Updated 2026-10-01

Police officer starting pay by state

Median starting pay for sworn officers, from the pay each department publishes in its current postings. 1,019 departments on file. Not a survey or an estimate.

By state

Highest first

A state is ranked once at least 5 of its departments publish starting pay in a current posting. Pay is the lowest advertised full-time starting figure per department, annualized.
State	Median starting pay	Departments with pay	Open jobs
1. California	$90,418	243	697
2. Washington	$88,785	58	156
3. Alaska	$86,466	7	9
4. Minnesota	$82,118	39	58
5. Illinois	$81,372	16	20
6. Montana	$79,581	5	10
7. Colorado	$77,043	41	69
8. Oregon	$76,461	29	52
9. Ohio	$72,946	21	30
10. Connecticut	$72,933	28	62
11. Texas	$71,718	73	131
12. Iowa	$70,261	8	9
13. Wisconsin	$69,160	31	67
14. Wyoming	$66,306	5	8
15. Arizona	$66,248	35	69
16. Maryland	$65,969	17	38
17. Nevada	$65,530	12	17
18. North Dakota	$63,123	5	10
19. New Mexico	$62,276	8	26
20. Kansas	$61,984	5	9
21. Florida	$61,950	65	118
22. Pennsylvania	$61,483	6	8
23. Michigan	$59,618	13	21
24. Tennessee	$57,712	5	15
25. Oklahoma	$57,450	5	60
26. Virginia	$56,996	30	87
27. Georgia	$55,400	17	29
28. North Carolina	$54,671	68	121
29. Alabama	$53,674	15	32
30. South Carolina	$53,553	17	42
31. Missouri	$45,882	44	168

Highest starting pay in America

Sunnyvale PDSunnyvale, CA$142,327
San Ramon PDSan Ramon, CA$139,810
Los Altos PDLos Altos, CA$139,740
Mountain View PDMountain View, CA$133,141
Los Gatos PDLos Gatos, CA$130,805
Morgan Hill PDMorgan Hill, CA$129,296
Palo Alto PDPalo Alto, CA$128,669
San Pablo PDSan Pablo, CA$127,824
Fremont PDFremont, CA$126,525
Pleasanton PDPleasanton, CA$126,152
Walnut Creek PDWalnut Creek, CA$124,289
San Jose PDSan Jose, CA$123,653
Foster City PDFoster City, CA$123,551
Berkeley PDBerkeley, CA$122,327
San Francisco PDSan Francisco, CA$121,654
Santa Barbara PDSanta Barbara, CA$120,963
San Mateo PDSan Mateo, CA$119,875
Alameda PDAlameda, CA$119,600
Brentwood PDBrentwood, CA$119,592
San Mateo County SheriffSan Mateo County, CA$119,350
Campbell PDCampbell, CA$118,602
Hercules PDHercules, CA$117,146
Santa Clara County SheriffSanta Clara County, CA$116,671
Milpitas PDMilpitas, CA$116,332
Union City PDUnion City, CA$116,314