With National Police Week starting on May 10 and the median annual salary for a police officer reaching over $77,000, the personal-finance company WalletHub today released its report on the Best & Worst States to Be a Police Officer in 2026, to help identify where this hazardous but rewarding career is the most worthwhile. Maryland came in ranked 4th overall.
WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 30 key metrics. The data set ranges from the median income for law-enforcement officers to police deaths per 1,000 officers to state and local spending on police.Life & Work for Cops in Maryland (1=Best; 25=Avg.):
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Overall Rank: 4th
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18th – Median Income for Law-Enforcement Officers (Adjusted for Cost of Living)
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27th – Median Income Growth for Law-Enforcement Officers
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5th – State & Local Police-Protection Expenses per Capita
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18th – Motor Vehicle Fatalities Per Capita
Note: “Law-enforcement officers” includes police and sheriff’s patrol officers, detectives and criminal investigators. For the full report, please visit:
https://wallethub.com/edu/best-states-to-be-a-cop/34669
Courtesy MCPD
