New York is among the best states to be a police officer, a new WalletHub study found.
With policing being a dangerous and highly scrutinized job, WalletHub said that many agencies have implemented policy changes to protect the public and the officers, along with more incentives to attract and retain officers.
However, compensation and working conditions for police officers can vary from state to state.
“Some states make protecting and serving the public in a law enforcement career more appealing than others,” WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said. “The best states for police officers offer competitive compensation, supplemented by solid training that helps minimize the chances of deadly violence between officers and civilians.”
To determine which states are the best for pursuing a career in law enforcement, WalletHub compared all 50 states and the District of Columbia across 30 indicators of police friendliness, ranging from the median income for law-enforcement officers to police deaths per 1,000 officers and state and local spending on police protection per capita.
Here is what to know about New York’s ranking.
Is New York a good state to be a police officer?
Yes, according to WalletHub, New York is a pretty good state to be a police officer.
The Empire State ranked as the 13th best state to be a police officer, with an overall score of 47.46.
The study found that New York has the fourth most law enforcement officers per capita, and has the 4th highest state and local police protection expenses per capita.
New York also placed at No. 3 for the opportunity & competition rank, No. 4 for the job hazards & protections rank and No. 40 for the law enforcement training requirements rank.
WalletHub’s 15 best states to be a police officer
WalletHub’s 15 worst states to be a police officer
How WalletHub assessed states’ police friendliness
To determine the best and worst states for police officers, WalletHub compared all 50 states and the District of Columbia across three dimensions: opportunity & competition, law enforcement training requirements and job hazards and protections.
The opportunity & competition category analyzed these factors:
The law enforcement training requirements category analyzed these factors:
The job hazards & protections category analyzed these factors:
Data used to create the ranking was collected as of April 6, 2026, and was sourced from multiple entities, including the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Institute for American Police Reform.
— Madison Scott is a New York Connect reporter, covering entertainment, breaking and consumer news, and trending topics with a focus on stories that matter to readers across New York state. She also has an interest in how the system helps or doesn’t help families with missing loved ones. She can be reached at MDScott@USATodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Is New York a good state for police officers? What to know
Reporting by Madison Scott, New York Connect Team / Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
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