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Police officer salary in Texas

Updated October 30, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$75,900median pay per year in Texas, or $36.49 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $51,240lowest 10% earn less
  2. $61,24025th percentile
  3. $75,900median
  4. $93,80075th percentile
  5. $98,350top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]US median for this job, $76,210[3]

Police officers in Texas had a median pay of $75,900 a year in May 2025[1]. That was a little below the US median of $76,210[3].

Jobs in TX
63,100[4]
Rank by median pay
23 of 51[5]
Compared with US median
−0.4%[6]

How much do police officers make in Texas?

The median is the middle point. Half of police officers in Texas earned more than $75,900 a year, or $36.49 an hour, and half earned less[1]. The median for the whole country was $76,210, so Texas was $310 (0.4%) lower[3][6]. Across all jobs in Texas, the median was $48,620, and police officers were $27,280 above it[7][8].

Pay varies within the state. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $51,240, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $98,350[2]. Texas ranked 23rd for its median among the 50 states and DC with a published median[5].

By metro area, Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington had the highest median, $92,910[9]. Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos came in at $82,290, while Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands was at $74,570[10]. McAllen-Edinburg-Mission was at $58,360[10].

OEWS counts people who are paid a wage or salary, part time or full time. It leaves out the self-employed and business owners. Bonuses outside regular production pay and the cost of benefits are not in the wage figures either[11].

Texas vs US pay

Pay for police officers in Texas next to the national figures[1][3].

TXUS
Median per year$75,900[1]$76,210[3]
Median per hour$36.49[1]$36.64[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$51,240[2]$47,510[12]
Top 10% earn more than$98,350[2]$115,120[12]
Jobs63,100[4]670,520[3]

Pay by metro area in Texas

Metro areas in Texas with the most jobs for police officers, and the median pay in each[10].

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX[10]$92,91016,430
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX$74,57016,250
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX$73,8605,130
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX$82,2904,540
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX$58,3601,820
El Paso, TX$76,4001,700
Corpus Christi, TX$73,400980
Killeen-Temple, TX$70,240840

Pay in nearby states

Median pay for police officers in the states that border Texas, highest first[13].

StateMedian per yearJobs
New Mexico[13]$69,1804,580
Oklahoma$59,7009,660
Louisiana$48,38012,400
Arkansas$47,6705,710

Median pay for police officers in every state

Job outlook and training

Across the US, jobs for police officers are projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035[14]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: high school diploma or equivalent[15].

How to become one: steps, training and duties

Frequently asked questions

How much does a police officer make in Texas?
The median was $75,900 a year in May 2025, and the average was $76,160[1][16]. The middle half of police officers earned between $61,240 and $93,800[2].
How much does a police officer make an hour in Texas?
The median was $36.49 an hour[1]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $24.64 an hour, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $47.29[2][17].
Which city in Texas pays police officers the highest?
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington had the highest median among Texas metro areas with a published figure, at $92,910 a year[9]. Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos was next among the larger metros listed, at $82,290[10].
Is Texas a good state for police officers?
Texas ranked 23rd of the 50 states and DC for median pay in this job[5]. Its median was $310 (0.4%) lower than the US median[6].
What do you need to become a police officer in Texas?
This is a US figure, not a Texas one. Across the US, the typical education needed for entry is a high school diploma or equivalent, with moderate-term on-the-job training[15].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers in Texas was $75,900 per year and $36.49 per hour. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers in Texas: 10th percentile $51,240, 25th percentile $61,240, 75th percentile $93,800, 90th percentile $98,350. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less, the 90th means 10% earned more. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers in the US as a whole was $76,210 per year and $36.64 per hour, with about 670,520 jobs nationwide. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 63,100 people worked as Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers in Texas (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: Texas had the 23rd highest median annual wage for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers out of the 50 states and DC with a published median. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers in Texas ($75,900) was $310 (0.4%) lower than the US median ($76,210). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in Texas was $48,620. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers in Texas was $27,280 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($48,620). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 25 metro areas in or partly in Texas with a published median for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers, Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX had the highest median annual wage, $92,910. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers in the US: 10th percentile $47,510, 25th percentile $59,290, 75th percentile $97,600, 90th percentile $115,120. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers in states that border Texas (highest first): New Mexico $69,180; Oklahoma $59,700; Louisiana $48,380; Arkansas $47,670. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state): employment of Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers is projected to grow 3.5% nationwide from 2025 to 2035, with about 51,500 openings a year on average. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%. BLS Employment Projections
  15. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state), typical path into Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers: education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  16. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers in Texas was $76,160 per year and $36.62 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  17. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers in Texas: 10th percentile $24.64, 25th percentile $29.44, 75th percentile $45.09, 90th percentile $47.29. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only Texas. Job outlook and entry requirements are national (US) figures: BLS does not publish them by state in our sources. Figures labelled “CareerFacts calculation” are simple differences between the BLS numbers shown.