National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Software Engineers earn a national median of $132,270/year vs Police Officers at $72,280/year. Software Engineers earn 45% more nationally. The gap is $59,990 per year — or $4,999 per month.
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Software Engineer
$132,270
national median/year
$11,023/mo • $64/hr
VS
Police Officer
$72,280
national median/year
$6,023/mo • $35/hr
Annual salary gap
$59,990
Software Engineers earn 45% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $680,004.
Best states for Police Officers
vs Software Engineers
Alaska+$-24,000
North Dakota+$-24,000
Wyoming+$-26,000
Hawaii+$-30,000
Mississippi+$-32,000
Best states for Software Engineers
vs Police Officers
Washington+$74,000
Colorado+$66,000
New York+$64,000
Virginia+$64,000
California+$60,000
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Software Engineers earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Software Engineers is $132,270 versus $72,280 for Police Officers — a difference of $59,990 per year or $4,999 per month.
The national median salary gap between Software Engineers and Police Officers is $59,990 per year. Software Engineers earn 45% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $680,004.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Software Engineers the highest median salary at $168,320 per year.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Police Officers the highest median salary at $108,320 per year.
Salary is one factor — Software Engineers earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Software Developers and Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers 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, Software Engineers earn approximately $64 per hour nationally and Police Officers earn approximately $35 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.
