Updated 2026-10-09 · 242 of 621 California agencies publish starting pay
Highest paying police departments in California
Police officer salary in California by department, ranked by the starting pay each one states in a current posting. Median starting pay is $87,738, about $42.18/hr or $7,312/mo, above the national median of $69,347. 242 of these departments are hiring right now.
Median starting pay
$87,738
▲ 27% vs national $69,347Lowest on file
$43,404
Bell Gardens PDMedian top-step pay
$127,757
241 departments publish a top stepEvery California department by starting pay
Highest first| Department | Area | Starting pay | Top pay | Lateral start | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Sunnyvale PD | $142,327 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 2. Los Altos PD | $139,740 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 3. Mountain View PD | $133,141 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 4. Los Gatos PD | $130,811 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 5. Palo Alto PD | $128,669 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 6. San Pablo PD | $127,824 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 7. Fremont PD | $126,525 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 8. Walnut Creek PD | $124,289 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 9. San Jose PD | $123,653 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 10. Foster City PD | $123,551 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 11. San Francisco PD | $121,654 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 12. Santa Barbara PD | $120,963 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 13. San Mateo PD | $119,875 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 14. Brentwood PD | $119,592 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 15. San Mateo County Sheriff | $119,350 | Hiring · 4 | |||
| 16. Campbell PD | $118,602 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 17. Hercules PD | $117,146 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 18. Santa Clara County Sheriff | $116,671 | Hiring · 4 | |||
| 19. Marina PD | $116,626 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 20. Morgan Hill PD | $116,366 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 21. Milpitas PD | $116,332 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 22. Union City PD | $116,314 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 23. Marin County Sheriff | $116,022 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 24. Daly City PD | $114,962 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 25. Santa Clara PD | $114,713 | Hiring · 4 | |||
| 26. Solano County Sheriff | $114,444 | Hiring · 4 | |||
| 27. San Ramon PD | $114,400 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 28. Pittsburg PD | $113,568 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 29. San Bruno PD | $112,258 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 30. Beverly Hills PD | $111,285 | Hiring · 4 | |||
| 31. Hillsborough PD | $111,108 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 32. Pasadena PD | $110,285 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 33. Lancaster PD | $110,094 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 34. Buena Park PD | $109,803 | Hiring · 4 | |||
| 35. Oakley PD | $109,637 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 36. South San Francisco PD | $109,262 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 37. Tracy PD | $108,995 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 38. Mammoth Lakes PD | $108,871 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 39. Truckee PD | $108,826 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 40. Benicia PD | $108,405 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 41. Lathrop PD | $107,916 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 42. Pinole PD | $107,141 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 43. Vacaville PD | $107,078 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 44. Napa County Sheriff | $105,810 | Hiring · 6 | |||
| 45. Carlsbad PD | $104,416 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 46. Mill Valley PD | $104,412 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 47. Alameda County Sheriff | $104,312 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 48. Glendale PD | $103,746 | Hiring · 5 | |||
| 49. Port Hueneme PD | $103,412 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 50. Monterey PD | $102,648 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 51. Petaluma PD | $102,606 | Hiring · 5 | |||
| 52. Berkeley PD | $102,505 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 53. Gilroy PD | $101,609 | Hiring · 4 | |||
| 54. Coronado PD | $101,364 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 55. Scotts Valley PD | $101,280 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 56. Suisun City PD | $101,275 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 57. Dixon PD | $100,831 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 58. Montebello PD | $100,608 | Hiring · 4 | |||
| 59. Watsonville PD | $100,256 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 60. Yolo County Sheriff | $99,694 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 61. La Habra PD | $99,684 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 62. Brea PD | $99,502 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 63. Arcadia PD | $99,070 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 64. Downey PD | $98,883 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 65. Roseville PD | $98,604 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 66. Santa Monica PD | $98,259 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 67. San Luis Obispo County Sheriff | $98,030 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 68. Alhambra PD | $97,968 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 69. Davis PD | $97,968 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 70. Cypress PD | $97,845 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 71. Long Beach PD | $97,635 | Hiring · 4 | |||
| 72. Laguna Beach PD | $97,357 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 73. El Monte PD | $97,333 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 74. Claremont PD | $97,200 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 75. Central Marin PD | $97,020 | Hiring · 5 | |||
| 76. Rocklin PD | $96,628 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 77. Turlock PD | $96,564 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 78. Corona PD | $96,316 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 79. San Francisco County Sheriff | $96,304 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 80. Covina PD | $96,177 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 81. Folsom PD | $95,492 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 82. Burbank PD | $95,468 | Hiring · 4 | |||
