San Luis Obispo police officer salary, 2025
San Luis Obispo is a city in San Luis Obispo County. 44 people worked as police officers for San Luis Obispo in 2025. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $173,802, overtime included.
What is the average police officer salary at San Luis Obispo?
Official pay range1
$104,208 to $134,680
from the lowest entry salary to the top of the highest police officer title
Based on the 40 of 44 police officers who worked the full year.
Most of San Luis Obispo's police officers (44 of 44) hold the title Police Officer, with an official range of $104,208 to $134,680. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $173,802, $39,122 above the top of the range.
- Median total pay
- $171,420
- the middle police officer: half earned more, half less
- Overtime
- $31,924
- average per full-year police officer
- Starting salary
- $104,208
- bottom of the Police Officer range
- Average pay rank
- 100th
- of 301 California employers
What does each police officer title at San Luis Obispo 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$173,802
official range average total pay, full year. "Fewer than 5" means too few full-year people in that title to show.
Police sergeant pay at San Luis Obispo
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 | 44 | $104,208 to $134,680 | $173,802 |
| Sergeants | 9 | $129,610 to $167,492 | $205,193 |
Full-year sergeants averaged $205,193, $31,391 more than officers.
Does San Luis Obispo pay police officers more than other employers in San Luis Obispo County?
Average total pay of full-year police officers: San Luis Obispo next to every employer in the county together, and the whole state.1
- San Luis Obispo$173,802
- All employers in San Luis Obispo County$148,024
- All employers in California$179,627
Full-year police officers at San Luis Obispo earned $25,778 more than the San Luis Obispo County average and $5,825 less than the California average.
Where does San Luis Obispo rank among California employers?
Every employer with at least 5 full-year police officers, by average total pay.1
All 301 California employers
San Luis Obispo ranks 100th of 301, above the middle employer.
Middle employer: $159,513
The 7 employers in San Luis Obispo County
San Luis Obispo ranks 1st of 7, above the middle employer.
Middle employer: $134,301
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 Luis Obispo
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 San Luis Obispo's police officers
- Employer pension contribution
- $19,149
- average per year
- Health, dental and vision
- $15,884
- average paid by the employer per year
Questions about police officer pay at San Luis Obispo
What is the average police officer salary at San Luis Obispo?
Police officers at San Luis Obispo who worked the full year earned an average of $173,802 in 2025, overtime included. The middle police officer earned $171,420: half earned more, half less. The official pay range across its police officer titles runs from $104,208 to $134,680.
How much overtime do police officers at San Luis Obispo earn?
Full-year police officers were paid an average of $31,924 in overtime in 2025. The middle one was paid $31,054: a few people with a lot of overtime pull the average up.
What is the starting salary for a police officer at San Luis Obispo?
$104,208 a year: the bottom of the official range for San Luis Obispo's Police Officer title in 2025, as reported. Pay rises with steps and overtime; full-year officers averaged $173,802 in total pay.
How much does a police sergeant make at San Luis Obispo?
Full-year sergeants at San Luis Obispo averaged $205,193 in total pay in 2025, overtime included, on an official range of $129,610 to $167,492.
What pension do police officers at San Luis Obispo get?
The most common pension formula among San Luis Obispo's police officers is 2.7% at 57, as reported by the city. The employer paid an average of $19,149 a year into the pension plan.
More salaries in San Luis Obispo County
- Arroyo Grande$148,873 average total pay
- Pismo Beach$146,843 average total pay
- Atascadero$134,301 average total pay
- El Paso De Robles$133,480 average total pay
- Morro Bay$131,837 average total pay
- Grover Beach$126,548 average total pay
- Highest police officer salaries in CaliforniaThe best-paying employers, ranked
- Teacher salaries in San Luis Obispo CountyEvery school district's salary schedule
Sources for the San Luis Obispo figures
Every person who held a police officer position at San Luis Obispo 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 Luis Obispo.