Highest police officer salaries in California, by employer, 2025
Santa Clara pays California's highest average total pay for police officers: $279,286 for those who worked the full year in 2025, against a state average of $179,627. It also has the highest base pay ($187,714) and starting salary ($163,619).
Where do police officers earn the most in California?
The 25 employers with the highest average total pay of full-year police officers, overtime included. Sergeants and higher ranks aren't in these figures.
Highest average total pay
- Santa ClaraCity government
64 full-year officers$279,286 - San FranciscoCity government
1,217 full-year officers$255,036 - FremontCity in Alameda County
101 full-year officers$253,136 - Menlo ParkCity in San Mateo County
24 full-year officers$251,301 - San JoseCity in Santa Clara County
729 full-year officers$251,199 - Santa MonicaCity in Los Angeles County
138 full-year officers$250,024 - San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit DistrictTransit district in Alameda County
128 full-year officers$248,473 - Los AltosCity in Santa Clara County
16 full-year officers$237,743 - Mountain ViewCity in Santa Clara County
57 full-year officers$235,394 - Palo AltoCity in Santa Clara County
48 full-year officers$229,335 - El MonteCity in Los Angeles County
77 full-year officers$229,061 - HaywardCity in Alameda County
96 full-year officers$227,831 - ColmaCity in San Mateo County
11 full-year officers$227,701 - RichmondCity in Contra Costa County
70 full-year officers$227,056 - NapaCity government
48 full-year officers$226,758 - TorranceCity in Los Angeles County
121 full-year officers$226,452 - San RamonCity in Contra Costa County
46 full-year officers$222,056 - OaklandCity in Alameda County
431 full-year officers$220,747 - AnaheimCity in Orange County
286 full-year officers$219,428 - LivermoreCity in Alameda County
57 full-year officers$217,533 - AthertonCity in San Mateo County
13 full-year officers$216,606 - BerkeleyCity in Alameda County
61 full-year officers$214,680 - EmeryvilleCity in Alameda County
24 full-year officers$214,387 - InglewoodCity in Los Angeles County
110 full-year officers$214,387 - ConcordCity in Contra Costa County
89 full-year officers$214,140
Highest police officer base pay in California
Average base pay of full-year officers, without overtime and other pay: closer to what the job pays for a regular schedule.
Highest average base pay
- Santa ClaraCity government
64 full-year officers$187,714 - Palo AltoCity in Santa Clara County
48 full-year officers$170,674 - ColmaCity in San Mateo County
11 full-year officers$166,120 - FremontCity in Alameda County
101 full-year officers$164,797 - San RamonCity in Contra Costa County
46 full-year officers$162,527 - Morgan HillCity in Santa Clara County
29 full-year officers$160,185 - ConcordCity in Contra Costa County
89 full-year officers$159,775 - AthertonCity in San Mateo County
13 full-year officers$158,783 - San JoseCity in Santa Clara County
729 full-year officers$157,625 - Mountain ViewCity in Santa Clara County
57 full-year officers$157,383 - HaywardCity in Alameda County
96 full-year officers$157,172 - San FranciscoCity government
1,217 full-year officers$154,645 - Los AltosCity in Santa Clara County
16 full-year officers$154,054 - NewarkCity in Alameda County
32 full-year officers$153,438 - San MateoCity government
79 full-year officers$153,410 - CampbellCity in Santa Clara County
29 full-year officers$152,975 - MilpitasCity in Santa Clara County
52 full-year officers$152,100 - EmeryvilleCity in Alameda County
24 full-year officers$151,427 - South San FranciscoCity in San Mateo County
47 full-year officers$151,127 - Menlo ParkCity in San Mateo County
24 full-year officers$150,475 - BelmontCity in San Mateo County
6 full-year officers$148,973 - San PabloCity in Contra Costa County
34 full-year officers$148,571 - San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit DistrictTransit district in Alameda County
128 full-year officers$147,681 - Carmel-By-The-SeaCity in Monterey County
5 full-year officers$147,641 - Los GatosCity in Santa Clara County
20 full-year officers$147,385
Which California police departments pay new officers the most?
