$128,540
South Dakota190$71,650$87,810$140,500
Kansas2,330$58,410$82,950$124,640
Oklahoma2,420$48,380$82,830$121,100
Indiana1,700$60,120$81,540$127,700
Kentucky1,600$54,580$80,390$122,770
Georgia7,910$58,020$80,120$118,970
Alabama1,900$48,520$75,970$121,430
Tennessee4,430$47,720$74,770$122,620
West Virginia490$51,380$74,280$88,880
South Carolina1,560$56,750$73,700$118,240
Louisiana3,120$47,810$70,470$94,990
Arkansas2,100$43,440$62,290$95,580
Mississippi2,060$45,590$59,860$86,960

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.

  • 03 Hiring process
    Ordered steps + typical timeline: application, written test (named), physical test (named), oral board, background, polygraph, psych, medical, eligibility list
    Not yet collected
  • 05 Probation
    Probation length and what ends it
    Not yet collected
  • 09 Benefits and pension
    Pension plan/tier and formula, retirement age/years, DROP, retiree health, Social Security coverage, 457(b), PSLF eligibility
    Not yet collected
  • 10 Union contracts
    Bargaining unit, union, current CBA (source link, effective dates)
    Not yet collected
  • 11 Transfers and lateral entry
    Lateral policy, certification reciprocity, lateral bonus, inter-agency moves
    Not yet collected
  • 14 Exam practice
    Named exams → OpenExamPrep practice
    Not yet collected