The average salary for a police officer in California is around $118,880 per year.
Avg Salary
Police officers earn an average yearly salary of $118,880.
Wages typically start from $76,300 and go up to $153,190.
39% above national average Updated in 2025
Police officer earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level police officer earnings begin at:
$73.65 per hour
$153,190 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level police officer earnings begin at:
$60.95 per hour
$126,780 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level police officer earnings begin at:
$57.15 per hour
$118,880 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level police officer earnings begin at:
$46.77 per hour
$97,280 per year
10th percentile
Starting level police officer earnings begin at:
$36.69 per hour
$76,300 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Police officer salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Alaska | $99,130 |
| Colorado | $97,350 |
| Delaware | $92,970 |
| New York | $92,790 |
| New Jersey | $92,610 |
| District of Columbia | $88,650 |
| Oregon | $88,140 |
| Pennsylvania | $85,470 |
| Hawaii | $83,820 |
| Minnesota | $83,360 |
| Connecticut | $82,170 |
| Massachusetts | $78,940 |
| Arizona | $78,880 |
| Nevada | $78,140 |
| Wisconsin | $78,090 |
| Maryland | $77,970 |
| Utah | $77,310 |
| Rhode Island | $77,230 |
| Ohio | $77,020 |
| Texas | $75,900 |
| Nebraska | $74,620 |
| North Dakota | $74,500 |
| Florida | $74,470 |
| Iowa | $74,470 |
| Michigan | $73,730 |
| Indiana | $73,370 |
| New Hampshire | $71,640 |
| Montana | $70,050 |
| New Mexico | $69,180 |
| Vermont | $68,910 |
| Maine | $67,050 |
| Idaho | $66,990 |
| Wyoming | $66,140 |
| Virginia | $65,870 |
| South Dakota | $60,740 |
| Kentucky | $60,490 |
| Oklahoma | $59,700 |
| Missouri | $59,460 |
| North Carolina | $59,300 |
| Tennessee | $59,280 |
| Kansas | $59,230 |
| Georgia | $58,120 |
| South Carolina | $58,070 |
| West Virginia | $56,960 |
| Alabama | $51,270 |
| Louisiana | $48,380 |
| Arkansas | $47,670 |
| Mississippi | $46,140 |
| Puerto Rico | $45,500 |
| California | $118,880 |
| Washington | $102,080 |
| Illinois | $100,520 |
How do police officer salaries compare to similar careers?
Police officers earn about the same as related careers in California. On average, they make less than makeup artists but more than forensic science technicians.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Makeup artist salary | $141K |
| Special agent salary | $125K |
| Customs inspector salary | $125K |
| Detective salary | $125K |
| Arbitrator salary | $98K |
| Police officer salary | $119K |
| Sheriff salary | $119K |
| Court reporter salary | $116K |
| Probation officer salary | $104K |
| Forensic science technician salary | $102K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)