Updated 2026-10-02 · 240 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 $89,362, about $42.96/hr or $7,447/mo, above the national median of $70,081. 240 of these departments are hiring right now.
Median starting pay
$89,362
▲ 28% vs national $70,081Lowest on file
$41,600
Coalinga PDMedian top-step pay
$127,709
240 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. San Ramon PD | $139,810 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 3. Los Altos PD | $139,740 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 4. Mountain View PD | $133,141 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 5. Los Gatos PD | $130,811 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 6. Morgan Hill PD | $129,296 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 7. Palo Alto PD | $128,669 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 8. San Pablo PD | $127,824 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 9. Fremont PD | $126,525 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 10. Pleasanton PD | $126,152 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 11. Walnut Creek PD | $124,289 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 12. San Jose PD | $123,653 | Hiring · 4 | |||
| 13. Foster City PD | $123,551 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 14. Berkeley PD | $122,327 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 15. San Francisco PD | $121,654 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 16. Santa Barbara PD | $120,963 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 17. San Mateo PD | $119,875 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 18. Alameda PD | $119,600 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 19. Brentwood PD | $119,592 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 20. San Mateo County Sheriff | $119,350 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 21. Campbell PD | $118,602 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 22. Hercules PD | $117,146 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 23. Santa Clara County Sheriff | $116,671 | Hiring · 4 | |||
| 24. Milpitas PD | $116,332 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 25. Union City PD | $116,314 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 26. Marin County Sheriff | $116,022 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 27. Sonoma County Sheriff | $115,773 | Hiring · 4 | |||
| 28. Daly City PD | $114,962 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 29. Santa Clara PD | $114,713 | Hiring · 4 | |||
| 30. Solano County Sheriff | $114,444 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 31. Emeryville PD | $114,324 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 32. Pittsburg PD | $113,568 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 33. San Bruno PD | $112,258 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 34. Ontario PD | $111,738 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 35. Beverly Hills PD | $111,285 | Hiring · 4 | |||
| 36. Hillsborough PD | $111,108 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 37. Pasadena PD | $110,285 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 38. Lancaster PD | $110,094 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 39. Buena Park PD | $109,803 | Hiring · 4 | |||
| 40. Oakley PD | $109,637 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 41. South San Francisco PD | $109,262 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 42. Tracy PD | $108,995 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 43. Mammoth Lakes PD | $108,871 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 44. Truckee PD | $108,826 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 45. San Luis Obispo PD | $108,420 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 46. Benicia PD | $108,405 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 47. Lathrop PD | $107,916 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 48. Murrieta PD | $107,162 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 49. Pinole PD | $107,141 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 50. Vacaville PD | $107,078 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 51. Napa County Sheriff | $105,810 | Hiring · 4 | |||
| 52. Chula Vista PD | $105,576 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 53. Carlsbad PD | $104,416 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 54. Mill Valley PD | $104,412 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 55. Alameda County Sheriff | $104,312 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 56. Glendale PD | $103,746 | Hiring · 10 | |||
| 57. Port Hueneme PD | $103,412 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 58. Monterey PD | $102,648 | Hiring · 4 | |||
| 59. Petaluma PD | $102,606 | Hiring · 5 | |||
| 60. Gilroy PD | $101,609 | Hiring · 4 | |||
| 61. Azusa PD | $101,489 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 62. Coronado PD | $101,364 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 63. Scotts Valley PD | $101,280 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 64. Suisun City PD | $101,275 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 65. Dixon PD | $100,831 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 66. Watsonville PD | $100,256 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 67. Yolo County Sheriff | $99,694 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 68. La Habra PD | $99,674 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 69. Brea PD | $99,502 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 70. Arcadia PD | $99,070 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 71. Downey PD | $98,883 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 72. Roseville PD | $98,604 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 73. Burbank PD | $98,332 | Hiring · 4 | |||
| 74. Santa Monica PD | $98,259 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 75. San Luis Obispo County Sheriff | $98,030 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 76. Alhambra PD | $97,968 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 77. Davis PD | $97,968 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 78. Cypress PD | $97,845 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 79. Long Beach PD | $97,635 | Hiring · 4 | |||
