Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers Salary
The median pay for a police and sheriff's patrol officers in Helena, MT is $75,430/year ($36.27/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $60K at the entry level to $78K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 95.67), that's roughly $78,844 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,404/month, or 28.3% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $75K get you in Helena?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Helena’s Regional Price Parity (95.67). 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 Helena
Police and sheriff's patrol officers pay in Helena tracks closely to the national median, $75K locally vs. $76K nationwide, a 1% difference. Rent runs $1,404/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 29% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 95.67) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for police and sheriff's patrol officers in metros near Helena, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Billings | $72K | $77K |
| Bozeman | $74K | $73K |
| Missoula | $78K | $80K |
| Great Falls | $79K | $81K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Helena, MT
Entry-level police and sheriff's patrol officers (10th percentile) start around $60K. Mid-career wages sit at $75K. Top earners bring in $78K or more, a $18K 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)
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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 Helena?
Yes — at the median salary of $75K, rent takes 29% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,404/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for police and sheriff's patrol officers in Helena?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new police and sheriff's patrol officers typically earn — is $60K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,627/month. At HUD’s $1,404/month FMR, rent would take 39% 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 Helena?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $75K locally vs. $76K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Helena compare to the national average for police and sheriff's patrol officers?
Helena pays $75K median vs. the U.S. average of $76K — that’s -1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 95.67), the purchasing-power equivalent is $79K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do police and sheriff's patrol officers make in Helena, MT?
The median is $75,430 a year, that works out to about $36 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $60,450, and experienced police and sheriff's patrol officers can clear $78,020. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $75K enough to live in Helena?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,842/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,404/month, which eats 29% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a police and sheriff's patrol officers salary go in Helena?
Helena has a Regional Price Parity of 95.67 (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 $78,844 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.