Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers Salary
The median pay for a police and sheriff's patrol officers in Texas is $75,900/year ($36.49/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $51K at the entry level to $98K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.49), which stretches that salary to about $82,960 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,415/month, or 26.8% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Texas. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $76K get you in Texas?
About police and sheriff's patrol officers
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What this looks like in Texas
Police and sheriff's patrol officers pay in Texas tracks closely to the national median, $76K locally vs. $76K nationwide, a 0% difference. Rent runs $1,415/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 27.5% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.49 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Texas
Entry-level police and sheriff's patrol officers (10th percentile) start around $51K. Mid-career wages sit at $76K. Top earners bring in $98K or more, a $47K spread from bottom to top.
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers salary by metro in Texas
25 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $93K | +22% | 16,430 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos | $82K | +8% | 4,540 |
| Laredo | $82K | +8% | 780 |
| Midland | $80K | +6% | 340 |
| Amarillo | $79K | +4% | 610 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur | $78K | +3% | 830 |
| Lubbock | $77K | +2% | 790 |
| College Station-Bryan | $77K | +1% | 490 |
| El Paso | $76K | +1% | 1,700 |
| Abilene | $76K | +0% | 400 |
| Waco | $76K | -0% | 690 |
| Sherman-Denison | $75K | -2% | 270 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $75K | -2% | 16,250 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | $74K | -3% | 5,130 |
| Corpus Christi | $73K | -3% | 980 |
| Wichita Falls | $73K | -4% | 370 |
| Tyler | $72K | -5% | 490 |
| Longview | $71K | -7% | 590 |
| Killeen-Temple | $70K | -7% | 840 |
| San Angelo | $62K | -19% | 300 |
| Eagle Pass | $61K | -20% | 230 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission | $58K | -23% | 1,820 |
| Texarkana | $57K | -25% | 400 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen | $57K | -25% | 820 |
| Victoria | $56K | -26% | 250 |
Showing 1–10 of 25 metros
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Texas numbers change.
Related careers in Public Safety
Frequently asked questions
Can a police and sheriff's patrol officer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Texas?
Yes — at the median salary of $76K, rent takes 27.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,415/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 Texas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new police and sheriff's patrol officers typically earn — is $51K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,074/month. At HUD’s $1,415/month FMR, rent would take 46% 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 Texas?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $76K locally vs. $76K nationally, a 0% difference.
How does Texas compare to the national average for police and sheriff's patrol officers?
Texas pays $76K median vs. the U.S. average of $76K — that’s +0%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.49), the purchasing-power equivalent is $83K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do police and sheriff's patrol officers make in Texas?
The median is $75,900 a year, that works out to about $36 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $51,240, and experienced police and sheriff's patrol officers can clear $98,350. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $76K enough to live in Texas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,148/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,415/month, which eats 27.5% 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 Texas?
Texas has a Regional Price Parity of 91.49 (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 $82,960 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.