National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Police Officers earn a national median of $72,280/year vs Welders at $47,990/year. Police Officers earn 34% more nationally. The gap is $24,290 per year — or $2,024 per month.
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Police Officer
$72,280
national median/year
$6,023/mo • $35/hr
VS
Welder
$47,990
national median/year
$3,999/mo • $23/hr
Annual salary gap
$24,290
Police Officers earn 34% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $275,334.
Best states for Welders
vs Police Officers
Louisiana+$-3,330
North Dakota+$-3,330
Oklahoma+$-5,330
West Virginia+$-5,330
South Dakota+$-7,330
Best states for Police Officers
vs Welders
California+$51,330
New Jersey+$35,330
Connecticut+$31,330
Massachusetts+$31,330
Illinois+$25,330
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Police Officers earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Police Officers is $72,280 versus $47,990 for Welders — a difference of $24,290 per year or $2,024 per month.
The national median salary gap between Police Officers and Welders is $24,290 per year. Police Officers earn 34% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $275,334.
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, Alaska pays Welders the highest median salary at $66,990 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 Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers 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 Welders earn approximately $23 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.
