San Francisco (SFPD) police officer salary, 2025
San Francisco is a city in San Francisco County. 1,715 people worked as police officers for San Francisco in 2025. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $255,036, overtime included.
What is the average police officer salary at San Francisco?
Official pay range1
$87,932 to $164,164
from the lowest entry salary to the top of the highest police officer title
Based on the 1,217 of 1,715 police officers who worked the full year.
Most of San Francisco's police officers (1,140 of 1,715) hold the title Police Officer 3, with an official range of $128,804 to $164,164. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $276,337, $112,173 above the top of the range.
- Median total pay
- $244,670
- the middle police officer: half earned more, half less
- Overtime
- $77,964
- average per full-year police officer
- Starting salary
- $119,262
- bottom of the Police Officer range
- Average pay rank
- 2nd
- of 301 California employers
What does each police officer title at San Francisco pay?
Each bar is the official range for one title, lowest first. The dot marks the average total pay of full-year staff in that title, where at least 5 people stand behind it.1
- Institutional Police OfficerFewer than 5
- Police Officer$163,445
- Police Officer 2$242,362
- Police Officer 3$276,337
official range average total pay, full year. "Fewer than 5" means too few full-year people in that title to show.
Police sergeant, lieutenant and captain pay at San Francisco
Ranks above officer, kept out of the officer figures on this page. Each rank's name leads to its statewide overview. Range: the middle reported bottom and top of each rank's official range. Pay: average total pay of full-year staff, overtime included.1
| Rank | People | Official range | Average total pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Officers | 1,715 | $87,932 to $164,164 | $255,036 |
| Sergeants | 402 | $190,606 | $338,121 |
| Lieutenants | 114 | $217,672 | $359,489 |
| Captains | 34 | $275,028 | $339,086 |
Full-year sergeants averaged $338,121, $83,085 more than officers.
Does San Francisco pay police officers more than other California employers?
Average total pay of full-year police officers: San Francisco next to every California employer together.1
- San Francisco$255,036
- All employers in California$179,627
Full-year police officers at San Francisco earned $75,409 more than the California average.
Average police officer pay in San Francisco County compared to nearby counties
Average total pay of full-year police officers across all employers in each county that borders San Francisco County, and how much more or less it pays.1
- Alameda County$220,161 average, 15 employers$34,875 less than San Francisco County
- San Mateo County$201,772 average, 15 employers$53,264 less than San Francisco County
- Contra Costa County$196,173 average, 17 employers$58,863 less than San Francisco County
- Marin County$153,186 average, 8 employers$101,850 less than San Francisco County
Where does San Francisco rank among California employers?
Every employer with at least 5 full-year police officers, by average total pay.1
All 301 California employers
San Francisco ranks 2nd of 301, above the middle employer.
Middle employer: $159,513
Each bar counts the employers whose average total pay falls in a $5,000 band. The dashed line marks the middle employer.
Pension and health cover at San Francisco
As reported by the city. Contributions are what the employer paid per full-year police officer, on top of wages.1
- Pension formula
- 3% at 58
- the most common formula among San Francisco's police officers
- Employer pension contribution
- $24,192
- average per year
- Health, dental and vision
- $21,618
- average paid by the employer per year
Questions about police officer pay at San Francisco
What is the average police officer salary at San Francisco?
Police officers at San Francisco who worked the full year earned an average of $255,036 in 2025, overtime included. The middle police officer earned $244,670: half earned more, half less. The official pay range across its police officer titles runs from $87,932 to $164,164.
How much overtime do police officers at San Francisco earn?
Full-year police officers were paid an average of $77,964 in overtime in 2025. The middle one was paid $64,988: a few people with a lot of overtime pull the average up.
What is the starting salary for a police officer at the SFPD?
$119,262 a year: the bottom of the official range for San Francisco's Police Officer title in 2025, as reported. Pay rises with steps and overtime; full-year officers averaged $255,036 in total pay.
How much does a police sergeant make at the SFPD?
Full-year sergeants at San Francisco averaged $338,121 in total pay in 2025, overtime included, on an official range of $190,606 to $190,606.
What pension do police officers at San Francisco get?
The most common pension formula among San Francisco's police officers is 3% at 58, as reported by the city. The employer paid an average of $24,192 a year into the pension plan.
More public salaries at San Francisco
- Highest police officer salaries in CaliforniaThe best-paying employers, ranked
- 911 dispatcher salaries at San Francisco$192,456 average total pay
- Social worker salaries at San Francisco$129,691 average total pay
- Water operator salaries at San Francisco$164,802 average total pay
- Firefighter salaries at San Francisco$188,729 average total pay
- Nurse salaries at San Francisco$240,719 average total pay
- Librarian salaries at San Francisco$126,067 average total pay
- Paramedic and EMT salaries at San FranciscoPay by title
- Teacher salaries in San Francisco CountyEvery school district's salary schedule
Sources for the San Francisco figures
Every person who held a police officer position at San Francisco at any point in 2025 counts toward the headcount. Pay figures use only people who worked roughly the full year: those whose regular pay reached at least 90% of the bottom of their official range. Total pay is gross wages before tax, including overtime, lump sums and other pay. Averages lead; the median total pay is the middle person's, with half above and half below, and is less pulled by a few people with very high pay. Every figure covers at least 5 people.
- State Controller's Office, Government Compensation in California, 2025: positions, official pay ranges, wages, pension formula and employer contributions as reported by San Francisco.