Highest police officer starting salaries in California, 2025

What a new police officer is paid at each of 307 California city police departments and police districts: the bottom of the official pay range for the employer's lowest police officer title, as reported. The middle employer starts at $95,041.

What is the starting salary for a police officer in California?

Lowest starting salary

$43,930

Huron
City in Fresno County

Middle starting salary, California police officers1

$95,041

half of the 307 employers start higher, half lower

Highest starting salary

$163,619

Santa Clara
City government

Employers compared
307
with an official range for their police officer titles
Starting at $100,000 or more
109
employers
Average total pay
$179,627
what full-year police officers earned, overtime included
Above the start
$66,893
full-year pay above the starting salary, middle employer

Which California employers pay new police officers the most?

The 25 highest starting salaries: the bottom of the official range for each employer's lowest police officer title, as reported for 2025.

Highest starting salary

  1. Santa ClaraCity government
    Police Officer    $163,619
  2. San PabloCity in Contra Costa County
    Police Officer    $149,376
  3. Mountain ViewCity in Santa Clara County
    Police Officer    $143,096
  4. BelmontCity in San Mateo County
    Police Officer Advanced Post    $140,544
  5. HaywardCity in Alameda County
    Police Officer    $138,965
  6. San Jose (SJPD)City in Santa Clara County
    Police Officer    $137,141
  7. EmeryvilleCity in Alameda County
    Police Officer    $136,320
  8. San MateoCity government
    Police Officer    $134,237
  9. San RamonCity in Contra Costa County
    Police Officer    $133,153
  10. Los AltosCity in Santa Clara County
    Police Officer    $133,086
  11. AthertonCity in San Mateo County
    Police Officer    $132,998
  12. Los GatosCity in Santa Clara County
    Police Officer    $132,394
  13. CampbellCity in Santa Clara County
    Police Officer    $131,747
  14. NewarkCity in Alameda County
    Police Officer    $131,269
  15. Morgan HillCity in Santa Clara County
    Police Officer    $129,296
  16. Carmel-By-The-SeaCity in Monterey County
    Police Officer    $129,230
  17. Daly CityCity in San Mateo County
    Police Officer    $127,053
  18. LivermoreCity in Alameda County
    3110 Police Officer    $126,895
  19. MilpitasCity in Santa Clara County
    Patrol Officer    $126,438
  20. MoragaCity in Contra Costa County
    Police Officer Advanced    $125,864
  21. Menlo ParkCity in San Mateo County
    Police Officer (2080 Hours)    $125,749
  22. Foster CityCity in San Mateo County
    Police Officer    $125,198
  23. Walnut CreekCity in Contra Costa County
    Police Officer    $124,289
  24. ConcordCity in Contra Costa County
    Police Officer    $123,790
  25. RichmondCity in Contra Costa County
    Police Officer    $123,588

Middle California employer, $95,041

Which California counties pay new police officers the most?

The middle starting salary across each county's employers, where at least 3 report one.

Middle starting salary, police officers, 2025under $68,000$68,000 to $91,000$91,000 to $97,000$97,000 to $101,000$101,000 or moreLeft outNone in the dataEach shade holds about a fifth of the counties. Outlines: US Census Bureau.
  1. Santa Clara County10 employers$132,071
  2. San Mateo County14 employers$119,081
  3. Alameda County13 employers$118,427
  4. Napa County3 employers$115,149
  5. Contra Costa County17 employers$111,558
  6. San Diego County10 employers$101,375
  7. Monterey County12 employers$101,365
  8. Sonoma County5 employers$100,589
  9. Solano County5 employers$99,904
  10. Marin County7 employers$99,588
  11. Santa Cruz County4 employers$99,138
  12. Yolo County4 employers$97,812

Compare police officer starting salaries at every California employer

Starting salary, the title it belongs to, and what full-year police officers at the same employer earned. Click a column to sort it.

Showing 1 to 25 of 307 employers, highest starting salary first.

Santa ClaraSanta Clara CountySanta Clara$163,619Police Officer$279,28690
San PabloContra Costa CountyContra Costa$149,376Police Officer$196,87242
Mountain ViewSanta Clara CountySanta Clara$143,096Police Officer$235,39468
BelmontSan Mateo CountySan Mateo$140,544Police Officer Advanced Post$185,64123
HaywardAlameda CountyAlameda$138,965Police Officer$227,831136
San Jose (SJPD)Santa Clara CountySanta Clara$137,141Police Officer$251,199819
EmeryvilleAlameda CountyAlameda$136,320Police Officer$214,38733
San MateoSan Mateo CountySan Mateo$134,237Police Officer$208,43094
San RamonContra Costa CountyContra Costa$133,153Police Officer$222,05650
Los AltosSanta Clara CountySanta Clara$133,086Police Officer$237,74322
AthertonSan Mateo CountySan Mateo$132,998Police Officer$216,60613
Los GatosSanta Clara CountySanta Clara$132,394Police Officer$204,46829
CampbellSanta Clara CountySanta Clara$131,747Police Officer$200,62035
NewarkAlameda CountyAlameda$131,269Police Officer$194,08137
Morgan HillSanta Clara CountySanta Clara$129,296Police Officer$209,86236
Carmel-By-The-SeaMonterey CountyMonterey$129,230Police Officer$193,16610
Daly CitySan Mateo CountySan Mateo$127,053Police Officer$195,81359
LivermoreAlameda CountyAlameda$126,8953110 Police Officer$217,53373
MilpitasSanta Clara CountySanta Clara$126,438Patrol Officer$195,37871
MoragaContra Costa CountyContra Costa$125,864Police Officer Advanced$184,55410
Menlo ParkSan Mateo CountySan Mateo$125,749Police Officer (2080 Hours)$251,30132
Foster CitySan Mateo CountySan Mateo$125,198Police Officer$196,42827
Walnut CreekContra Costa CountyContra Costa$124,289Police Officer$199,64963
ConcordContra Costa CountyContra Costa$123,790Police Officer$214,140120
RichmondContra Costa CountyContra Costa$123,588Police Officer$227,056103

Starting salary: the bottom of the official range for the employer's lowest police officer title, as reported. "Fewer than 5": fewer than 5 officers worked the full year, too few for an average.

Questions about police officer starting salaries in California

Which California employer has the highest starting salary for police officers?

Santa Clara: $163,619 a year, the bottom of the official range for its Police Officer title in 2025. San Pablo ($149,376) and Mountain View ($143,096) follow.

What is the starting salary for a police officer in California?

It depends on the employer. Across the 307 California employers that report a range, the middle starting salary is $95,041 a year; the highest is $163,619, the lowest $43,930.

How much more do police officers earn than their starting salary?

At the middle employer, full-year police officers earned $66,893 more on average than the starting salary in 2025. Steps with years of service, promotions within the job and overtime make up the difference.

Which California county pays new police officers the most?

Santa Clara County, where the middle starting salary across 10 employers is $132,071, followed by San Mateo County ($119,081) and Alameda County ($118,427).

Sources for the California starting salaries

Starting salaries are the bottom of each employer's official pay range for its lowest police officer title, as the employer reported it. Some employers report the range for a title that already needs experience or a certificate; the table names the title so you can check. Average total pay covers only people who worked roughly the full year, and every pay figure covers at least 5 people.

  1. State Controller's Office, Government Compensation in California, 2025: official pay ranges and wages as reported by each employer.

How we read the data