Where in Pennsylvania are police and sheriff's officer salaries the highest?
Pennsylvania’s police and sheriff’s officers rank 14th in the nation in earnings, bringing in an average of $75,260 each year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The 2022 salary data also shows that the Philadelphia region employs more officers than almost any other metropolitan area in the United States. There are about 13,000 police working in and around Philadelphia, making the area No. 8 for officer employment, the bureau reports.
Police departments around the U.S. are boosting wages and offering bonuses as they struggle to hire and keep officers. Resignations and retirements have spiked in recent years, with many agencies experiencing staffing shortages as a result.
Wealthier agencies that offer more attractive salaries often have an advantage in the scramble over the limited pool of qualified applicants.
Officers in the Philadelphia Police Department, which has reported understaffing issues, are poised to get a 5% raise and bonus in July, part of a one-year contract extension approved in November between the city and police union.
Which states pay police officers the most?
California, where annual wages for officers averaged about $104,000 in 2022, is the highest-earning state for law enforcement, according to the BLS data. Washington, New Jersey, Hawaii and Alaska round out the list of top five states for officer salaries.
Compared to its neighbors, Pennsylvania is in the middle of the pack when it comes to law enforcement pay; its average salaries surpass those in Ohio ($68,300), Maryland ($73,350) and West Virginia ($48,310), while lagging behind those in New York ($81,750), New Jersey ($90,520) and Delaware ($77,490).
Where in Pennsylvania do police officers earn the most?
Police officers in the Gettysburg area are taking home the biggest paychecks in Pennsylvania, with average annual salaries of $83,790, according to the BLS breakdown of law enforcement salaries in metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas.
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Here’s a rundown of average police salaries in other parts of Pennsylvania:
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington area — $78,880
East Stroudsburg area — $78,430
Lancaster area — $76,880
Pittsburgh area — $76,250
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton area — $75,670
Harrisburg-Carlisle area — $75,510
Erie area — $74,890
Reading area — $73,350
State College area — $72,920
Lebanon area — $71,630
Williamsport area — $71,360
York-Hanover area — $70,790
Scranton-Wilkes-Barre-Hazleton area — $69,830
Bloomsburg-Berwick area — $68,700
Western Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area — $66,300
Northern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area — $65,800
Southern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area — $64,380
Altoona area — $64,040
Chambersburg-Waynesboro area — $61,710
Johnstown area — $56,220
This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: How much do PA police and sheriff's officers earn