San Mateo police officer salary, 2025
San Mateo is a city in San Mateo County. 94 people worked as police officers for San Mateo in 2025. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $208,430, overtime included.
What is the average police officer salary at San Mateo?
Official pay range1
$134,237 to $159,971
from the lowest entry salary to the top of the highest police officer title
Based on the 79 of 94 police officers who worked the full year.
Most of San Mateo's police officers (94 of 94) hold the title Police Officer, with an official range of $134,237 to $159,971. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $208,430, $48,459 above the top of the range.
- Median total pay
- $206,633
- the middle police officer: half earned more, half less
- Overtime
- $37,283
- average per full-year police officer
- Starting salary
- $134,237
- bottom of the Police Officer range
- Average pay rank
- 31st
- of 301 California employers
What does each police officer title at San Mateo 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$208,430
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 San Mateo
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 | 94 | $134,237 to $159,971 | $208,430 |
| Sergeants | 23 | $160,971 to $191,939 | $270,173 |
| Lieutenants | 6 | $192,130 to $229,212 | $289,973 |
Full-year sergeants averaged $270,173, $61,743 more than officers.
Does San Mateo pay police officers more than other employers in San Mateo County?
Average total pay of full-year police officers: San Mateo next to every employer in the county together, and the whole state.1
- San Mateo$208,430
- All employers in San Mateo County$201,772
- All employers in California$179,627
Full-year police officers at San Mateo earned $6,658 more than the San Mateo County average and $28,803 more than the California average.
Where does San Mateo rank among California employers?
Every employer with at least 5 full-year police officers, by average total pay.1
All 301 California employers
San Mateo ranks 31st of 301, above the middle employer.
Middle employer: $159,513
The 15 employers in San Mateo County
San Mateo ranks 5th of 15, above the middle employer.
Middle employer: $195,813
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 Mateo
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 Mateo's police officers
- Employer pension contribution
- $32,374
- average per year
- Health, dental and vision
- $20,637
- average paid by the employer per year
Questions about police officer pay at San Mateo
What is the average police officer salary at San Mateo?
Police officers at San Mateo who worked the full year earned an average of $208,430 in 2025, overtime included. The middle police officer earned $206,633: half earned more, half less. The official pay range across its police officer titles runs from $134,237 to $159,971.
How much overtime do police officers at San Mateo earn?
Full-year police officers were paid an average of $37,283 in overtime in 2025. The middle one was paid $29,681: a few people with a lot of overtime pull the average up.
What is the starting salary for a police officer at San Mateo?
$134,237 a year: the bottom of the official range for San Mateo's Police Officer title in 2025, as reported. Pay rises with steps and overtime; full-year officers averaged $208,430 in total pay.
How much does a police sergeant make at San Mateo?
Full-year sergeants at San Mateo averaged $270,173 in total pay in 2025, overtime included, on an official range of $160,971 to $191,939.
What pension do police officers at San Mateo get?
The most common pension formula among San Mateo's police officers is 2.7% at 57, as reported by the city. The employer paid an average of $32,374 a year into the pension plan.
More salaries in San Mateo County
- Atherton$216,606 average total pay
- South San Francisco$208,917 average total pay
- San Bruno$207,345 average total pay
- Foster City$196,428 average total pay
- Daly City$195,813 average total pay
- Hillsborough$193,735 average total pay
- Highest police officer salaries in CaliforniaThe best-paying employers, ranked
- Teacher salaries in San Mateo CountyEvery school district's salary schedule
Sources for the San Mateo figures
Every person who held a police officer position at San Mateo 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 Mateo.