The bottom of the official pay range for each employer's entry-level officer title, as reported.
Highest starting salary
- Santa ClaraCity government
64 full-year officers$163,619 - San PabloCity in Contra Costa County
34 full-year officers$149,376 - Mountain ViewCity in Santa Clara County
57 full-year officers$143,096 - BelmontCity in San Mateo County
6 full-year officers$140,544 - HaywardCity in Alameda County
96 full-year officers$138,965 - San JoseCity in Santa Clara County
729 full-year officers$137,141 - EmeryvilleCity in Alameda County
24 full-year officers$136,320 - San MateoCity government
79 full-year officers$134,237 - San RamonCity in Contra Costa County
46 full-year officers$133,153 - Los AltosCity in Santa Clara County
16 full-year officers$133,086 - AthertonCity in San Mateo County
13 full-year officers$132,998 - Los GatosCity in Santa Clara County
20 full-year officers$132,394 - CampbellCity in Santa Clara County
29 full-year officers$131,747 - NewarkCity in Alameda County
32 full-year officers$131,269 - Morgan HillCity in Santa Clara County
29 full-year officers$129,296 - Carmel-By-The-SeaCity in Monterey County
5 full-year officers$129,230 - Daly CityCity in San Mateo County
55 full-year officers$127,053 - LivermoreCity in Alameda County
57 full-year officers$126,895 - MilpitasCity in Santa Clara County
52 full-year officers$126,438 - MoragaCity in Contra Costa County
10 full-year officers$125,864 - Menlo ParkCity in San Mateo County
24 full-year officers$125,749 - Foster CityCity in San Mateo County
17 full-year officers$125,198 - Walnut CreekCity in Contra Costa County
54 full-year officers$124,289 - ConcordCity in Contra Costa County
89 full-year officers$123,790 - RichmondCity in Contra Costa County
70 full-year officers$123,588
Where do California police officers earn the most overtime?
Average overtime paid to full-year officers in 2025. A few people with a lot of overtime can pull an employer's average up.
Highest average overtime
- San FranciscoCity government
1,217 full-year officers$77,964 - Menlo ParkCity in San Mateo County
24 full-year officers$76,485 - El MonteCity in Los Angeles County
77 full-year officers$74,925 - San JoseCity in Santa Clara County
729 full-year officers$72,335 - Santa MonicaCity in Los Angeles County
138 full-year officers$70,190 - FremontCity in Alameda County
101 full-year officers$68,677 - Long BeachCity in Los Angeles County
479 full-year officers$66,636 - AnaheimCity in Orange County
286 full-year officers$66,375 - RichmondCity in Contra Costa County
70 full-year officers$61,925 - San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit DistrictTransit district in Alameda County
128 full-year officers$61,563 - ColmaCity in San Mateo County
11 full-year officers$60,166 - InglewoodCity in Los Angeles County
110 full-year officers$58,715 - PasadenaCity in Los Angeles County
138 full-year officers$58,707 - South GateCity in Los Angeles County
24 full-year officers$58,209 - La VerneCity in Los Angeles County
18 full-year officers$57,549 - South PasadenaCity in Los Angeles County
19 full-year officers$55,968 - OaklandCity in Alameda County
431 full-year officers$55,591 - BerkeleyCity in Alameda County
61 full-year officers$55,543 - HawthorneCity in Los Angeles County
61 full-year officers$54,376 - Mountain ViewCity in Santa Clara County
57 full-year officers$53,819 - AzusaCity in Los Angeles County
33 full-year officers$53,526 - TorranceCity in Los Angeles County
121 full-year officers$52,054 - AntiochCity in Contra Costa County
52 full-year officers$50,785 - Manhattan BeachCity in Los Angeles County
41 full-year officers$49,977 - San BrunoCity in San Mateo County
32 full-year officers$49,902
Which California counties pay police officers the most?
Average total pay of full-year officers across every employer in the county, for the 50 counties with at least 5 of them. The dashed line marks the California average of $179,627.
The highest-paying employer for police officers in each California county
By average total pay of full-year officers, among the county's employers with at least 5 of them.
