Leads a police department, setting policy, managing officers and budgets, and answering to elected officials and the community for public safety. BLS does not publish separate figures for first-line supervisors of police and detectives; it counts them within first-line supervisor of police and detectives (SOC 33-1012), whose median pay is $106,040 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- SOC 33-1012
- Protective Service
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Police Chief in four numbers
- Median pay
- $106,040a year, or $50.98/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $63KTop 10% $165K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +3.3%About as fast as averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+3.3%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +3.3% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 10,600160,200 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025160.2K
- Projected 2035165.4K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 160.2K Projected 2035 165.4K - Typical education
- High schoolneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- High school56.4%
- Certificate0.9%
- Some college19.6%
- Associate's3.6%
- Bachelor's19.4%
Highest education held by first-line supervisors of police and detectives Segment Value High school 56.4% Certificate 0.9% Some college 19.6% Associate's 3.6% Bachelor's 19.4%
Also advertised as: Chief of Police, Police Commissioner, Director of Public Safety, Police Superintendent, Campus Police Chief.
Pay
How much do First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives make?
Every police chief in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$106,040
Middle half earn $81,860 to $132,620
- 10th
- $63,350
- 25th
- $81,860
- 75th
- $132,620
- 90th
- $165,110
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $63,350 |
| 25th | $81,860 |
| Median | $106,040 |
| 75th | $132,620 |
| 90th | $165,110 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $106,040
- Median hourly wage
- $50.98/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $112,190
- People employed
- 154,610
Versus all US occupations
At $106,040, First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives earn 108% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $55,060 a year.
Versus protective service occupations
Inside the Protective Service group, where the middle occupation pays $74,060, this is 43% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $165,110 or more while the bottom 10% earn $63,350, a gap of 2.6×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 80% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
California pays the most at $163,960, and still leads at $148,085 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1California | $163,960 | $148,085 | 13,200 |
| 2New Jersey | $142,990 | $131,419 | 7,650 |
| 3Hawaii | $140,590 | $127,866 | 700 |
| 4Alaska | $137,320 | $134,155 | 320 |
| 5Washington | $136,280 | $127,349 | 2,750 |
| 6Illinois | $135,080 | $135,137 | 4,900 |
| 7District of Columbia | $134,760 | $122,619 | 1,230 |
| 8Nevada | $132,100 | $132,128 | 1,300 |
| 9Delaware | $131,080 | $131,332 | 410 |
| 10Colorado | $126,810 | $123,054 | 2,790 |
Job outlook
Is Police Chief a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
About as fast as average. +3.3% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | +3.3% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
About as fast as average
BLS projects employment of First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives to change 3.3% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 5,200 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 10,600 openings are projected each year, 6.6% of the 160,200 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Police Chief
Chiefs almost always rise from within policing, working through officer, sergeant, lieutenant, captain and command ranks. A bachelor's degree is expected in most departments, and many chiefs hold master's degrees in criminal justice or public administration. State police officer certification is required.
Executive training programs such as the FBI National Academy, the Police Executive Research Forum's Senior Management Institute for Police and Northwestern University's School of Police Staff and Command are common steps before a chief role. The International Association of Chiefs of Police supports leaders with training and policy resources. Chiefs are usually appointed, often after national searches, and many move to new cities to take the job.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
High school diploma or equivalent
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
Less than 5 years
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Little or no preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as first-line supervisors of police and detectives.
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)56.4%
- Some College Courses19.6%
- Bachelor's Degree19.4%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree3.6%
- Post-Secondary Certificate0.9%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 56.4% |
| Some College Courses | 19.6% |
| Bachelor's Degree | 19.4% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 3.6% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 0.9% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Police Chief do?
Police chiefs run law enforcement agencies, from small-town departments to large city forces, campus police and transit police. They set the department's priorities and policies on matters such as patrol strategy, use of force, community policing and technology. They manage budgets, staffing, promotions and discipline, and work with union representatives.
Much of the job is public. Chiefs answer to a mayor, city manager or council, meet with community groups, and speak to the media after major incidents. They work with prosecutors, other agencies and social services on problems such as violent crime, mental health crises and homelessness, and they are accountable for how officers treat the public. In small departments the chief may still patrol, while in large ones the role is entirely executive.
