New York police captain salaries by department, 2024-25
454 people held a police captain title at 5 New York police departments in the newest year each employer has published (2024 and 2025). Those who worked the full year earned an average of $205,948, overtime included, against $132,943 for officers.
What is the average police captain salary in New York?
Highest- and lowest-paying among the 3 departments with at least 10 full-year captains. The lists below include every department with at least 5.
- Police captains
- 454
- 407 of them worked the full year
- Median total pay
- $201,745
- the middle captain: half earned more, half less
- Overtime
- $12,256
- average per full-year captain; the middle one $6,238
- Departments
- 5
- with police captains on their payroll
Which New York police departments pay captains the most?
By average total pay of full-year police captains, among departments with at least 5 of them.
Highest average total pay
- Suffolk CountyCounty government, 2024
11 full-year captains$291,037 - Port Authority of New York and New JerseyPublic authority, New York and New Jersey, 2025
5 full-year captains$238,162 - New York CityCity government, fiscal year 2025
367 full-year captains$203,773 - BuffaloCity in Erie County, fiscal year 2025
22 full-year captains$177,029
New York average for captains, $205,948
Compare police captain pay at every New York department
Every department with at least 5 police captains: what full-year captains earned. Click a column to sort it.
Showing all 4 departments, highest average total pay first.
| Suffolk CountySuffolk County | Suffolk | $291,037 | $27,588 | 18 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Port Authority of New York and New JerseyNew York and New Jersey | New York and New Jersey | $238,162 | $1,005 | 5 |
| New York CityNew York City | New York City | $203,773 | $10,024 | 404 |
| BuffaloErie County | Erie | $177,029 | $42,218 | 23 |
No department matches. Clear the search or pick another county or size.
"Fewer than 5": fewer than 5 captains worked the full year, too few for an average. Departments with fewer than 5 captains aren't listed.
How much more do police captains earn than officers in New York?
Average total pay of full-year staff at the New York police departments covered, overtime included.
- Officers$132,943
- Detectives$224,861
- Sergeants$174,857
- Lieutenants$215,305
- Captains$205,948
Captains earn $73,005 more than officers on average. Detectives average $224,861, sergeants average $174,857 and lieutenants average $215,305.
Questions about police captain pay in New York
How much does a police captain make in New York?
Full-year New York police captains at police departments earned an average of $205,948 in the newest year each employer has published (2024 and 2025), including $12,256 in overtime. The middle captain earned $201,745. Officers averaged $132,943.
Which New York police department pays captains the most?
Among departments with at least 10 full-year captains, Suffolk County has the highest average total pay, $291,037, followed by New York City ($203,773) and Buffalo ($177,029).
Sources for the New York police captain figures
Every person who held a police captain title at any point in the newest year each employer has published (2024 and 2025) counts toward the headcount. New York City's pay figures use only people still employed at the end of June 2025 who worked at least 90% of a full year's regular hours at their title's standard week. The other employers' files have no hours, so their figures use full-time staff who held the same title the year before and earned at least 90% of that year's pay (Suffolk and Nassau counties), who were paid their salary on at least 90% of the year's paydays (Buffalo), or who started before the year and were paid at least 90% of their own annual rate (Port Authority). Total pay is gross wages before tax, including overtime, lump sums and other pay. Every figure covers at least 5 people.
- City of New York, Citywide Payroll Data (Fiscal Year): titles, base salaries, regular pay, overtime and other pay of every city employee, fiscal year 2025 (July 2024 to June 2025).
- City of New York, Department of Citywide Administrative Services, Civil Service Titles: official minimum and maximum pay per title, current list (2026).
- City of New York and Police Benevolent Association, 2017-2025 Memorandum of Understanding (April 2023): the Police Officer salary schedule from August 2023 and the 4% raise from August 2024, the last under the agreement; copy published by Ballotpedia, checked against the city payroll.
- Suffolk County, County Salaries by Department 2024 and 2023: each county employee's most recent title, hire and end dates, regular earnings, overtime and total pay in 2024; the 2023 file shows who held the same title a year earlier.
- City of Buffalo, Open Payroll: every pay line of every city employee, with title, start date and kind of pay, fiscal year 2025 (July 2024 to June 2025), added up per person.
- Nassau County Comptroller, Nassau Open Payroll: title, full- or part-time status, regular pay, overtime, longevity, shift differential, termination pay and other pay of every county employee in 2025, and in 2024 to see who held the same title a year earlier.
- Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Payroll Information, fourth quarter 2025: title, hire dates, annual rate, base pay, overtime and other pay of every employee for the whole of 2025 (the fourth-quarter file is year to date).