| 80. Laguna Beach PD | $97,357 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 81. El Monte PD | $97,333 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 82. Claremont PD | $97,200 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 83. Livermore PD | $97,070 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 84. Central Marin PD | $97,020 | Hiring · 4 | |||
| 85. Rocklin PD | $96,628 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 86. Turlock PD | $96,564 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 87. Corona PD | $96,316 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 88. San Francisco County Sheriff | $96,304 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 89. Covina PD | $96,177 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 90. Folsom PD | $95,492 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 91. Richmond PD | $95,096 | Hiring · 4 | |||
| 92. Signal Hill PD | $95,041 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 93. Belvedere PD | $94,776 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 94. Winters PD | $94,757 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 95. Baldwin Park PD | $94,683 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 96. Colton PD | $94,668 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 97. Manteca PD | $94,224 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 98. Ventura County Sheriff | $93,974 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 99. Salinas PD | $92,832 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 100. Fullerton PD | $92,803 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 101. Visalia PD | $92,652 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 102. Manhattan Beach PD | $92,580 | Hiring · 6 | |||
| 103. Citrus Heights PD | $92,577 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 104. Santa Rosa PD | $92,332 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 105. Calistoga PD | $92,227 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 106. La Verne PD | $92,120 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 107. Montclair PD | $91,935 | Hiring · 5 | |||
| 108. Monrovia PD | $91,906 | Hiring · 4 | |||
| 109. Redlands PD | $91,484 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 110. Orange County Sheriff | $91,354 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 111. Grover Beach PD | $91,248 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 112. San Leandro PD | $91,011 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 113. El Dorado County Sheriff | $90,605 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 114. Ventura PD | $90,418 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 115. Soledad PD | $90,317 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 116. Oakland PD | $90,031 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 117. South Lake Tahoe PD | $89,794 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 118. Fountain Valley PD | $89,790 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 119. Pomona PD | $89,508 | Hiring · 4 | |||
| 120. Sacramento PD | $89,383 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 121. Fontana PD | $89,341 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 122. Hemet PD | $89,280 | Hiring · 4 | |||
| 123. San Fernando PD | $89,088 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 124. Clovis PD | $88,176 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 125. Los Banos PD | $87,984 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 126. Santa Ana PD | $87,492 | Hiring · 7 | |||
| 127. Torrance PD | $87,360 | Hiring · 4 | |||
| 128. Gardena PD | $87,336 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 129. Los Angeles PD | $87,257 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 130. Hawthorne PD | $87,156 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 131. Santa Cruz PD | $86,772 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 132. Sacramento County Sheriff | $86,756 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 133. Ripon PD | $86,642 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 134. Seaside PD | $86,434 | Hiring · 4 | |||
| 135. Costa Mesa PD | $86,364 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 136. Butte County Sheriff | $85,509 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 137. Merced PD | $85,405 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 138. Garden Grove PD | $85,259 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 139. Fairfield PD | $84,656 | Hiring · 5 | |||
| 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. Santa Barbara County Sheriff | $83,622 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 145. Yuba County Sheriff | $82,560 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 146. Hanford PD | $82,284 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 147. Santa Maria PD | $82,282 | Hiring · 4 | |||
| 148. Placerville PD | $82,280 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 149. Martinez PD | $82,123 | Hiring · 4 | |||
| 150. Los Angeles County Sheriff | $82,080 | Hiring · 5 | |||
| 151. West Sacramento PD | $82,003 | Hiring · 4 | |||
| 152. Vernon PD | $81,936 | Hiring · 4 | |||
| 153. Riverside County Sheriff | $81,848 | Hiring · 4 | |||
| 154. San Rafael PD | $81,300 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 155. Fresno PD | $81,120 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 156. Novato PD | $81,093 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 157. El Segundo PD | $80,938 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 158. Stockton PD | $80,639 | Hiring · 4 | |||
| 159. Fort Bragg PD | $80,558 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 160. Calaveras County Sheriff | $80,454 | 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. Tustin PD | $79,102 | Hiring · 7 | |||
| 166. Placer County Sheriff | $78,977 | Hiring · 5 | |||
| 167. San Diego County Sheriff | $78,707 | Hiring · 7 | |||
| 168. Palm Springs PD | $78,624 | Hiring · 4 | |||
| 169. Tehachapi PD | $77,172 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 170. Riverside PD | $76,968 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 171. Ukiah PD | $76,869 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 172. San Diego PD | $76,170 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 173. Arroyo Grande PD | $75,571 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 174. Lake County Sheriff | $75,150 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 175. Chino PD | $75,141 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 176. Orange PD | $74,940 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 177. Tulare County Sheriff | $74,719 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 178. Selma PD | $74,535 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 179. Bakersfield PD | $74,152 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 180. Ceres PD | $73,752 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 181. Sausalito PD | $73,445 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 182. Ross PD | $73,368 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 183. Eureka PD | $73,200 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 184. Oxnard PD | $72,654 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 185. Escalon PD | $72,389 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 186. San Bernardino PD | $72,322 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 187. Atwater PD | $72,313 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 188. Colusa County Sheriff | $72,216 | Hiring · 4 | |||
| 189. Napa PD | $72,177 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 190. Shasta County Sheriff | $72,108 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 191. Huntington Park PD | $71,726 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 192. Sebastopol PD | $70,990 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 193. Kingsburg PD | $70,739 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 194. Hayward PD | $70,044 | Hiring · 6 | |||
| 195. Lakeport PD | $69,588 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 196. Clearlake PD | $69,402 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 197. Mariposa County Sheriff | $68,852 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 198. Huntington Beach PD | $68,832 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 199. Glendora PD | $68,573 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 200. Cotati PD | $68,473 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 201. Westminster PD | $68,412 | Hiring · 4 | |||
| 202. Amador County Sheriff | $68,245 | Hiring · 9 | |||
| 203. Delano PD | $67,992 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 204. Del Norte County Sheriff | $67,833 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 205. Upland PD | $67,704 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 206. El Centro PD | $67,283 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 207. Paradise PD | $67,101 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 208. Lemoore PD | $66,768 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 209. Hollister PD | $66,574 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 210. Menifee PD | $66,560 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 211. Vallejo PD | $66,560 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 212. Concord PD | $66,373 | Hiring · 5 | |||
| 213. Antioch PD | $66,144 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 214. San Bernardino County Sheriff | $65,728 | Hiring · 6 | |||
| 215. Redding PD | $65,724 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 216. Barstow PD | $65,684 | Hiring · 4 | |||
| 217. Rohnert Park PD | $65,141 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 218. Imperial PD | $64,522 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 219. South Gate PD | $63,984 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 220. Rialto PD | $63,438 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 221. Chowchilla PD | $62,400 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 222. East Palo Alto PD | $62,400 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 223. Irvine PD | $61,589 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 224. Placentia PD | $61,343 | Hiring · 4 | |||
| 225. Calexico PD | $61,080 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 226. Desert Hot Springs PD | $60,819 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 227. Imperial County Sheriff | $60,744 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 228. Modesto PD | $60,174 | Hiring · 8 | |||
| 229. Merced County Sheriff | $59,155 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 230. Livingston PD | $58,890 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 231. Montebello PD | $57,096 | Hiring · 4 | |||
| 232. Taft PD | $56,264 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 233. Cathedral City PD | $56,160 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 234. Stanislaus County Sheriff | $54,954 | Hiring · 6 | |||
| 235. Brawley PD | $54,900 | Hiring · 1 | |||
| 236. Humboldt County Sheriff | $53,061 | Hiring · 9 | |||
| 237. Pacific Grove PD | $52,166 | Hiring · 2 | |||
| 238. Kern County Sheriff | $49,558 | Hiring · 4 | |||
| 239. Bell Gardens PD | $43,404 | Hiring · 3 | |||
| 240. Coalinga PD | $41,600 | Hiring · 2 |
Starting pay by area in California
| Area | Median starting pay | Departments with pay | Open jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose & Silicon Valley | $121,128 | ||
| San Francisco Bay Area | $109,450 | ||
| Vallejo Area | $101,275 | ||
| Santa Cruz Area | $100,256 | ||
| Napa Area | $92,227 | ||
| Ventura County | $92,196 | ||
| Los Angeles Area | $91,630 | ||
| Sacramento Area | $91,591 | ||
| San Luis Obispo Area | $91,248 | ||
| Salinas Area | $90,317 | ||
| Stockton Area | $86,642 | ||
| Santa Maria Area | $83,622 | ||
| San Diego County | $81,942 | ||
| Santa Rosa Area | $81,661 | ||
| Visalia Area | $80,336 | ||
| Inland Empire | $78,624 | ||
| Fresno Area | $72,637 | ||
| Merced Area | $72,313 | ||
| Bakersfield Area | $71,072 | ||
| 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 (697)Lateral police jobs in CaliforniaCalifornia departments that don't require college (178)All California departmentsStarting pay by state