| 83. Richmond PD | $95,096 | Hiring · 4 | |||
| 84. Signal Hill PD | $95,041 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 85. Belvedere PD | $94,776 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 86. Winters PD | $94,757 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 87. Azusa PD | $94,744 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 88. Baldwin Park PD | $94,683 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 89. Colton PD | $94,668 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 90. Manteca PD | $94,224 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 91. Ventura County Sheriff | $93,974 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 92. Salinas PD | $92,832 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 93. Fullerton PD | $92,808 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 94. Visalia PD | $92,652 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 95. Hayward PD | $92,602 | Hiring · 6 | |||
| 96. Manhattan Beach PD | $92,580 | Hiring · 6 | |||
| 97. Citrus Heights PD | $92,577 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 98. Livermore PD | $92,435 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 99. Santa Rosa PD | $92,332 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 100. Calistoga PD | $92,227 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 101. La Verne PD | $92,120 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 102. Montclair PD | $91,935 | Hiring · 5 | |||
| 103. Monrovia PD | $91,906 | Hiring · 4 | |||
| 104. Redlands PD | $91,484 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 105. Orange County Sheriff | $91,354 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 106. Grover Beach PD | $91,248 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 107. San Leandro PD | $91,011 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 108. Ventura PD | $90,418 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 109. Soledad PD | $90,317 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 110. Ontario PD | $90,314 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 111. San Luis Obispo PD | $90,168 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 112. Oakland PD | $90,031 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 113. South Lake Tahoe PD | $89,794 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 114. Fountain Valley PD | $89,790 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 115. Pomona PD | $89,508 | Hiring · 4 | |||
| 116. Sacramento PD | $89,383 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 117. Fontana PD | $89,341 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 118. Hemet PD | $89,280 | Hiring · 4 | |||
| 119. San Fernando PD | $89,088 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 120. Clovis PD | $88,176 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 121. Los Banos PD | $87,984 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 122. Santa Ana PD | $87,492 | Hiring · 7 | |||
| 123. Torrance PD | $87,360 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 124. Gardena PD | $87,336 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 125. Monterey County Sheriff | $87,324 | Hiring · 4 | |||
| 126. Los Angeles PD | $87,257 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 127. Hawthorne PD | $87,156 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 128. Santa Barbara County Sheriff | $86,992 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 129. Santa Cruz PD | $86,772 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 130. Sacramento County Sheriff | $86,756 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 131. Los Angeles County Sheriff | $86,652 | Hiring · 5 | |||
| 132. Ripon PD | $86,642 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 133. Seaside PD | $86,434 | Hiring · 4 | |||
| 134. Costa Mesa PD | $86,364 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 135. Placentia PD | $86,030 | Hiring · 4 | |||
| 136. Butte County Sheriff | $85,509 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 137. Merced PD | $85,405 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 138. El Dorado County Sheriff | $85,176 | Hiring · 4 | |||
| 139. Fairfield PD | $84,656 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 140. San Benito County Sheriff | $84,455 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 141. Shafter PD | $84,240 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 142. Pleasant Hill PD | $83,940 | Hiring · 5 | |||
| 143. Escondido PD | $83,700 | Hiring · 5 | |||
| 144. San Diego County Sheriff | $82,701 | Hiring · 7 | |||
| 145. Yuba County Sheriff | $82,560 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 146. Santa Maria PD | $82,282 | Hiring · 4 | |||
| 147. Placerville PD | $82,280 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 148. Emeryville PD | $82,212 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 149. Martinez PD | $82,123 | Hiring · 4 | |||
| 150. West Sacramento PD | $82,003 | Hiring · 4 | |||
| 151. Vernon PD | $81,936 | Hiring · 4 | |||
| 152. Riverside County Sheriff | $81,848 | Hiring · 4 | |||
| 153. San Rafael PD | $81,300 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 154. Fresno PD | $81,120 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 155. Novato PD | $81,093 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 156. El Segundo PD | $80,938 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 157. Stockton PD | $80,639 | Hiring · 4 | |||
| 158. Fort Bragg PD | $80,558 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 159. Calaveras County Sheriff | $80,454 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 160. Alameda PD | $80,350 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 161. Paso Robles PD | $80,350 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 162. Tulare PD | $80,336 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 163. El Cajon PD | $80,183 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 164. National City PD | $79,879 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 165. Chula Vista PD | $79,194 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 166. Tustin PD | $79,102 | Hiring · 6 | |||
| 167. Placer County Sheriff | $78,977 | Hiring · 7 | |||
| 168. Pleasanton PD | $78,936 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 169. Irvine PD | $78,624 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 170. Palm Springs PD | $78,624 | Hiring · 4 | |||
