Updated 2026-10-09

Police officer starting pay by state

Median starting pay for sworn officers, from the pay each department publishes in its current postings. 1,127 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. Washington	$89,136	59	173
2. California	$87,984	249	718
3. Alaska	$86,466	9	10
4. Illinois	$81,114	16	23
5. Minnesota	$80,860	36	68
6. Oregon	$77,802	30	58
7. Colorado	$75,098	52	84
8. Connecticut	$72,983	29	62
9. Ohio	$71,116	24	42
10. Texas	$70,554	93	213
11. Iowa	$70,200	9	10
12. Wisconsin	$69,160	33	80
13. Maryland	$68,390	17	47
14. Wyoming	$66,306	5	8
15. Arizona	$66,248	37	90
16. Nevada	$64,438	14	23
17. North Dakota	$63,123	5	8
18. New Mexico	$62,234	9	29
19. Florida	$62,200	84	171
20. Kansas	$58,469	6	11
21. Tennessee	$57,958	8	22
22. Virginia	$57,642	34	96
23. Pennsylvania	$56,471	7	11
24. Michigan	$56,374	16	30
25. Georgia	$55,400	21	47
26. North Carolina	$54,814	76	146
27. South Carolina	$54,662	21	49
28. Arkansas	$52,872	8	19
29. Oklahoma	$52,218	6	58
30. Alabama	$51,938	16	38
31. Missouri	$47,638	44	169

Highest starting pay in America

Sunnyvale PDSunnyvale, CA$142,327
Los Altos PDLos Altos, CA$139,740
Mountain View PDMountain View, CA$133,141
Los Gatos PDLos Gatos, CA$130,811
Palo Alto PDPalo Alto, CA$128,669
San Pablo PDSan Pablo, CA$127,824
Fremont PDFremont, CA$126,525
Walnut Creek PDWalnut Creek, CA$124,289
San Jose PDSan Jose, CA$123,653
Foster City PDFoster City, CA$123,551
San Francisco PDSan Francisco, CA$121,654
Santa Barbara PDSanta Barbara, CA$120,963
San Mateo PDSan Mateo, CA$119,875
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
Marina PDMarina, CA$116,626
Morgan Hill PDMorgan Hill, CA$116,366
Milpitas PDMilpitas, CA$116,332
Union City PDUnion City, CA$116,314
Marin County SheriffMarin County, CA$116,022
Daly City PDDaly City, CA$114,962
Santa Clara PDSanta Clara, CA$114,713