The average police officer salary in the United States is $55,000 per year. This amount can vary greatly depending on the location of the job, however. For example, salaries for sheriff’s deputies in New York City are about $90,000 per year. Police officers who work for large cities like New York often earn more than those who work for smaller towns like Fort Worth, Texas.

The highest-paid police officer in the United States is Ray Lewis of the Baltimore Police Department. He makes $250,000 per year as a police lieutenant and he also earns money from his NFL career as a linebacker with the Atlanta Falcons.

The average police officer salary in the United States is $61,000. Public safety officers can earn a higher salary depending on where they work and what their duties are. In the state of California, for example, public safety officers make between $68,000 and $200,000 annually.

Police Officer Highest Salary

Police officers are law employees who endure training courses to prepare them for their role in enforcing the law among communities and protecting citizens. If this career sounds interesting to you, consider a career as a police officer and the departments in which you may earn an above-average compensation for your job duties. Understanding the different police departments across the nation that offer higher pay can help you decide where you might like to apply to work in law enforcement. In this article, we discuss 23 high-paying police departments you can work at pursuing your career in law enforcement.

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9 high-paying police departments

Here are nine high-paying police departments you can work at that pay their officers over $50,000 per year. For the most up-to-date Indeed salaries, please click on the links below:

1. Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia

Size: 1,001–5,000 employees

Location: Washington, D.C.

Salary: $65,004 per year

Description: Founded in 1861, the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia is one of the 10 largest police agencies in the country. The department offers several job positions, such as police officers, police sergeants, detectives and civilian staff members, to help enforce the law and ensure safety among the district. It offers the staff members training courses to help them understand the law further and how to practice it under their specific department. Here are some benefits the department offers its staff:

Dental and vision insurance coverage
Stipend to learn another language to use on the job
Employee assistance program
Free health and wellness services, such as a flu shot
Retirement savings plan
Rental assistance
Health and life insurance
Uniforms and equipment
Temporary housing

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2. Baltimore Police Department

Size: 1,001–5,000 employees

Location: Baltimore, Maryland

Salary: $70, 226 per year

Description: The Baltimore Police Department is the eighth largest municipal police department in the nation and, in 1853, the city founded the department. The department offers its staff members a program called The Officer Safety & Wellness Section (OSW). The OSW helps teams care for their physical and mental health by providing them with resources, such as setting and maintaining fitness goals and using the critical incidents team for additional support. Additionally, the department created an early intervention team to monitor officers and ensure they’re behaving properly on duty. Here are some benefits the Baltimore Police Department offers its officers:

Retirement plan
Health, dental, vision and prescription insurance coverage
Paid academy and field training
Tuition reimbursement
Uniforms and equipment
Medical and vacation leave

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3. San Jose Police Department

Size: 1,001–5,000 employees

Location: San Jose, California

Salary: $122,383 per year

Description: Founded in 1849, the San Jose Police Department works to protect civilians and promote public safety, while creating and maintaining a strong community partnership. The force has 11 distinct divisions and more than 50 specialized assignments. There are a variety of specialized assignments which include SWAT, traffic enforcement, school resources and air support. The department works to uphold the five values of integrity, courage, excellence, service, diversity, innovation and respect. The San Jose Police Department offers its officers benefits, including:

Paid academy training
Paid vacation and sick days
Annual uniform allowance
Bilingual pay
Four-day work week and 10-hour days
Medical and dental insurance plans
Retirement plans

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4. Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department

Size: 1,001–5,000 employees

Location: Las Vegas, Nevada

Salary: $65,701 per year

Description: The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, founded by the city in 1973, commits itself to prevention, professional services and partnerships. Its goal is to ensure a safe environment, protect civilians from harm and provide additional community support as needed. Additionally, the department offers its staff members resources to help prepare them for the written and oral board and fitness preparation. These programs help to ensure staff members meet the physical standards of the job, including a deep understanding of law enforcement and their role. Here are some benefits the department offers its employees:

Vacation and sick days
Paid holidays
Health, vision and dental insurance plans
Education incentives
Bilingual pay
Clothing allowance
Supplemental insurance and cafeteria plans
Retirement savings plans

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5. Metro Nashville Police Department

Size: 1,001–5,000 employees

Location: Nashville, Tennessee

Salary: $63,029 per year

Description: Founded in 1963, the Metro Nashville Police Department works to protect the city and its community and provide supplemental safety resources to events and schools. In addition to the general services of the police department, it offers other helpful services, such as making fingerprint cards, reporting a crash online and hiring an off-duty police officer. Members of the Nashville community can also use its services to address a non-construction noise complaint and request an officer for non-emergency assistance. If desired, citizens can apply to be school crossing guards online. The Metro Nashville Police Department offers its officers benefits, including:

Overtime pay
34 paid days off, including holidays, sick days and vacation days
Health, dental and life insurance plans
Optional visional insurance plans
Uniform maintenance and equipment allowance

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6. Aurora Police Department

Size: 501–1,000 employees

Location: Aurora, Colorado

Salary: $68,482 per year

Description: The city founded the Aurora Police Department in 1907 and its goal is to help provide the community with safety resources. There are a variety of services the department can offer the city residents aside from the daily law enforcement duties, such as a program to help keep the city clean, a form to book an event or facility and a resource section for neighborhood planning. The department values its officers’ and staffs’ mental health and well-being while ensuring it serves with dignity and respect. Here are some benefits the Aurora Police Department offers its officers can include:

Uniform allowance yearly
Personal, sick and vacation leave
Paid holidays
Health, dental and vision insurance plans
Life and disability insurance
Retirement plans
In-service training annually

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7. Chicago Police Department

Size: More than 10,000 employees

Location: Chicago, Illinois

Salary: $84,623 per year

Description: Founded in 1830, the Chicago Police Department has several officers and other law enforcement staff members who serve to protect their communities and help the community members. They can also work at community events, government buildings and in schools around the city as protection and a resource for the organizations. Citizens can use the Chicago Police Department’s website and use the resources provided, such as learning how to prevent their vehicles from getting stolen, viewing police arrest records or submitting a complaint or compliment to the department. Some benefits the Chicago Police Department offers its officers can include:

20 paid vacation and personal days
Retirement and pension plans
Medical, health, dental and vision insurance plans
Tuition reimbursement plans

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8. New Orleans Police Department

Size: More than 10,000 employees

Location: New Orleans, Louisiana

Salary: $56,566 per year

Description: The city founded the New Orleans Police Department in 1796 and has the goal of working to protect the city and community members by enforcing the law and providing safety resources. They can work public and private events to protect the attendees or patrol the streets to ensure civilians are adhering to the speed limits and city laws. The official website for the police department has a salary calculator for law professionals to calculate the estimations of their expected salary. Here are some benefits the New Orleans Police Department can offer its officers and other law enforcement staff members:

State certified law enforcement training programs
Free life insurance
Health, dental and vision insurance plans
Retirement plans
10 paid holidays
Paid sick and personal days
Yearly uniform allowance
Annual paid bonuses for individuals who have a higher education degree

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9. Dallas Police Department

Size: 1,001–5,000 employees

Location: Dallas, Texas

Salary: $65,717 per year

Description: Founded in 1881, the Dallas Police Department works to protect, investigate and serve for the members of their community. The department offers its officers a variety of career advancement opportunities for them to grow within the organization. It can have its officers working in educational facilities and monitoring large public events to ensure the safety of the members. The department also ensures its staff members adhere to its code of conduct and act properly while on the job. Here are some benefits the Dallas Police Department can offer its officers and other law enforcement staff members: