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Job outlook for sergeants in the United States
Sergeant job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected sergeant job growth rate is -10% from 2018-2028.
About -42,200 new jobs for sergeants are projected over the next decade.
Sergeant salaries have increased 10% for sergeants in the last 5 years.
There are over 60,686 sergeants currently employed in the United States.
There are 79,335 active sergeant job openings in the US.
The average sergeant salary is $48,557.
Are sergeant jobs in demand?
Sergeant job and salary trends over time
Sergeant jobs over time
Sergeant job growth rate over time
Year  | # Of Jobs | % Of Population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 60,686 | 0.02% |
| 2020 | 57,884 | 0.02% |
| 2019 | 57,425 | 0.02% |
| 2018 | 55,210 | 0.02% |
| 2017 | 49,625 | 0.02% |
Average sergeant salary over time
Sergeant salary by year
| Year | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $48,557 | $23.34 | +2.1% |
| 2024 | $47,575 | $22.87 | +2.3% |
| 2023 | $46,499 | $22.36 | +1.3% |
| 2022 | $45,914 | $22.07 | +3.6% |
| 2021 | $44,310 | $21.30 | +3.3% |
Sergeant jobs by state
Most common states for sergeants
| Rank | State | Population | # of Jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Carolina | 5,024,369 | 29 | 1% |
| 2 | Texas | 28,304,596 | 52 | 0% |
| 3 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 16 | 0% |
| 4 | California | 39,536,653 | 14 | 0% |
| 5 | New York | 19,849,399 | 9 | 0% |
| 6 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 8 | 0% |
| 7 | Ohio | 11,658,609 | 6 | 0% |
| 8 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 5 | 0% |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 3 | 0% |
| 10 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 2 | 0% |
| 11 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 1 | 0% |
| 12 | Nevada | 2,998,039 | 1 | 0% |
| 13 | Kentucky | 4,454,189 | 1 | 0% |
| 14 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 0 | 0% |
| 15 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 0 | 0% |
| 16 | Delaware | 961,939 | 0 | 0% |
| 17 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 0 | 0% |
| 18 | West Virginia | 1,815,857 | 0 | 0% |
| 19 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 0 | 0% |
| 20 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 0 | 0% |
Most common cities for sergeants
| Rank | City | # of Jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DeLand | 2 | 6% | $39,378 |
| 2 | Silver Spring | 2 | 3% | $39,406 |
| 3 | Glen Burnie | 1 | 1% | $39,871 |
| 4 | Arlington | 1 | 0% | $52,717 |
| 5 | Columbus | 1 | 0% | $52,995 |
| 6 | Jacksonville | 1 | 0% | $38,516 |
| 7 | Saint Paul | 1 | 0% | $43,558 |
| 8 | San Diego | 1 | 0% | $59,283 |
Sergeant job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of sergeant experts
Jill Myers
Director of the School of Law Enforcement and Justice AdministrationWhat general advice would you give to a Sergeant?
Jill Myers: The more skill sets you have the better prepared you will be for future advancement and salary increases. Having a solid education, a bachelor of science degree in criminal justice and a masters degree will sometimes result in increased wages. Having federal certifications and competencies will enhance your opportunities and create potential marketability for your career. It is always a great skill set to have people skills, communication in both written and oral formats. It will enhance your ability to explain yourself in court, in the warrants one prepares, and with dealing with the public in all circumstances from victims and witnesses and suspects, to legislators, the funding sources like mayors and city council and the public at large.
What Sergeant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Jill Myers: Law Enforcement is a much needed and distinguished profession. Going into the field you need a thorough background in the criminal justice system, state and federal, a working knowledge of the laws and Constitutional dictates, and the ability to communicate well both verbally and in writing. The job requires the ability to not just talk the part, but to critically think and apply the skills learned in the classrooms with real people in real situations. You will need to start the job with the ability to be a hero, to respond to real events on perhaps the worst days of someone's life. The job requires knowledge, ethical conduct, and compassion for everyone, even those who have committed unlawful actions.