Updated 2026-10-02 · 39 of 387 Minnesota agencies publish starting pay

Highest paying police departments in Minnesota

Police officer salary in Minnesota by department, ranked by the starting pay each one states in a current posting. Median starting pay is $82,118, about $39.48/hr or $6,843/mo, above the national median of $70,081. 39 of these departments are hiring right now.

Median starting pay

$82,118

▲ 17% vs national $70,081

Highest starting pay

$101,733

Blaine PD

Lowest on file

$61,942

Lake County Sheriff

Median top-step pay

$111,051

39 departments publish a top step

Every Minnesota 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. Blaine PD	Twin Cities	$101,733	$113,048	—	Hiring · 2
2. Burnsville PD	Twin Cities	$98,342	$122,658	—	Hiring · 1
3. Eagan PD	Twin Cities	$98,259	$113,547	—	Hiring · 1
4. Sherburne County Sheriff	Twin Cities	$97,178	$107,994	—	Hiring · 1
5. Golden Valley PD	Twin Cities	$95,472	$115,586	—	Hiring · 1
6. Apple Valley PD	Twin Cities	$92,768	$123,718	—	Hiring · 1
7. West St. Paul PD	Twin Cities	$92,331	$120,557	—	Hiring · 1
8. St. Paul PD	Twin Cities	$91,291	$119,330	—	Hiring · 2
9. Hopkins PD	Twin Cities	$90,168	$121,701	—	Hiring · 1
10. Elk River PD	Twin Cities	$89,710	$89,710	—	Hiring · 1
11. Duluth PD	Duluth Area	$89,388	$89,388	$89,388	Hiring · 1
12. Edina PD	Twin Cities	$88,523	$124,384	—	Hiring · 2
13. Washington County Sheriff	Twin Cities	$87,048	$117,416	—	Hiring · 1
14. Corcoran PD	Twin Cities	$86,923	$111,051	—	Hiring · 1
15. Crystal PD	Twin Cities	$86,258	$107,806	—	Hiring · 1
16. St. Anthony PD	Twin Cities	$85,500	$116,000	—	Hiring · 1
17. Minneapolis PD	Twin Cities	$84,656	$112,861	—	Hiring · 3
18. Wayzata PD	Twin Cities	$83,200	$117,374	—	Hiring · 1
19. Fairmont PD	Fairmont Area	$82,950	$91,832	—	Hiring · 1
20. Howard Lake PD	Twin Cities	$82,118	$111,696	—	Hiring · 1
21. Robbinsdale PD	Twin Cities	$81,723	$121,576	—	Hiring · 4
22. Wright County Sheriff	Twin Cities	$81,120	$100,318	—	Hiring · 1
23. Scott County Sheriff	Twin Cities	$80,600	$113,797	—	Hiring · 1
24. New Brighton PD	Twin Cities	$80,592	$118,260	—	Hiring · 2
25. Champlin PD	Twin Cities	$80,538	$109,450	—	Hiring · 2
26. Mounds View PD	Twin Cities	$79,539	$116,667	—	Hiring · 2
27. Moorhead PD	Fargo Area	$79,227	$111,592	—	Hiring · 1
28. Albert Lea PD	Albert Lea Area	$78,998	$106,163	—	Hiring · 1
29. New Ulm PD	New Ulm Area	$77,750	$99,798	—	Hiring · 1
30. Becker PD	Twin Cities	$74,797	$91,603	—	Hiring · 1
31. Cannon Falls PD	Red Wing Area	$73,944	$100,006	—	Hiring · 2
32. Chatfield PD	Rochester Area	$69,276	$69,276	—	Hiring · 1
33. Virginia PD	Duluth Area	$67,933	$90,522	—	Hiring · 1
34. St. Louis County Sheriff	Duluth Area	$67,475	$98,030	—	Hiring · 2
35. Olmsted County Sheriff	Rochester Area	$66,706	$107,016	—	Hiring · 1
36. Mille Lacs County Sheriff	Twin Cities	$66,352	$86,798	—	Hiring · 1
37. Long Prairie PD	Todd County	$65,998	$82,555	—	Hiring · 1
38. Brown County Sheriff	New Ulm Area	$65,187	$91,874	—	Hiring · 1
39. Lake County Sheriff	Lake County	$61,942	$83,637	—	Hiring · 1

Starting pay by area in Minnesota

Area	Median starting pay	Departments with pay	Open jobs
Twin Cities	$86,590	26	40
Duluth Area	$67,933	3	4

Hiring bonuses in Minnesota

All Minnesota bonuses

Golden Valley PDNew officers$20,000
Edina PDLaterals · $2,500 lump sum paid to the candidate upon the candidate's successful completion of the field training program; and $2,500 lump sum paid to the candidate upon the candidate's successful completion of the probationary employment period.$5,000
New Brighton PDLaterals · a) the first $2,500.00 will be paid on the first paycheck following the officer's hire, b) a second $2,500.00 will be paid the first paycheck following successful completion of the new hire's probationary period$5,000
St. Anthony PDNew officers$5,000
Minneapolis PDNew officers · $1,000 after successful completion of the Academy, $1,000 after completion of FTO, and $2,000 after successfully completing a probationary period$4,000

Police jobs in Minnesota (58)Lateral police jobs in Minnesota Minnesota departments that don't require college (1)All Minnesota departments Starting pay by state

Highest paying police departments in Minnesota

Every Minnesota department by starting pay

Starting pay by area in Minnesota

Hiring bonuses in Minnesota

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