MENU

Sheriffs and Deputy Sheriffs

General Information

Description

Enforce law and order in rural or unincorporated districts or serve legal processes of courts. May patrol courthouse, guard court or grand jury, or escort defendants.

Business Breakdown

People in this career work in these sectors.

  1. State and local government82.97%
  2. Federal government14.40%
  3. Private, for profit1.92%
  4. Private, not for profit0.65%
  5. Self-employed0.05%

Workplace at a Glance

What you can expect to experience while on the job

  • Responsibility
  • Exposure to job hazards
  • Physical activity
  • Decision making
  • Repetitiveness
  • Level of competition
  • Time pressure

Industry areas

  • Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation)
  • State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation)
  • Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools

Job Outlook

Employment of police and detectives is projected to grow 7 percent from 2016 to 2026, about as fast as the average for all occupations. While a continued desire for public safety is expected to result in a need for more officers, demand for employment is expected to vary depending on location, driven largely by local and state budgets. Even with crime rates falling in recent years, demand for police services to maintain and improve public safety is expected to continue.

Read More

Job Outlook

×

Employment of police and detectives is projected to grow 7 percent from 2016 to 2026, about as fast as the average for all occupations. While a continued desire for public safety is expected to result in a need for more officers, demand for employment is expected to vary depending on location, driven largely by local and state budgets. Even with crime rates falling in recent years, demand for police services to maintain and improve public safety is expected to continue.

Similar Careers

No Information for this section

Salary

Average Salary

Salary

$61,000

State-by-state Salary

Gray states indicate no data available

$101,470
$32,840
No Information for this section

Education

Most Common Education Levels

People in this career achieve this level of education.

  • High school 54%
  • Post-secondary certificate 20%
  • Associate's degree 19%
  • Some college 4%
  • Bachelor's degree 1%
  • Master's degree 0%
  • Doctoral degree 0%
  • Post baccalaureate 0%
  • Less than high school 0%
  • Post-doctoral training 0%
  • Post-master's certificate 0%
  • First professional degree 0%

Related College Majors

Select major to see colleges that offer it

Knowledge

  • Customer and Personal Service
  • Public Safety and Security
  • Law and Government
  • Psychology
  • Education and Training

Skills at a Glance

Skills helpful in this career

  • Verbal skills
  • Critical thinking & problem solving
  • Equipment operation & maintenance
  • Math & science skills
  • Technology design & control
  • Leadership
No Information for this section

* Military pay may be higher based on specialty pays or bonuses. Learn more about Military benefits.

Data supplied by Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Center of Education Statistics, Defense Manpower Data Center (View our update schedule). Contact any business, college or military service branch to answer additional questions.