Salary by profession · US · 2026
Police officer salary in the US
What is the average police officer salary in the US?
The median US police officer earns about $74,000 (US Bureau of Labor Statistics), typically $55,000–$98,000. That's around $5,074 a month take-home in a no-tax state, and places the typical police officer in roughly the 67th percentile of US earners — $20,990 above the median.
Verified 12 August 2026
Police officer pay and take-home
| Salary | Take-home, no-tax state | Take-home, California | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry / lower | $55,000 | $46,373 | $44,495 |
| Median | $74,000 | $60,889 | $57,465 |
| Experienced | $98,000 | $77,773 | $72,117 |
How police officers compare
The US median individual income is $53,010. At $74,000, the typical police officer earns $20,990 more — around the 67th percentile of all earners. Overtime and department location push pay well above base; some coastal cities pay six figures.
Location matters as much as the number. The same salary stretches far further in Texas than California. See what you'd keep in your city →