| 171. Whittier PD | $78,204 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 172. Tehachapi PD | $77,172 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 173. Riverside PD | $76,968 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 174. Ukiah PD | $76,869 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 175. San Diego PD | $76,170 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 176. Arroyo Grande PD | $75,571 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 177. Lake County Sheriff | $75,150 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 178. Orange PD | $74,940 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 179. Selma PD | $74,535 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 180. Bakersfield PD | $74,152 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 181. Ceres PD | $73,752 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 182. Contra Costa County Sheriff | $73,718 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 183. Sausalito PD | $73,445 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 184. Ross PD | $73,368 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 185. Eureka PD | $73,200 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 186. San Joaquin County Sheriff | $72,880 | Hiring · 8 | |||
| 187. Oxnard PD | $72,654 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 188. San Bernardino PD | $72,322 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 189. Atwater PD | $72,313 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 190. Shasta County Sheriff | $72,108 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 191. Huntington Park PD | $71,726 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 192. Palos Verdes Estates PD | $71,580 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 193. Sebastopol PD | $70,990 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 194. Kingsburg PD | $70,739 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 195. Napa PD | $70,720 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 196. Madera PD | $70,300 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 197. Lakeport PD | $69,588 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 198. Clearlake PD | $69,402 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 199. Coalinga PD | $69,385 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 200. Mariposa County Sheriff | $68,852 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 201. Huntington Beach PD | $68,832 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 202. El Cerrito PD | $68,784 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 203. Glendora PD | $68,573 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 204. Cotati PD | $68,473 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 205. Westminster PD | $68,412 | Hiring · 4 | |||
| 206. Amador County Sheriff | $68,245 | Hiring · 9 | |||
| 207. Delano PD | $67,992 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 208. Del Norte County Sheriff | $67,833 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 209. Upland PD | $67,704 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 210. El Centro PD | $67,283 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 211. Paradise PD | $67,101 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 212. Hollister PD | $66,574 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 213. Menifee PD | $66,560 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 214. Vallejo PD | $66,560 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 215. Concord PD | $66,373 | Hiring · 5 | |||
| 216. Antioch PD | $66,144 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 217. San Bernardino County Sheriff | $65,728 | Hiring · 7 | |||
| 218. Barstow PD | $65,684 | Hiring · 4 | |||
| 219. Rohnert Park PD | $65,141 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 220. Colusa County Sheriff | $64,896 | Hiring · 4 | |||
| 221. Imperial PD | $64,522 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 222. South Gate PD | $63,984 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 223. Rialto PD | $63,438 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 224. Chowchilla PD | $62,400 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 225. East Palo Alto PD | $62,400 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 226. Chino PD | $61,824 | Hiring · 4 | |||
| 227. Calexico PD | $61,080 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 228. Desert Hot Springs PD | $60,819 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 229. Imperial County Sheriff | $60,744 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 230. Modesto PD | $60,174 | Hiring · 8 | |||
| 231. Merced County Sheriff | $59,155 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 232. Livingston PD | $58,890 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 233. Taft PD | $56,264 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 234. Cathedral City PD | $56,160 | Hiring · 4 | |||
| 235. Stanislaus County Sheriff | $54,954 | Hiring · 6 | |||
| 236. Brawley PD | $54,900 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 237. La Mirada PD | $54,163 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 238. Humboldt County Sheriff | $53,061 | Hiring · 10 | |||
| 239. Pacific Grove PD | $52,166 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 240. Kern County Sheriff | $49,558 | Hiring · 4 | |||
| 241. Hanford PD | $44,844 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 242. Bell Gardens PD | $43,404 | Hiring · 3 |
Starting pay by area in California
| Area | Median starting pay | Departments with pay | Open jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose & Silicon Valley | $117,636 | ||
| Vallejo Area | $101,275 | ||
| Santa Cruz Area | $100,256 | ||
| San Francisco Bay Area | $99,762 | ||
| Napa Area | $92,227 | ||
| Ventura County | $92,196 | ||
| Los Angeles Area | $91,630 | ||
| Sacramento Area | $91,186 | ||
| Salinas Area | $90,317 | ||
| San Luis Obispo Area | $90,168 | ||
| Santa Maria Area | $86,992 | ||
| Stockton Area | $86,642 | ||
| San Diego County | $81,442 | ||
| Inland Empire | $77,796 | ||
| Merced Area | $72,313 | ||
| Bakersfield Area | $71,072 | ||
| Santa Rosa Area | $70,990 | ||
| Fresno Area | $70,739 | ||
| Modesto Area | $66,963 | ||
| El Centro Area | $61,080 |
Hiring bonuses in California
All California bonuses- Alameda PDNew officers · $25,000 upon swearing-in; $50,000 upon completion of Field Training Program$75,000
- Hemet PDLaterals$60,000
- Paradise PDLaterals · $15,000 paid at time of hire, $15,000 paid at successful completion of probationary period, and $10,000 upon subsequent successful annual review.$40,000
- Central Marin PDEntry and lateral$30,000
- Dixon PDLaterals$30,000
Related
Police jobs in California (718)Lateral police jobs in CaliforniaCalifornia departments that don't require college (180)All California departmentsStarting pay by state
