National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Police Officers earn a national median of $72,280/year vs Social Workers at $54,150/year. Police Officers earn 25% more nationally. The gap is $18,130 per year — or $1,511 per month.
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Police Officer
$72,280
national median/year
$6,023/mo • $35/hr
VS
Social Worker
$54,150
national median/year
$4,513/mo • $26/hr
Annual salary gap
$18,130
Police Officers earn 25% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $205,509.
Best states for Social Workers
vs Police Officers
Maine+$-8,000
North Carolina+$-8,000
Vermont+$-8,000
West Virginia+$-8,000
Alabama+$-10,000
Best states for Police Officers
vs Social Workers
California+$40,000
New Jersey+$34,000
Alaska+$26,000
Connecticut+$26,000
Hawaii+$26,000
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Police Officers earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Police Officers is $72,280 versus $54,150 for Social Workers — a difference of $18,130 per year or $1,511 per month.
The national median salary gap between Police Officers and Social Workers is $18,130 per year. Police Officers earn 25% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $205,509.
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 Social Workers the highest median salary at $68,320 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 Child, Family, and School Social Workers 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 Social Workers earn approximately $26 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.
