Santa Monica police officer salary, 2025
Santa Monica is a city in Los Angeles County. 177 people worked as police officers for Santa Monica in 2025. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $250,024, overtime included.
What is the average police officer salary at Santa Monica?
Official pay range1
$120,636 to $148,932
from the lowest entry salary to the top of the highest police officer title
Based on the 138 of 177 police officers who worked the full year.
Most of Santa Monica's police officers (122 of 177) hold the title 0605 Police Officer, with an official range of $120,636 to $148,932. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $249,708, $100,776 above the top of the range.
- Median total pay
- $245,374
- the middle police officer: half earned more, half less
- Overtime
- $70,190
- average per full-year police officer
- Starting salary
- $120,636
- bottom of the 0603 Police Officer - Pre-Service range
- Average pay rank
- 6th
- of 301 California employers
What does each police officer title at Santa Monica 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
- 0603 Police Officer - Pre-ServiceFewer than 5
- 0604 Police Officer-Lateral Transfer$251,546
- 0605 Police Officer$249,708
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 Santa Monica
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 | 177 | $120,636 to $148,932 | $250,024 |
| Sergeants | 37 | $160,392 to $198,012 | $353,013 |
| Lieutenants | 13 | $195,912 to $241,872 | $357,966 |
Full-year sergeants averaged $353,013, $102,989 more than officers.
Does Santa Monica pay police officers more than other employers in Los Angeles County?
Average total pay of full-year police officers: Santa Monica next to every employer in the county together, and the whole state.1
- Santa Monica$250,024
- All employers in Los Angeles County$180,466
- All employers in California$179,627
Full-year police officers at Santa Monica earned $69,558 more than the Los Angeles County average and $70,397 more than the California average.
Where does Santa Monica rank among California employers?
Every employer with at least 5 full-year police officers, by average total pay.1
All 301 California employers
Santa Monica ranks 6th of 301, above the middle employer.
Middle employer: $159,513
The 45 employers in Los Angeles County
Santa Monica ranks 1st of 45, above the middle employer.
Middle employer: $175,125
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 Santa Monica
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 Santa Monica's police officers
- Employer pension contribution
- $39,525
- average per year
- Health, dental and vision
- $18,985
- average paid by the employer per year
Questions about police officer pay at Santa Monica
What is the average police officer salary at Santa Monica?
Police officers at Santa Monica who worked the full year earned an average of $250,024 in 2025, overtime included. The middle police officer earned $245,374: half earned more, half less. The official pay range across its police officer titles runs from $120,636 to $148,932.
How much overtime do police officers at Santa Monica earn?
Full-year police officers were paid an average of $70,190 in overtime in 2025. The middle one was paid $62,156: a few people with a lot of overtime pull the average up.
What is the starting salary for a police officer at Santa Monica?
$120,636 a year: the bottom of the official range for Santa Monica's 0603 Police Officer - Pre-Service title in 2025, as reported. Pay rises with steps and overtime; full-year officers averaged $250,024 in total pay.
How much does a police sergeant make at Santa Monica?
Full-year sergeants at Santa Monica averaged $353,013 in total pay in 2025, overtime included, on an official range of $160,392 to $198,012.
What pension do police officers at Santa Monica get?
The most common pension formula among Santa Monica's police officers is 2.7% at 57, as reported by the city. The employer paid an average of $39,525 a year into the pension plan.
More salaries in Los Angeles County
- El Monte$229,061 average total pay
- Torrance$226,452 average total pay
- Inglewood$214,387 average total pay
- Long Beach$210,975 average total pay
- Beverly Hills$205,842 average total pay
- Burbank$204,700 average total pay
- Highest police officer salaries in CaliforniaThe best-paying employers, ranked
- Teacher salaries in Los Angeles CountyEvery school district's salary schedule
Sources for the Santa Monica figures
Every person who held a police officer position at Santa Monica 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 Santa Monica.