Updated 2026-10-09 · 51 of 246 Colorado agencies publish starting pay

Highest paying police departments in Colorado

Police officer salary in Colorado by department, ranked by the starting pay each one states in a current posting. Median starting pay is $75,234, about $36.17/hr or $6,270/mo, above the national median of $69,347. 51 of these departments are hiring right now.

Median starting pay

$75,234

▲ 8% vs national $69,347

Highest starting pay

$104,639

Lakewood PD

Lowest on file

$49,421

Archuleta County Sheriff

Median top-step pay

$104,966

51 departments publish a top step

Every Colorado department by starting pay

Highest first

Starting pay is the lowest advertised full-time figure for a sworn officer in each department's current posting, annualized. Top pay and lateral start appear where the posting states them. Click a department for the quoted source line and verification date.
Department	Area	Starting pay	Top pay	Lateral start	Status
1. Lakewood PD	Denver Metro	$104,639	$123,192	$104,639	Hiring · 1
2. Firestone PD	Greeley Area	$100,651	$111,842	—	Hiring · 1
3. Frederick PD	Greeley Area	$95,189	$116,858	—	Hiring · 1
4. Loveland PD	Fort Collins Area	$93,696	$116,183	—	Hiring · 2
5. Broomfield PD	Denver Metro	$92,622	$123,718	—	Hiring · 1
6. Clear Creek County Sheriff	Denver Metro	$90,903	$108,542	—	Hiring · 1
7. Longmont PD	Boulder Area	$90,804	$129,444	—	Hiring · 1
8. Parker PD	Denver Metro	$89,898	$117,957	$93,434	Hiring · 2
9. Golden PD	Denver Metro	$85,322	$116,293	$91,395	Hiring · 1
10. Vail PD	Edwards Area	$85,280	$114,920	—	Hiring · 1
11. Weld County Sheriff	Greeley Area	$84,531	$107,037	—	Hiring · 2
12. Hudson PD	Greeley Area	$84,102	$95,000	—	Hiring · 2
13. Lone Tree PD	Denver Metro	$83,949	$107,997	—	Hiring · 1
14. Erie PD	Boulder Area	$83,637	$121,971	—	Hiring · 4
15. Northglenn PD	Denver Metro	$83,328	$109,225	—	Hiring · 1
16. Grand Junction PD	Grand Junction Area	$82,555	$114,379	$82,555	Hiring · 1
17. Commerce City PD	Denver Metro	$82,327	$121,052	$115,798	Hiring · 2
18. Denver PD	Denver Metro	$82,285	$104,915	—	Hiring · 1
19. Grand County Sheriff	Grand County	$81,012	$99,412	—	Hiring · 2
20. Westminster PD	Denver Metro	$80,746	$119,621	—	Hiring · 1
21. Pueblo PD	Pueblo Area	$79,228	$96,647	—	Hiring · 2
22. Adams County Sheriff	Denver Metro	$79,122	$110,771	—	Hiring · 3
23. Estes Park PD	Fort Collins Area	$77,854	$114,998	—	Hiring · 1
24. Mountain View PD	Denver Metro	$77,300	$77,300	—	Hiring · 1
25. Federal Heights PD	Denver Metro	$77,043	$110,473	—	Hiring · 1
26. Englewood PD	Denver Metro	$75,234	$75,234	—	Hiring · 1
27. Larimer County Sheriff	Fort Collins Area	$74,963	$90,917	—	Hiring · 4
28. Gunnison County Sheriff	Gunnison County	$74,207	$104,966	—	Hiring · 2
29. Sheridan PD	Denver Metro	$73,000	$109,559	—	Hiring · 2
30. Montrose PD	Montrose Area	$72,800	$99,500	—	Hiring · 2
31. Elbert County Sheriff	Denver Metro	$72,800	$105,331	—	Hiring · 2
32. Rifle PD	Rifle Area	$72,550	$80,371	—	Hiring · 1
33. Aurora PD	Denver Metro	$72,100	$97,961	—	Hiring · 2
34. Brush PD	Fort Morgan Area	$70,651	$102,466	—	Hiring · 1
35. Manitou Springs PD	Colorado Springs Area	$70,300	$70,300	—	Hiring · 1
36. Jefferson County Sheriff	Denver Metro	$70,179	$113,090	—	Hiring · 3
37. Crested Butte PD	Gunnison County	$69,659	$81,952	—	Hiring · 1
38. Greenwood Village PD	Denver Metro	$68,640	$107,494	—	Hiring · 2
39. Evans PD	Greeley Area	$68,215	$115,400	—	Hiring · 2
40. Bayfield PD	Durango Area	$66,997	$86,871	—	Hiring · 1
41. Durango PD	Durango Area	$66,435	$66,435	—	Hiring · 1
42. Colorado Springs PD	Colorado Springs Area	$66,290	$89,336	—	Hiring · 2
43. Hotchkiss PD	Delta County	$64,480	$84,843	—	Hiring · 1
44. Hinsdale County Sheriff	Hinsdale County	$62,500	$62,500	—	Hiring · 1
45. Nunn PD	Greeley Area	$60,000	$65,000	—	Hiring · 1
46. Meeker PD	Rio Blanco County	$57,637	$57,637	—	Hiring · 1
47. Florence PD	Cañon City Area	$54,080	$73,070	—	Hiring · 1
48. Park County Sheriff	Denver Metro	$52,957	$70,328	—	Hiring · 3
49. Phillips County Sheriff	Phillips County	$51,861	$53,500	—	Hiring · 1
50. Kiowa County Sheriff	Kiowa County	$51,709	$51,709	—	Hiring · 1
51. Archuleta County Sheriff	Archuleta County	$49,421	$92,810	—	Hiring · 2

Starting pay by area in Colorado

Area	Median starting pay	Departments with pay	Open jobs
Greeley Area	$84,316	6	9
Denver Metro	$79,934	20	32
Fort Collins Area	$77,854	3	7

Hiring bonuses in Colorado

All Colorado bonuses

Grand Junction PDLaterals · awarded upon completion of the Field Training Officer Program with a signed three (3) year commitment to the Grand Junction Police Department$10,000
Westminster PDEntry and lateral · $5,000 upon successful completion of field training and $5,000 upon successful completion of their one-year probationary period$10,000
Commerce City PDNew officers$7,500
Northglenn PDNew officers · upon successful completion of the FTO program. An additional $5,000 cash award is available upon the successful completion of probationary period (12 months)$5,000
Durango PDLaterals$3,000

Police jobs in Colorado (84)Lateral police jobs in Colorado Colorado departments that don't require college (14)All Colorado departments Starting pay by state

Highest paying police departments in Colorado

Every Colorado department by starting pay

Starting pay by area in Colorado

Hiring bonuses in Colorado

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