National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
Compare a different job:
VS
QUICK ANSWER
Police Officers earn a national median of $72,280/year vs Nurses at $89,010/year. Nurses earn 23% more nationally. The gap is $16,730 per year — or $1,394 per month.
Built by Pierre — MBA, Business Strategist & AI Consultant, Founder of DayblipAbout the author →
Police Officer
$72,280
national median/year
$6,023/mo • $35/hr
VS
Nurse
$89,010
national median/year
$7,418/mo • $43/hr
Annual salary gap
$16,730
Nurses earn 23% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $189,639.
Best states for Nurses
vs Police Officers
California+$23,150
Hawaii+$22,000
Oregon+$21,000
Idaho+$20,000
Maine+$20,000
Best states for Police Officers
vs Nurses
Illinois+$-2,000
New Jersey+$-3,000
Maryland+$-7,000
Pennsylvania+$-9,000
Alaska+$-9,920
Share Your Result
Surprised by this number? Share it with friends and family
Nurses earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Police Officers is $72,280 versus $89,010 for Nurses — a difference of $16,730 per year or $1,394 per month.
The national median salary gap between Police Officers and Nurses is $16,730 per year. Nurses earn 23% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $189,639.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Police Officers the highest median salary at $108,320 per year.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Nurses the highest median salary at $131,470 per year.
Salary is one factor — Nurses earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers and Registered Nurses both have different educational paths, licensing requirements, and long-term growth projections. Use salary as a starting point, not the only factor.
Based on a standard 2,080-hour work year, Police Officers earn approximately $35 per hour nationally and Nurses earn approximately $43 per hour. Actual hourly rates vary based on overtime, part-time work, and whether the role is salaried or hourly.
Methodology: Salary data from Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2024-2025. Figures represent median annual wages for wage and salary workers. Self-employed excluded. Hourly rates calculated at 2,080 hours per year. State salary figures from same BLS OES dataset. Updated annually.
