New York police detective salaries by department, 2024-25
2,324 people held a police detective 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 $224,861, overtime included, against $132,943 for officers.
What is the average police detective salary in New York?
Highest- and lowest-paying among the 5 departments with at least 10 full-year detectives. The lists below include every department with at least 5.
- Police detectives
- 2,324
- 1,783 of them worked the full year
- Median total pay
- $221,370
- the middle detective: half earned more, half less
- Overtime
- $52,470
- average per full-year detective; the middle one $52,143
- Departments
- 5
- with police detectives on their payroll
Which New York police departments pay detectives the most?
By average total pay of full-year police detectives, among departments with at least 5 of them.
Highest average total pay
- Suffolk CountyCounty government, 2024
305 full-year detectives$273,572 - Nassau CountyCounty government, 2025
279 full-year detectives$223,679 - Port Authority of New York and New JerseyPublic authority, New York and New Jersey, 2025
92 full-year detectives$222,693 - New York CityCity government, fiscal year 2025
1,003 full-year detectives$218,070 - BuffaloCity in Erie County, fiscal year 2025
104 full-year detectives$152,593
New York average for detectives, $224,861
Compare police detective pay at every New York department
Every department with at least 5 police detectives: what full-year detectives earned. Click a column to sort it.
Showing all 5 departments, highest average total pay first.
| Suffolk CountySuffolk County | Suffolk | $273,572 | $50,779 | 381 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nassau CountyNassau County | Nassau | $223,679 | $38,095 | 374 |
| Port Authority of New York and New JerseyNew York and New Jersey | New York and New Jersey | $222,693 | $41,940 | 94 |
| New York CityNew York City | New York City | $218,070 | $59,334 | 1,359 |
| BuffaloErie County | Erie | $152,593 | $39,109 | 116 |
No department matches. Clear the search or pick another county or size.
"Fewer than 5": fewer than 5 detectives worked the full year, too few for an average. Departments with fewer than 5 detectives aren't listed.
How much more do police detectives 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
Detectives earn $91,918 more than officers on average. Sergeants average $174,857, lieutenants average $215,305 and captains average $205,948.
Questions about police detective pay in New York
How much does a police detective make in New York?
Full-year New York police detectives at police departments earned an average of $224,861 in the newest year each employer has published (2024 and 2025), including $52,470 in overtime. The middle detective earned $221,370. Officers averaged $132,943.
Which New York police department pays detectives the most?
Among departments with at least 10 full-year detectives, Suffolk County has the highest average total pay, $273,572, followed by Nassau County ($223,679) and Port Authority of New York and New Jersey ($222,693).
Sources for the New York police detective figures
Every person who held a police detective 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).