Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers Salary
The median pay for a police and sheriff's patrol officers in Athens-Clarke County, GA is $60,710/year ($29.19/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $42K at the entry level to $75K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.34), which stretches that salary to about $65,042 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,331/month, about 33.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $61K get you in Athens-Clarke County?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Athens-Clarke County’s Regional Price Parity (93.34). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About police and sheriff's patrol officers
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What this looks like in Athens-Clarke County
Pay for police and sheriff's patrol officers in Athens-Clarke County runs about 20% below the U.S. median of $76K. Rent runs $1,331/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.34 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for police and sheriff's patrol officers in metros near Athens-Clarke County, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $61K | $61K |
| Augusta-Richmond County | $58K | $64K |
| Savannah | $60K | $63K |
| Columbus | $50K | $56K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Athens-Clarke County, GA
Entry-level police and sheriff's patrol officers (10th percentile) start around $42K. Mid-career wages sit at $61K. Top earners bring in $75K or more, a $33K spread from bottom to top.
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $119K | +56% | 65,940 |
| Washington | $102K | +34% | 9,160 |
| Illinois | $101K | +32% | 29,180 |
| Alaska | $99K | +30% | 1,260 |
| Colorado | $97K | +28% | 9,610 |
| Delaware | $93K | +22% | 1,800 |
| New York | $93K | +22% | 53,470 |
| New Jersey | $93K | +22% | 21,780 |
| District of Columbia | $89K | +16% | 4,720 |
| Oregon | $88K | +16% | 5,030 |
| Pennsylvania | $85K | +12% | 26,510 |
| Hawaii | $84K | +10% | 2,420 |
| Minnesota | $83K | +9% | 9,160 |
| Connecticut | $82K | +8% | 6,500 |
| Massachusetts | $79K | +4% | 17,040 |
| Arizona | $79K | +4% | 12,010 |
| Nevada | $78K | +3% | 5,720 |
| Wisconsin | $78K | +2% | 12,320 |
| Maryland | $78K | +2% | 9,720 |
| Utah | $77K | +1% | 5,500 |
| Rhode Island | $77K | +1% | 1,940 |
| Ohio | $77K | +1% | 23,430 |
| Texas | $76K | -0% | 63,100 |
| Nebraska | $75K | -2% | 3,490 |
| North Dakota | $75K | -2% | 1,630 |
| Florida | $74K | -2% | 43,630 |
| Iowa | $74K | -2% | 5,130 |
| Michigan | $74K | -3% | 16,750 |
| Indiana | $73K | -4% | 12,980 |
| New Hampshire | $72K | -6% | 2,460 |
| Montana | $70K | -8% | 2,160 |
| New Mexico | $69K | -9% | 4,580 |
| Vermont | $69K | -10% | 1,020 |
| Maine | $67K | -12% | 2,120 |
| Idaho | $67K | -12% | 2,810 |
| Wyoming | $66K | -13% | 1,310 |
| Virginia | $66K | -14% | 19,970 |
| South Dakota | $61K | -20% | 2,000 |
| Kentucky | $60K | -21% | 7,890 |
| Oklahoma | $60K | -22% | 9,660 |
| Missouri | $59K | -22% | 13,570 |
| North Carolina | $59K | -22% | 22,370 |
| Tennessee | $59K | -22% | 15,630 |
| Kansas | $59K | -22% | 6,130 |
| Georgia | $58K | -24% | 22,170 |
| South Carolina | $58K | -24% | 12,930 |
| West Virginia | $57K | -25% | 2,900 |
| Alabama | $51K | -33% | 11,710 |
| Louisiana | $48K | -37% | 12,400 |
| Arkansas | $48K | -37% | 5,710 |
| Mississippi | $46K | -39% | 8,070 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track police and sheriff's patrol officers salary changes
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Related careers in Public Safety
Frequently asked questions
Can a police and sheriff's patrol officer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Athens-Clarke County?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $61K, rent takes 33.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,331/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for police and sheriff's patrol officers in Athens-Clarke County?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new police and sheriff's patrol officers typically earn — is $42K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,503/month. At HUD’s $1,331/month FMR, rent would take 53% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is police and sheriff's patrol officer a high-paying job in Athens-Clarke County?
Local pay runs 20% below the national median — $61K here vs. $76K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Athens-Clarke County compare to the national average for police and sheriff's patrol officers?
Athens-Clarke County pays $61K median vs. the U.S. average of $76K — that’s -20%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.34), the purchasing-power equivalent is $65K — below the national median.
How much do police and sheriff's patrol officers make in Athens-Clarke County, GA?
The median is $60,710 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $41,720, and experienced police and sheriff's patrol officers can clear $75,010. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $61K enough to live in Athens-Clarke County?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,995/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,331/month, which eats 33.3% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a police and sheriff's patrol officers salary go in Athens-Clarke County?
Athens-Clarke County has a Regional Price Parity of 93.34 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median police and sheriff's patrol officers salary is worth about $65,042 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do police and sheriff's patrol officers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.