THE POLICE INDEXStop data 2024 · Pay 2025 · Hiring checked daily
Sheriff deputy and police officer pay in California, 2025
What 246 city police departments and 51 county sheriff's offices paid, measure by measure. Each bar is the figure at the middle department of its kind, a real department and not an average.
Top salary at the middle department
$123,888 police, $115,419 sheriff
City police: Riverside Police. Sheriff's office: El Dorado County Sheriff. Sheriff salary ranges leave out jail and court deputy titles.
Top salary
City police, middle department$123,888
Sheriff's office, middle department$115,419
Middle city police department: Riverside Police. Middle sheriff's office: El Dorado County Sheriff.
Starting salary
City police, middle department$97,357
Sheriff's office, middle department$82,080
Middle city police department: Laguna Beach Police. Middle sheriff's office: Los Angeles County Sheriff.
Median total pay with overtime
City police, middle department$158,497
Sheriff's office, middle department$138,018
Middle city police department: Monrovia Police. Middle sheriff's office: Nevada County Sheriff.
Median overtime
City police, middle department$22,454
Sheriff's office, middle department$21,412
Middle city police department: Corona Police. Middle sheriff's office: Riverside County Sheriff.
Common questions
Do police officers or sheriff deputies make more in California?
In 2025 the middle city police department had a top salary of $123,888 and the middle sheriff's office $115,419. With overtime, the middle police department paid a median of $158,497 and the middle sheriff's office $138,018.
Who earns more overtime?
Median overtime was $22,454 at the middle city police department and $21,412 at the middle sheriff's office.