CopJobs report · Q4 2026 · as of Oct 20, 2026
Maryland police hiring, Q4 2026
45 sworn jobs were open at 21 Maryland departments on Oct 20, 2026. See them all.
Open sworn jobs
45
as of Oct 20, 2026Departments hiring
21
as of Oct 20, 2026Median starting pay
$66,066
departments' own postingsJobs offering a hiring bonus
6 (13%)
as of Oct 20, 2026Lateral (certified officer) jobs
13 (29%)
of open sworn jobsStarting pay changes
1
since Jul 22, 2026Largest hiring bonuses in Maryland
- Montgomery County Police DepartmentFor new officers · “Successful candidates will receive a $20,000 hiring bonus.” posting$20,000
- St. Mary's County Sheriff's OfficeFor new officers · “Sign-on bonus $15,000” posting$15,000
- Anne Arundel County Police DepartmentFor new officers · “A $10,000 signing bonus will be awarded to successful candidates.” posting$10,000
- Anne Arundel County Sheriff's OfficeFor certified laterals · “A $10,000 signing bonus will be awarded to successful candidates.” posting$10,000
- Gaithersburg Police DepartmentFor new officers · “Entry level officers are eligible for a $5,000 hiring bonus paid after satisfactory completion of the two-year police officer probation period.” posting$5,000
Starting pay changes this quarter
| Department | Was | Now |
|---|---|---|
| Maryland-National Capital Park Police MD | $65,016 | $66,706 source |
How these numbers are made
- Jobs. Open sworn police, deputy and trooper postings on Oct 20, 2026, read every week from departments' own hiring systems and state peace-officer boards. Civilian, dispatch and corrections-officer jobs are not counted; sheriff's jail deputy jobs are.
- Starting pay. The median of each department's starting figure for a new full-time officer, as its own posting states it. A state's median needs at least 5 departments.
- Hiring bonuses. Bonuses a current posting offers, in the posting's own words, until the end date it gives. Referral and retention pay are not counted.
- Lateral jobs. Postings only for officers already certified elsewhere.
- Pay changes. Starting-pay moves seen in the department's own postings over the last 90 days, with the posting linked.
Published by CopJobs. Every figure is as of Oct 20, 2026; the report is refreshed each week and published quarterly.