San Jose (SJPD) police officer salary, 2025
San Jose is a city in Santa Clara County. 819 people worked as police officers for San Jose in 2025. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $251,199, overtime included.
What is the average police officer salary at San Jose?
Official pay range1
$137,141 to $183,689
from the lowest entry salary to the top of the highest police officer title
Based on the 729 of 819 police officers who worked the full year.
Most of San Jose's police officers (819 of 819) hold the title Police Officer, with an official range of $137,141 to $183,689. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $251,199, $67,510 above the top of the range.
- Median total pay
- $245,142
- the middle police officer: half earned more, half less
- Overtime
- $72,335
- average per full-year police officer
- Starting salary
- $137,141
- bottom of the Police Officer range
- Average pay rank
- 5th
- of 301 California employers
What does each police officer title at San Jose 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$251,199
official range average total pay, full year. "Fewer than 5" means too few full-year people in that title to show.
Police sergeant, lieutenant and captain pay at San Jose
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 | 819 | $137,141 to $183,689 | $251,199 |
| Sergeants | 180 | $174,949 to $212,628 | $306,490 |
| Lieutenants | 48 | $202,528 to $246,293 | $341,248 |
| Captains | 11 | $234,488 to $284,964 | $378,783 |
Full-year sergeants averaged $306,490, $55,291 more than officers.
Does San Jose pay police officers more than other employers in Santa Clara County?
Average total pay of full-year police officers: San Jose next to every employer in the county together, and the whole state.1
- San Jose$251,199
- All employers in Santa Clara County$241,958
- All employers in California$179,627
Full-year police officers at San Jose earned $9,241 more than the Santa Clara County average and $71,572 more than the California average.
Where does San Jose rank among California employers?
Every employer with at least 5 full-year police officers, by average total pay.1
All 301 California employers
San Jose ranks 5th of 301, above the middle employer.
Middle employer: $159,513
The 10 employers in Santa Clara County
San Jose ranks 2nd of 10, above the middle employer.
Middle employer: $219,598
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 San Jose
As reported by the city. Contributions are what the employer paid per full-year police officer, on top of wages.1
- Pension formula
- Not reported
- the most common formula among San Jose's police officers
- Employer pension contribution
- $29,559
- average per year
- Health, dental and vision
- $17,569
- average paid by the employer per year
Questions about police officer pay at San Jose
What is the average police officer salary at San Jose?
Police officers at San Jose who worked the full year earned an average of $251,199 in 2025, overtime included. The middle police officer earned $245,142: half earned more, half less. The official pay range across its police officer titles runs from $137,141 to $183,689.
How much overtime do police officers at San Jose earn?
Full-year police officers were paid an average of $72,335 in overtime in 2025. The middle one was paid $65,629: a few people with a lot of overtime pull the average up.
What is the starting salary for a police officer at SJPD?
$137,141 a year: the bottom of the official range for San Jose's Police Officer title in 2025, as reported. Pay rises with steps and overtime; full-year officers averaged $251,199 in total pay.
How much does a police sergeant make at SJPD?
Full-year sergeants at San Jose averaged $306,490 in total pay in 2025, overtime included, on an official range of $174,949 to $212,628.
More salaries in Santa Clara County
- Santa Clara$279,286 average total pay
- Los Altos$237,743 average total pay
- Mountain View$235,394 average total pay
- Palo Alto$229,335 average total pay
- Morgan Hill$209,862 average total pay
- Los Gatos$204,468 average total pay
- Campbell$200,620 average total pay
- Milpitas$195,378 average total pay
- Gilroy$180,254 average total pay
- Highest police officer salaries in CaliforniaThe best-paying employers, ranked
- Teacher salaries in Santa Clara CountyEvery school district's salary schedule
Sources for the San Jose figures
Every person who held a police officer position at San Jose 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 San Jose.