Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers Salary
The median pay for a police and sheriff's patrol officers in La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN is $74,050/year ($35.6/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $47K at the entry level to $90K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.77), which stretches that salary to about $80,691 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,166/month, or 24% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $74K get you in La Crosse-Onalaska?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by La Crosse-Onalaska’s Regional Price Parity (91.77). 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 La Crosse-Onalaska
Police and sheriff's patrol officers pay in La Crosse-Onalaska tracks closely to the national median, $74K locally vs. $76K nationwide, a 3% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,166/month, 24.3% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.77 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% 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 La Crosse-Onalaska, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $82K | $85K |
| Madison | $81K | $83K |
| Green Bay | $81K | $87K |
| Racine-Mount Pleasant | $78K | $81K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN
Entry-level police and sheriff's patrol officers (10th percentile) start around $47K. Mid-career wages sit at $74K. Top earners bring in $90K or more, a $43K 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 La Crosse-Onalaska?
Yes — at the median salary of $74K, rent takes 24.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,166/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 La Crosse-Onalaska?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new police and sheriff's patrol officers typically earn — is $47K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,831/month. At HUD’s $1,166/month FMR, rent would take 41% 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 La Crosse-Onalaska?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $74K locally vs. $76K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does La Crosse-Onalaska compare to the national average for police and sheriff's patrol officers?
La Crosse-Onalaska pays $74K median vs. the U.S. average of $76K — that’s -3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.77), the purchasing-power equivalent is $81K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do police and sheriff's patrol officers make in La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN?
The median is $74,050 a year, that works out to about $36 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $47,180, and experienced police and sheriff's patrol officers can clear $90,130. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $74K enough to live in La Crosse-Onalaska?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,800/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,166/month, which eats 24.3% 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 La Crosse-Onalaska?
La Crosse-Onalaska has a Regional Price Parity of 91.77 (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 $80,691 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.