The average salary for a sheriff in the United States is around $43,294 per year.
Avg Salary
Sheriffs earn an average yearly salary of $43,294.
Wages typically start from $27,074 and go up to $69,232.
30% below national average Updated in 2023
Sheriff earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level sheriff earnings begin at:
$33.28 per hour
$69,232 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level sheriff earnings begin at:
$26.65 per hour
$55,428 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level sheriff earnings begin at:
$20.81 per hour
$43,294 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level sheriff earnings begin at:
$16.26 per hour
$33,816 per year
10th percentile
Starting level sheriff earnings begin at:
$13.02 per hour
$27,074 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Sheriff salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Washington | $98,070 |
| New Jersey | $97,860 |
| Illinois | $83,080 |
| Alaska | $81,640 |
| Oregon | $80,860 |
| Delaware | $80,140 |
| District of Columbia | $79,310 |
| New York | $79,080 |
| Colorado | $78,560 |
| Hawaii | $78,540 |
| Connecticut | $77,640 |
| Minnesota | $77,610 |
| Maryland | $76,880 |
| Pennsylvania | $76,880 |
| Massachusetts | $76,340 |
| Nevada | $76,010 |
| Wisconsin | $71,590 |
| Arizona | $66,020 |
| Rhode Island | $65,440 |
| Ohio | $64,610 |
| Michigan | $64,510 |
| Iowa | $63,970 |
| Texas | $63,800 |
| North Dakota | $63,200 |
| New Hampshire | $62,130 |
| Florida | $61,970 |
| Indiana | $61,800 |
| Nebraska | $61,590 |
| Montana | $61,190 |
| Utah | $60,390 |
| Idaho | $60,040 |
| Maine | $60,040 |
| Vermont | $60,040 |
| Wyoming | $60,040 |
| New Mexico | $59,580 |
| Virginia | $58,480 |
| Missouri | $51,990 |
| South Dakota | $50,660 |
| Kansas | $50,480 |
| Oklahoma | $50,480 |
| Georgia | $48,730 |
| North Carolina | $48,390 |
| South Carolina | $48,380 |
| Alabama | $48,290 |
| Tennessee | $47,850 |
| West Virginia | $47,850 |
| Kentucky | $47,310 |
| Puerto Rico | $45,500 |
| Louisiana | $43,220 |
| Arkansas | $39,890 |
| Mississippi | $37,390 |
| California | $100,330 |
How do sheriff salaries compare to similar careers?
Sheriffs earn about the same as related careers in the United States. On average, they make less than private detectives but more than forensic science technicians.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Private detective salary | $58K |
| Bailiff salary | $53K |
| Arbitrator salary | $49K |
| Legislator salary | $40K |
| Paralegal salary | $44K |
| Sheriff salary | $43K |
| Probation officer salary | $39K |
| Correctional officer salary | $39K |
| Transit police officer salary | $38K |
| Forensic science technician salary | $33K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)