National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Police Officers earn a national median of $72,280/year vs Paralegals at $59,200/year. Police Officers earn 18% more nationally. The gap is $13,080 per year — or $1,090 per month.
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Police Officer
$72,280
national median/year
$6,023/mo • $35/hr
VS
Paralegal
$59,200
national median/year
$4,933/mo • $28/hr
Annual salary gap
$13,080
Police Officers earn 18% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $148,266.
Best states for Paralegals
vs Police Officers
North Carolina+$-120
Virginia+$-120
South Carolina+$-2,120
Georgia+$-4,120
New Hampshire+$-4,120
Best states for Police Officers
vs Paralegals
Alaska+$32,120
California+$32,120
New Jersey+$24,120
Connecticut+$20,120
Hawaii+$20,120
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Police Officers earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Police Officers is $72,280 versus $59,200 for Paralegals — a difference of $13,080 per year or $1,090 per month.
The national median salary gap between Police Officers and Paralegals is $13,080 per year. Police Officers earn 18% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $148,266.
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 Paralegals the highest median salary at $76,200 per year.
Salary is one factor — Police Officers earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers and Paralegals and Legal Assistants 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 Paralegals earn approximately $28 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.