Day-to-day tasks
- Set department policies, priorities and strategy
- Prepare and manage the police budget
- Oversee hiring, training, promotion and discipline
- Brief elected officials and answer to oversight bodies
- Meet with community groups on safety concerns
- Speak to the media after major incidents
- Coordinate with prosecutors and other agencies
- Review use-of-force and misconduct investigations
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Chiefs work from police headquarters but respond to major incidents and attend community meetings, council sessions and events, often in the evening. The role is on call at all times and carries intense public and political scrutiny.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather at least weekly.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely importantDealing with customers or the public is very important.
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayHandling conflict situations at least monthly.
Cost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Reading Comprehension4.0
- Active Listening4.0
- Speaking4.0
- Critical Thinking4.0
- Monitoring4.0
- Active Learning3.9
- Writing3.8
- Learning Strategies3.8
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 4.0 |
| Active Listening | 4.0 |
| Speaking | 4.0 |
| Critical Thinking | 4.0 |
| Monitoring | 4.0 |
| Active Learning | 3.9 |
| Writing | 3.8 |
| Learning Strategies | 3.8 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Social Perceptiveness4.0
- Management of Personnel Resources4.0
- Coordination3.9
- Persuasion3.9
- Instructing3.9
- Complex Problem Solving3.8
- Judgment and Decision Making3.8
- Service Orientation3.5
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Social Perceptiveness | 4.0 |
| Management of Personnel Resources | 4.0 |
| Coordination | 3.9 |
| Persuasion | 3.9 |
| Instructing | 3.9 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.8 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.8 |
| Service Orientation | 3.5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Process mapping and design software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Web platform development software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Calendar and scheduling software
- Graphics or photo imaging software
- Helpdesk or call center software
- Internet browser software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Police Chief?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code ESR) built on O*NET's First-Line Supervisor of Police and Detectives profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Police Chief |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 4 |
| Investigative | 2 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 5 |
| Enterprising | 7 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around leading, persuading, selling and making decisions, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Enterprising6.9
- Conventional5.1
- Social4.5
- Realistic4.1
- Investigative2.3
- Artistic1.0
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Police Chief
O*NET related occupations
- Protective Service
First-Line Supervisor of Police and Detectives
$106,040median a year
Most earn $63K to $165K
+3.3%High school - Protective Service
- Protective Service
- Protective Service
First-Line Supervisor of Correctional Officers
$77,970median a year
Most earn $52K to $128K
−2.5%High school - Protective Service
- Protective Service
- First-Line Supervisor of Passenger Attendants · $62,840 median
More protective service careers
Median annual pay, with first-line supervisors of police and detectives highlighted
- Police Chief$106,040
- Detective and Criminal Investigator$93,790
- Intelligence Analyst$93,790
- Police Officer$76,210
- Custom and Border Protection Officer$76,210
- Firefighter$59,280
- Correctional Officer and Jailer$58,940
- Private Detective and Investigator$51,220
- Security Guard$38,020
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Police Chief | $106,040 |
| Detective and Criminal Investigator | $93,790 |
| Intelligence Analyst | $93,790 |
| Police Officer | $76,210 |
| Custom and Border Protection Officer | $76,210 |
| Firefighter | $59,280 |
| Correctional Officer and Jailer | $58,940 |
| Private Detective and Investigator | $51,220 |
| Security Guard | $38,020 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Police Chief appears on
Questions
Police Chief: frequently asked questions
How much do First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for first-line supervisors of police and detectives. It counts them within first-line supervisor of police and detectives, whose median pay is $106,040 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $81,860 and $132,620, and the top 10% earn $165,110 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Police Chief?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives. BLS also lists moderate-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. Employers typically expect less than 5 years of related work experience first. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 56.4% hold high school diploma or the equivalent (such as a ged).
Is Police Chief a growing career?
It is stable rather than fast-growing: employment is projected to change 3.3% over 2025–2035, about the same as the 3.5% projected across all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 10,600 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Police Chief do?
Police chiefs run law enforcement agencies, from small-town departments to large city forces, campus police and transit police. A typical task: set department policies, priorities and strategy. Employers most often ask for Data base user interface and query software, Electronic mail software, Office suite software.
Which states pay First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives the most?
The highest state medians for First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives are California ($163,960), New Jersey ($142,990), Hawaii ($140,590) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Police Chief?
O*NET scores First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives highest on the Enterprising, Conventional and Social interest areas, so the work mixes leading, persuading, selling and making decisions with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ESTJ, ESFJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.