Sheriff earnings by seniority

90th percentile

Top-level sheriff earnings begin at:

$48.58 per hour

$101,050 per year

75th percentile

Senior-level sheriff earnings begin at:

$48.46 per hour

$100,800 per year

50th percentile

Mid-level sheriff earnings begin at:

$38.13 per hour

$79,310 per year

25th percentile

Junior-level sheriff earnings begin at:

$32.92 per hour

$68,470 per year

10th percentile

Starting level sheriff earnings begin at:

$30.02 per hour

$62,430 per year

Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.

Sheriff salary by state

State Name Average Salary
Washington $98,070
New Jersey $97,860
Illinois $83,080
Alaska $81,640
Oregon $80,860
Delaware $80,140
District of Columbia $79,310
New York $79,080
Colorado $78,560
Hawaii $78,540
Connecticut $77,640
Minnesota $77,610
Maryland $76,880
Pennsylvania $76,880
Massachusetts $76,340
Nevada $76,010
Wisconsin $71,590
Arizona $66,020
Rhode Island $65,440
Ohio $64,610
Michigan $64,510
Iowa $63,970
Texas $63,800
North Dakota $63,200
New Hampshire $62,130
Florida $61,970
Indiana $61,800
Nebraska $61,590
Montana $61,190
Utah $60,390
Idaho $60,040
Maine $60,040
Vermont $60,040
Wyoming $60,040
New Mexico $59,580
Virginia $58,480
Missouri $51,990
South Dakota $50,660
Kansas $50,480
Oklahoma $50,480
Georgia $48,730
North Carolina $48,390
South Carolina $48,380
Alabama $48,290
Tennessee $47,850
West Virginia $47,850
Kentucky $47,310
Puerto Rico $45,500
Louisiana $43,220
Arkansas $39,890
Mississippi $37,390
California $100,330

How do sheriff salaries compare to similar careers?

Sheriffs earn 9% less than similar careers in District of Columbia. On average, they make less than special agents but more than security guards.

Career Median Salary
Special agent salary $134K
Arbitrator salary $102K
Coroner salary $97K
Legal secretary salary $80K
Paralegal salary $78K
Police officer salary $79K
Sheriff salary $79K
Security guard salary $50K

Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)