municipal police · California

Santa Maria Police Department

Hiring · 4 openingsSanta Maria, CASanta Barbara CountySanta Maria Area118 sworn officers (FBI, 2025)

What Santa Maria PD pays

How we get pay data
Starting pay
$98,058
▲ 0% vs Santa Maria Area avgJob posting · verified Oct 1, 2026 · source
Top of scale
$119,191
Posting · verified Oct 1, 2026
Lateral start
—
Not published

Tracked since Oct 1, 2026. We keep every figure a posting has ever stated, so changes show here.

Hiring bonus

$20,000 for certified laterals, $10k at time of hire / $5k upon successful completion of FTP / $5k upon successful completion of probation, 12 months.

$20,000 hiring incentive ($10k at time of hire / $5k upon successful completion of FTP / $5k upon successful completion of probation, 12 months)Job posting · verified Oct 1, 2026 · source

Open jobs at Santa Maria PD

Requirements

From the department's postings
  • EducationHigh school or GED
  • Academy paid by departmentNo
  • Certification required to applyYes
  • Takes out-of-state lateralsYes
  • Lateral termsOUT-OF-STATE APPLICANTS: Assistance through the recertification course may be available.
  • Lateral experience required1 years
  • Schedule4/10 plan for sworn personnel
  • PensionPERS ret. 3% at 55 (if coming from another PERS agency)

How Santa Maria PD compares nearby

All 11 Santa Maria Area agencies

1 nearby department starts higher than Santa Maria PD.

DepartmentStatusStarting payvs Santa MariaBonusMiles
Santa Maria PDHiring$98,058—$20,000—
Guadalupe PDNot postingNot published—None8
Arroyo Grande PDHiring$75,571−$22,487$10,00015
Grover Beach PDHiring$91,248−$6,810$11,00016
Pismo Beach PDNot postingNot published—None18
San Luis Obispo PDHiring$108,420+$10,362None27

CopJobs is not affiliated with Santa Maria Police Department. Figures come from public postings; each shows its source and the date we read it. Work at Santa Maria PD? Update this page free.

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