Law & Government
Police Officer
Police officers respond to incidents, enforce laws, and work to keep communities safe. A secure public-service career with a clear sense of mission and real risk.
Median salary
$69,000
Typical range
$45k – $110k
Job outlook
+3% (about average)
AI exposure
Plan a path to Police Officer
Education
Typical entry: No degree required
High school or some college plus police academy training.
Plan my path to this →Typical progression
Junior Police Officer
Entry / Junior
$45,000
~2 yrs to advance
Police Officer
Established
$69,000
~3 yrs to advance
Senior Police Officer
Senior
$89,500
Key skills
JudgmentCommunicationPhysical fitnessComposure
A typical day
- •Patrol and respond to calls
- •Investigate incidents
- •Write reports
Fields of study
Criminal Justice · Sociology
Top colleges for Law & Government
Explore all- Yale University5% admit · $105,000 grad pay
- Harvard University4% admit · $119,000 grad pay
- Stanford University4% admit · $122,000 grad pay
- Columbia University4% admit · $103,000 grad pay
- University of Chicago5% admit · $91,000 grad pay
Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.