What Is Average Salary of a Police Officer in Virginia?

The average salary of a police officer in Virginia is on par with many departments across the country. However, the cost of living in Virginia is slightly higher than the national average.

In order to become a police officer in Virginia, it is mandatory to be a U.S. citizen.

Applicants must pass background checks as well as physical, psychological, and polygraph tests. State troopers also must have at least a high school diploma or GED.

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The average salary of a police officer on patrol in Virginia was $47,620 in 2010, according to LawEnforcementEDU.net, a group which tracks educational requirements and salaries for police officers, sheriff’s deputies, and state highway patrol officers across the country. The group estimates the average salary for police supervisors and detectives to be $73,670.

Detectives and criminal investigators made a median salary of $79,000 in 2010. Police officers with rank, like sergeant, lieutenant, or captain make considerably higher salaries than their junior co-workers. A captain can earn over $100,000 a year. At the other end of the scale, police recruits in the Norfolk Police Department start at just over $37,000 a year.

Virginia State Troopers also start at the relatively low salary of $36,207. That is for people who have been accepted to and are going through the training academy. After a year on the job, that salary increases to $40,482. The job requires a willingness to be relocated anywhere in the state. People with some college training will get a preferred employment.

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Sperlings Best Places lists Virginia as a state with higher than average living costs. These police salaries are lower than the average household income for the state, which is higher than $63,000.

About 2.5 percent of the total employment in the state is due to law enforcement and firefighting professionals. The good news is that crime in the state is a bit lower than the rest of the country.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average mean salary across all professions in Virginia is $50,750, which is higher than the average mean wage for police officers.

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