Guide
Police Starting Salary by State
Published
Washington has the highest starting police pay in this guide, at $104,562 (median of 2). California is next at $97,635 (median of 13), and Alabama is lowest at $46,469 (one agency).
These figures come from 97 official department pay schedules across 46 states. Where a state has one agency published, its number is shown as is rather than as a median.
Starting police pay by state
- Under $60k
- $60–70k
- $70–80k
- $80–90k
- $90k+
- Not yet verified
View chart data
| State | Amount |
|---|---|
| Maine | $65,166 |
| Wisconsin | $75,462 |
| Vermont | $84,160 |
| New Hampshire | Not published |
| Washington | $104,562 |
| Idaho | $62,546 |
| Montana | Not published |
| North Dakota | $75,528 |
| Minnesota | $86,588 |
| Illinois | $77,232 |
| Michigan | $58,604 |
| New York | $58,580 |
| Massachusetts | $80,213 |
| Rhode Island | Not published |
| Oregon | $80,559 |
| Nevada | $74,247 |
| Wyoming | $68,619 |
| South Dakota | Not published |
| Iowa | $71,406 |
| Indiana | $70,000 |
| Ohio | $73,774 |
| Pennsylvania | $69,973 |
| New Jersey | $77,143 |
| Connecticut | $76,625 |
| California | $97,635 |
| Utah | $75,878 |
| Colorado | $81,046 |
| Nebraska | $72,382 |
| Missouri | $73,824 |
| Kentucky | $64,998 |
| West Virginia | $62,778 |
| Virginia | $61,917 |
| Maryland | $68,860 |
| Delaware | $91,265 |
| Arizona | $72,250 |
| New Mexico | $79,248 |
| Kansas | $69,922 |
| Arkansas | $67,675 |
| Tennessee | $68,940 |
| North Carolina | $62,338 |
| South Carolina | $62,854 |
| District of Columbia | $75,433 |
| Oklahoma | $65,987 |
| Louisiana | $56,051 |
| Mississippi | Not published |
| Alabama | $46,469 |
| Georgia | $62,336 |
| Hawaii | $68,658 |
| Alaska | $91,385 |
| Texas | $78,358 |
| Florida | $71,892 |
Starting pay in every published state
Reading the numbers
Starting pay is the first step on the officer schedule, usually after the academy. Some agencies pay recruits a lower rate during training, which is covered in the academy pay guide.
A state median blends big-city departments with the state police. Open the state page to see each agency on its own line.
Figures come from the official pay schedules linked on each state and department page. Agencies revise pay plans, so confirm the fiscal year and step rules with the official source before you rely on a number.