- Alameda CountyFremont$253,136highest of 14
- Amador CountyIone$89,302only employer with an average
- Butte CountyOroville$134,701highest of 4
- Colusa CountyWilliams$85,145highest of 2
- Contra Costa CountyRichmond$227,056highest of 17
- Del Norte CountyCrescent City$89,611only employer with an average
- El Dorado CountySouth Lake Tahoe$142,002highest of 2
- Fresno CountyClovis$160,158highest of 13
- Glenn CountyOrland$98,105only employer with an average
- Humboldt CountyEureka$133,539highest of 3
- Imperial CountyCalexico$110,985highest of 4
- Inyo CountyBishop$125,612only employer with an average
- Kern CountyDelano$143,288highest of 8
- Kings CountyHanford$120,718highest of 3
- Lake CountyClearlake$96,476highest of 2
- Lassen CountySusanville$111,192only employer with an average
- Los Angeles CountySanta Monica$250,024highest of 45
- Madera CountyChowchilla$111,287highest of 2
- Marin CountySan Rafael$176,390highest of 8
- Mendocino CountyUkiah$136,491highest of 2
- Merced CountyMerced$135,061highest of 4
- Mono CountyMammoth Lakes$156,677only employer with an average
- Monterey CountyCarmel-By-The-Sea$193,166highest of 11
- Napa CountyNapa$226,758highest of 2
- Nevada CountyTruckee$169,572highest of 3
- Orange CountyAnaheim$219,428highest of 21
- Placer CountyRocklin$153,780highest of 4
- Riverside CountyDesert Hot Springs$183,886highest of 10
- Sacramento CountySacramento$159,413highest of 5
- San Benito CountyHollister$183,016only employer with an average
- San Bernardino CountyOntario$183,570highest of 9
- San Diego CountyLa Mesa$166,613highest of 10
- San Francisco CountySan Francisco$255,036only employer with an average
- San Joaquin CountyTracy$199,724highest of 7
- San Luis Obispo CountySan Luis Obispo$173,802highest of 7
- San Mateo CountyMenlo Park$251,301highest of 15
- Santa Barbara CountySanta Barbara$157,093highest of 3
- Santa Clara CountySanta Clara$279,286highest of 10
- Santa Cruz CountyWatsonville$177,063highest of 4
- Shasta CountyAnderson$160,206highest of 2
- Siskiyou CountyYreka$88,712highest of 2
- Solano CountyFairfield$186,649highest of 6
- Sonoma CountySanta Rosa$171,320highest of 5
- Stanislaus CountyModesto$165,392highest of 5
- Tehama CountyCorning$114,707highest of 2
- Tulare CountyTulare$137,320highest of 6
- Tuolumne CountySonora$113,090only employer with an average
- Ventura CountyPort Hueneme$180,450highest of 5
- Yolo CountyWest Sacramento$166,962highest of 4
- Yuba CountyMarysville$103,797only employer with an average
Questions about the highest police officer salaries in California
Which California police department pays officers the most?
Santa Clara, where full-year officers earned an average of $279,286 in 2025, overtime included. San Francisco ($255,036) and Fremont ($253,136) follow.
Where do new police officers earn the most in California?
The highest starting salary, the bottom of the official range for the entry-level officer title, is at Santa Clara: $163,619. San Pablo ($149,376) and Mountain View ($143,096) follow.
Where do police officers earn the most overtime in California?
Full-year officers at San Francisco were paid an average of $77,964 in overtime in 2025, the most of any California employer with at least 5 of them. The California average is $36,839.
Which California county pays police officers the most?
San Francisco County, where full-year officers across its city and district police departments earned an average of $255,036, followed by Santa Clara County ($241,958) and Alameda County ($220,161).
Sources for the California police officer rankings
Pay figures cover people who worked roughly the full year: those whose regular pay reached at least 90% of the bottom of their official range. Total pay is gross wages before tax, including overtime, lump sums and other pay. Every figure covers at least 5 people. Starting salaries are the bottom of each employer's official range for its entry title, as reported. Rankings and medians are our own arithmetic on these figures.
- State Controller's Office, Government Compensation in California, 2025: positions, official pay ranges and wages as reported by each city, county and special district.