Cop demographics and statistics in the US
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Cop demographics by:
Cop gender statistics
30.9% of cops are women and 69.1% of cops are men.
- Male, 69.1%
- Female, 30.9%
Cop gender ratio
Gender  | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 69.1% |
| Female | 30.9% |
Cop gender pay gap
Women earn 92¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male Income
$96,623
Female Income
$88,415
Cop gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in cop positions over time. Currently, 30.9% of cops are female.
Cop gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 70.58% | 29.42% |
| 2011 | 70.53% | 29.47% |
| 2012 | 70.24% | 29.76% |
| 2013 | 71.21% | 28.79% |
| 2014 | 71.02% | 28.98% |
| 2015 | 71.71% | 28.29% |
| 2016 | 72.20% | 27.80% |
| 2017 | 71.73% | 28.27% |
| 2018 | 69.78% | 30.22% |
| 2019 | 68.87% | 31.13% |
| 2020 | 72.00% | 28.00% |
| 2021 | 69.09% | 30.91% |
Cop related jobs gender ratio
We compared cops with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, deputy sheriff-k9 handler and fugitive investigator have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job Title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Matron | 8% | 92% |
| Deputy Treasurer | 19% | 81% |
| Unemployment Examiner | 29% | 71% |
| Cop | 69% | 31% |
| Town Marshal | 96% | 4% |
| Fugitive Investigator | 97% | 3% |
| Deputy Sheriff-K9 Handler | 98% | 2% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Cop demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among cops is White, which makes up 60.8% of all cops. Comparatively, 18.4% of cops are Hispanic or Latino and 11.9% of cops are Black or African American.
- White, 60.8%
- Hispanic or Latino, 18.4%
- Black or African American, 11.9%
- Unknown, 4.8%
- Asian, 3.1%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%
Cop Race
| Cop Race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 60.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 18.4% |
| Black or African American | 11.9% |
| Unknown | 4.8% |
| Asian | 3.1% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.0% |
Cop race and ethnicity over time
See how cop racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
- White
- Asian
- Hispanic or Latino
- Black or African American
Cop race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 66.65% | 12.16% | 2.43% | 15.81% |
| 2011 | 66.82% | 12.21% | 2.68% | 15.16% |
| 2012 | 66.51% | 12.27% | 2.23% | 15.23% |
| 2013 | 67.01% | 11.65% | 2.39% | 15.36% |
| 2014 | 66.40% | 11.72% | 2.58% | 15.62% |
| 2015 | 65.77% | 12.06% | 2.78% | 16.23% |
| 2016 | 65.62% | 12.17% | 2.44% | 16.59% |
| 2017 | 65.21% | 12.24% | 2.48% | 16.52% |
| 2018 | 64.32% | 11.52% | 2.97% | 17.47% |
| 2019 | 65.74% | 11.07% | 2.78% | 17.03% |
| 2020 | 62.70% | 12.32% | 3.01% | 16.99% |
| 2021 | 60.81% | 11.88% | 3.13% | 18.36% |
Cop wage gap by race
According to our data, asian cops have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american cops have the lowest average salary at $89,777.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $93,730 |
| White | $95,389 |
| Black or African American | $89,777 |
| Asian | $102,726 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $102,139 |
Cop JOBS
Average cop age
See how the average age of cops varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Cop age by race and gender
| Race | Male Age | Female Age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 42 | 43 |
| Unknown | 38 | 37 |
| Asian | 38 | 43 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 39 | 36 |
| White | 39 | 39 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 41.5 |
Cop age breakdown
The average age of cops is 40+ years years old, representing 50% of the cop population.
Cop age breakdown
| Cop Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 50% |
| 30-40 years | 34% |
| 20-30 years | 16% |
Cop educational attainment
The most common degree for cops is bachelor's degree, with 50% of cops earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are high school diploma degree at 18% and high school diploma degree at 14%.
- Bachelor's, 50%
- High School Diploma, 18%
- Associate, 14%
- Diploma, 9%
- Other Degrees, 9%
Cops by degree level
| Cop Degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 50% |
| High School Diploma | 18% |
| Associate | 14% |
| Diploma | 9% |
| Other Degrees | 9% |
Cop Jobs You Might Like
Cop wage gap by degree level
According to the data, cops with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $113,451 annually. With a Doctorate degree, cops earn a median annual income of $110,422 compared to $104,274 for cops with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $113,451 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $84,697 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $104,274 |
| Doctorate Degree | $110,422 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $96,402 |
Cop turnover and employment statistics
Cop unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for cops between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Unemployment rate
Cop unemployment rate by year
| Year | Cop Unemployment Rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 2.07% |
| 2011 | 2.19% |
| 2012 | 1.94% |
| 2013 | 1.72% |
| 2014 | 1.41% |
| 2015 | 1.11% |
| 2016 | 1.02% |
| 2017 | 1.12% |
| 2018 | 0.98% |
| 2019 | 1.03% |
| 2020 | 1.37% |
| 2021 | 1.40% |
Average cop tenure
The average cop stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 245 cops resumes in Zippia's database.
Cop tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 34% |
| 1-2 years | 35% |
| 3-4 years | 10% |
| 5-7 years | 10% |
| 8-10 years | 6% |
| 11+ years | 5% |
Cop LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of cops that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job Title | LGBT | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|
| Senior Corrections Officer | 5.55% | 57,316 |
| Cop | 7.15% | - |
| Criminal Analyst | 8.65% | 79,218 |
| Bailiff | 11.11% | 130 |
Similar cop jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|
| Senior Corrections Officer | 5.55% | 57,316 |
| Criminal Analyst | 8.65% | 79,218 |
| Bailiff | 11.11% | 130 |
Foreign languages spoken by cops
The most common foreign language among cops is Spanish at 33.3%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Portuguese at 16.7% and Khmer is the third-most popular at 16.7%.
- Spanish, 33.3%
- Portuguese, 16.7%
- Khmer, 16.7%
- Thai, 16.7%
- Filipino, 16.7%
Cop languages spoken
| Foreign Language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 33.3% |
| Portuguese | 16.7% |
| Khmer | 16.7% |
| Thai | 16.7% |
| Filipino | 16.7% |