Police Officer — Local, State and Federal Agencies, USA

City police departments, county sheriff's offices, state police and highway patrols, transit and campus police, and federal agencies recruit officers across the United States throughout the year. Hiring runs in cycles of written exams, physical tests and academy intakes.

What the work involves

Patrolling an assigned area, responding to calls, enforcing laws, making arrests, writing reports, giving evidence in court and working with the community. Detectives investigate crimes, and federal agents investigate violations of federal law.

Requirements

• Eligibility set by the agency: federal agencies, the NYPD and Texas require a US citizen, while California and Illinois accept non-citizens with federal work authorization
• The ability to lawfully possess a firearm under federal law, which rules out nonimmigrant visa holders
• A minimum age that is usually 21, and lower in some states and departments
• A written exam, physical fitness test, background investigation, and psychological and medical evaluations
• Completion of the state academy, or a federal academy for federal agents

How the pay works

• Measured medians. $76,210 for patrol officers and $93,790 for detectives in May 2025, according to the BLS
• Location. State mean wages run from about $47,000 to about $113,000
• Federal agents. Criminal investigators receive availability pay of 25 per cent of basic pay

Before you apply

Check the agency's citizenship, age and education rules before you prepare for the exam. They differ between departments in the same state.

Note: pay, eligibility and hiring rules are set by each agency and by federal and state law — not by JobGader. Confirm the details on the official recruitment page before applying.