Salary: Police Officer in California (May, 2024)
Skip to Main Content

Police Officer Salary in California

$32,074 - $38,488
13% of jobs
$38,489 - $44,903
5% of jobs
$47,900 is the 25th percentile. Salaries below this are outliers.
$44,904 - $51,318
18% of jobs
$51,319 - $57,733
18% of jobs
$57,734 - $64,148
10% of jobs
The average salary is $66,554 a year
$64,149 - $70,069
8% of jobs
$73,500 is the 75th percentile. Salaries above this are outliers.
$70,070 - $76,484
7% of jobs
$76,485 - $82,899
6% of jobs
$82,900 - $89,314
5% of jobs
$90,795 is the 90th percentile. Salaries above this are outliers.
$89,315 - $95,729
3% of jobs
$95,730 - $102,145
2% of jobs
California Average
$32,074 $66,554 /year $102,145
$32 /hour
$2,673 - $3,207
13% of jobs
$3,207 - $3,742
5% of jobs
$3,991 is the 25th percentile. Salaries below this are outliers.
$3,742 - $4,276
18% of jobs
$4,277 - $4,811
18% of jobs
$4,811 - $5,346
10% of jobs
The average salary is $5,546 a month
$5,346 - $5,839
8% of jobs
$6,125 is the 75th percentile. Salaries above this are outliers.
$5,839 - $6,374
7% of jobs
$6,374 - $6,908
6% of jobs
$6,908 - $7,443
5% of jobs
$7,566 is the 90th percentile. Salaries above this are outliers.
$7,443 - $7,977
3% of jobs
$7,978 - $8,512
2% of jobs
California Average
$2,673 $5,546 /month $8,512
$32 /hour
$617 - $740
13% of jobs
$740 - $864
5% of jobs
$921 is the 25th percentile. Wages below this are outliers.
$864 - $987
18% of jobs
$987 - $1,110
18% of jobs
$1,110 - $1,234
10% of jobs
The average wage is $1,279 a week
$1,234 - $1,347
8% of jobs
$1,413 is the 75th percentile. Wages above this are outliers.
$1,348 - $1,471
7% of jobs
$1,471 - $1,594
6% of jobs
$1,594 - $1,718
5% of jobs
$1,746 is the 90th percentile. Wages above this are outliers.
$1,718 - $1,841
3% of jobs
$1,841 - $1,964
2% of jobs
California Average
$617 $1,279 /week $1,964
$32 /hour
$15.42 - $18.50
13% of jobs
$18.50 - $21.59
5% of jobs
$23.03 is the 25th percentile. Wages below this are outliers.
$21.59 - $24.67
18% of jobs
$24.67 - $27.76
18% of jobs
$27.76 - $30.84
10% of jobs
The average wage is $32.00 an hour
$30.84 - $33.69
8% of jobs
$35.34 is the 75th percentile. Wages above this are outliers.
$33.69 - $36.77
7% of jobs
$36.77 - $39.86
6% of jobs
$39.86 - $42.94
5% of jobs
$43.65 is the 90th percentile. Wages above this are outliers.
$42.94 - $46.02
3% of jobs
$46.02 - $49.11
2% of jobs
California Average
$15.42 $32 /hour $49.11
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
Top Earners $90,795 $7,566 $1,746 $44
75th Percentile $73,500 $6,125 $1,413 $35
Average $66,554 $5,546 $1,279 $32
25th Percentile $47,900 $3,991 $921 $23
Police Officer Salary in California Comparison by Location
Nationwide
United States
$62,148
$5,179
$1,195
$30
California
United States
$66,554
$5,546
$1,279
$32

How much does a Police Officer make in California?

As of May 24, 2024, the average annual pay for a Police Officer in California is $66,554 a year. Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $32.00 an hour. This is the equivalent of $1,279/week or $5,546/month.

While ZipRecruiter is seeing salaries as high as $102,145 and as low as $32,074, the majority of Police Officer salaries currently range between $47,900 (25th percentile) to $73,500 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $90,795 annually in California.

The average pay range for a Police Officer varies greatly (as much as $25,600), which suggests there may be many opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location and years of experience.

Based on recent job posting activity on ZipRecruiter, the Police Officer job market in California is not very active as few companies are currently hiring.

California ranks number 3 out of 50 states nationwide for Police Officer salaries.

To estimate the most accurate annual salary range for Police Officer jobs, ZipRecruiter continuously scans its database of millions of active jobs published locally throughout America.

Find your next high paying job as a Police Officer on ZipRecruiter today.

What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Police Officer Jobs in California

We’ve identified 10 cities where the typical salary for a Police Officer job is above the average in California. Topping the list is San Mateo County, with Ione and Santa Clara close behind in second and third. Santa Clara beats the California average by 19.0%, and San Mateo County furthers that trend with another $23,902 (35.9%) above the $66,554.

With these 10 cities paying on average above the average for California, the opportunities for economic advancement by changing locations as a Police Officer appears to be exceedingly fruitful.

However, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top 10 cities varies modestly at 20% between San Mateo County and San Jose, suggesting it may be difficult to see much positive wage advancement. The possibility of a lower cost of living may help determine the balance between location and salary for a Police Officer role.

CityAnnual SalaryMonthly PayWeekly PayHourly Wage
San Mateo County$90,456$7,538$1,739$43.49
Ione$84,963$7,080$1,633$40.85
Santa Clara$79,207$6,600$1,523$38.08
Mountain View$76,564$6,380$1,472$36.81
Contra Costa County$75,906$6,325$1,459$36.49
San Francisco$75,648$6,304$1,454$36.37
Crescent City$75,168$6,264$1,445$36.14
Beverly Hills$74,561$6,213$1,433$35.85
Cupertino$74,407$6,200$1,430$35.77
San Jose$73,309$6,109$1,409$35.24

What are Top 5 Best Paying Related Police Officer Jobs in California

We found at least 5 jobs related to the Police Officer job category that pay more per year than a typical Police Officer salary in California. Top examples of these roles include: International Chief Of Police, Police Authority, and Police Liaison Officer.

Importantly, these example jobs are paid between $174 (0.3%) and $46,382 (69.7%) more than the average Police Officer salary of $66,554. If you’re qualified, getting hired for one of these related Police Officer jobs may help you make more money than that of the average Police Officer position.

Job TitleAnnual SalaryMonthly PayWeekly PayHourly Wage
International Chief Of Police$112,936$9,411$2,171$54.30
Police Authority$84,148$7,012$1,618$40.46
Police Liaison Officer$77,934$6,494$1,498$37.47
Recruiting Officer$72,449$6,037$1,393$34.83
Special Police Officer$66,728$5,560$1,283$32.08
About Our Data
ZipRecruiter salary estimates, histograms, trends and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third party data sources.
Police Officer Salary in California. Average salary is $66,554 or $32.00 an hour