Merced police officer salary, 2025
Merced is a city in Merced County. 82 people worked as police officers for Merced in 2025. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $135,061, overtime included.
What is the average police officer salary at Merced?
Official pay range1
$88,839 to $113,384
from the lowest entry salary to the top of the highest police officer title
Based on the 55 of 82 police officers who worked the full year.
Most of Merced's police officers (82 of 82) hold the title Police Officer, with an official range of $88,839 to $113,384. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $135,061, $21,677 above the top of the range.
- Median total pay
- $131,271
- the middle police officer: half earned more, half less
- Overtime
- $20,963
- average per full-year police officer
- Starting salary
- $88,839
- bottom of the Police Officer range
- Average pay rank
- 220th
- of 301 California employers
What does each police officer title at Merced pay?
Each bar is the official range for one title, lowest first. The dot marks the average total pay of full-year staff in that title, where at least 5 people stand behind it.1
- Police Officer$135,061
official range average total pay, full year. "Fewer than 5" means too few full-year people in that title to show.
Police sergeant and lieutenant pay at Merced
Ranks above officer, kept out of the officer figures on this page. Each rank's name leads to its statewide overview. Range: the middle reported bottom and top of each rank's official range. Pay: average total pay of full-year staff, overtime included.1
| Rank | People | Official range | Average total pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Officers | 82 | $88,839 to $113,384 | $135,061 |
| Sergeants | 12 | $107,883 to $137,689 | $187,701 |
| Lieutenants | 5 | $129,460 to $165,227 | Fewer than 5 |
Full-year sergeants averaged $187,701, $52,640 more than officers.
Does Merced pay police officers more than other employers in Merced County?
Average total pay of full-year police officers: Merced next to every employer in the county together, and the whole state.1
- Merced$135,061
- All employers in Merced County$121,163
- All employers in California$179,627
Full-year police officers at Merced earned $13,898 more than the Merced County average and $44,566 less than the California average.
Where does Merced rank among California employers?
Every employer with at least 5 full-year police officers, by average total pay.1
All 301 California employers
Merced ranks 220th of 301, below the middle employer.
Middle employer: $159,513
Each bar counts the employers whose average total pay falls in a $5,000 band. The dashed line marks the middle employer.
Pension and health cover at Merced
As reported by the city. Contributions are what the employer paid per full-year police officer, on top of wages.1
- Pension formula
- 2.7% at 57
- the most common formula among Merced's police officers
- Employer pension contribution
- $21,168
- average per year
- Health, dental and vision
- $16,151
- average paid by the employer per year
Questions about police officer pay at Merced
What is the average police officer salary at Merced?
Police officers at Merced who worked the full year earned an average of $135,061 in 2025, overtime included. The middle police officer earned $131,271: half earned more, half less. The official pay range across its police officer titles runs from $88,839 to $113,384.
How much overtime do police officers at Merced earn?
Full-year police officers were paid an average of $20,963 in overtime in 2025. The middle one was paid $20,211: a few people with a lot of overtime pull the average up.
What is the starting salary for a police officer at Merced?
$88,839 a year: the bottom of the official range for Merced's Police Officer title in 2025, as reported. Pay rises with steps and overtime; full-year officers averaged $135,061 in total pay.
How much does a police sergeant make at Merced?
Full-year sergeants at Merced averaged $187,701 in total pay in 2025, overtime included, on an official range of $107,883 to $137,689.
What pension do police officers at Merced get?
The most common pension formula among Merced's police officers is 2.7% at 57, as reported by the city. The employer paid an average of $21,168 a year into the pension plan.
More salaries in Merced County
- Los Banos$120,293 average total pay
- Atwater$105,434 average total pay
- Livingston$100,648 average total pay
- Dos Palospolice officer pay
- Gustinepolice officer pay
- Highest police officer salaries in CaliforniaThe best-paying employers, ranked
- Teacher salaries in Merced CountyEvery school district's salary schedule
Sources for the Merced figures
Every person who held a police officer position at Merced at any point in 2025 counts toward the headcount. Pay figures use only 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. Averages lead; the median total pay is the middle person's, with half above and half below, and is less pulled by a few people with very high pay. Every figure covers at least 5 people.
- State Controller's Office, Government Compensation in California, 2025: positions, official pay ranges, wages, pension formula and employer contributions as reported by Merced.