USLivingCost Salaries · Rent · Cost of Living

Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers salary in Houston, TX

Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metropolitan area earn a median of $74,570 a year, an average of $74,260. About 16,250 people work in this occupation there. Figures are from the May 2025 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS).

Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers pay at a glance

Annual median wage
$74,570
Half earn more, half earn less
Annual mean wage
$74,260
Pulled up by top earners
10th percentile
$59,110
Bottom of the range
90th percentile
$93,800
Top of the range
People employed
16,250
In Houston metro area
Rent share of median wage
21.1%
Median rent ÷ median wage

What this wage buys in Houston

Rent from the ACS 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates, compared with the wage above

Median gross rent
$1,313
per month, in Houston, TX
Income needed for median rent
$52,500
Keeps rent at 30% of gross pay
Median police and sheriff's patrol officers wage
$74,570
42.0% above income needed for median rent
Rent as share of this wage
21.1%
12 months rent ÷ median wage
City median household income
$62,894
All households, not one occupation

Occupations are not paid the same everywhere, and this page does not explain why. It reports what the survey measured for the Houston area. Read the Houston, TX cost of living page for rent, income and the price level, or the methodology for how the numbers are compiled.

Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers pay in other cities

Median annual wage, same occupation, same survey

Chicago, IL
+44.6%
Median $107,810
Mean $99,230
Employed 22,680
Phoenix, AZ
+14.1%
Median $85,050
Mean $86,570
Employed 7,860
Philadelphia, PA
+20.1%
Median $89,580
Mean $86,910
Employed 13,160
San Antonio, TX
-1.0%
Median $73,860
Mean $71,770
Employed 5,130
San Diego, CA
+48.0%
Median $110,400
Mean $108,770
Employed 4,950
Dallas, TX
+24.6%
Median $92,910
Mean $87,110
Employed 16,430
San Jose, CA
+82.6%
Median $136,140
Mean $143,520
Employed 2,590
Austin, TX
+10.4%
Median $82,290
Mean $82,910
Employed 4,540

See police and sheriff's patrol officers pay in every covered city.

Take-home pay calculator

Estimate your net pay after federal, state, and FICA taxes. Adjust filing status and allowances for your situation.

$
$
Gross annual income $74,570 / year
$74,570
Federal income tax 2024 brackets, Single filing
—
State income tax Texas (TX)
—
FICA (Social Security + Medicare) 7.65% up to wage base
—
Pre-tax deductions 401(k), HSA, etc.
$0
Take-home pay (annual) After all taxes
—
Take-home per paycheck Monthly
—
Effective tax rate Total tax ÷ gross income
—

Estimates use 2024 federal tax brackets, FICA rates (6.2% SS up to $168,600, 1.45% Medicare + 0.9% >$200k), and state rates from Tax Foundation. Does not include local taxes, AMT, or tax credits. Consult a tax professional for actual liability.

Definitions used on this page

Annual median wage
The wage that half of the people in this occupation earn more than and half earn less than, for one year of work.
Annual mean wage
The average of all reported wages. It is higher than the median when a few very high earners pull it up.
Percentiles
The 10th percentile is the wage below which 10% of workers fall; the 90th is the wage above which only 10% rise. The gap between them shows how wide the pay range is.
Employment
The estimated number of jobs in this occupation in the metropolitan area, not the number of residents who hold it.

Sources and limits

Wages describe the metropolitan area, while rent and income describe the city boundaries. The two areas do not cover exactly the same ground. Wages are also averaged across a year and across every industry, so a specific employer can differ widely from the median shown here.