Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officer Salary in Detroit, MI
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area earn a median $78,450 a year — 3% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $60,936 take-home, or $5,078 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median police and sheriff's patrol officer salary in Detroit, MI. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$8,429
- Social Security (6.2%)$4,864
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,138
- Michigan income tax$3,083
- Take-home pay$60,936
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 4.25% state
Living in Detroit? City residents also pay Detroit’s city income tax — about $1,883 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $59,053 ($4,921 a month). Choose “Detroit” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officer pay by experience in Detroit, MI
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $50,640 | $24.35 | $40,968 | $3,414 |
| 25th percentile | $65,640 | $31.56 | $52,383 | $4,365 |
| Median (50th) | $78,450 | $37.72 | $60,936 | $5,078 |
| 75th percentile | $82,480 | $39.65 | $63,600 | $5,300 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $90,390 | $43.46 | $68,829 | $5,736 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Michigan resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $78,450 buys in Detroit, MI
Prices in Detroit, MI are 0.3% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 5% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median police and sheriff's patrol officer's $60,936 take-home pay has the buying power of $60,755 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officer jobs are about as common in Detroit, MI as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.96).
Best-paying cities for police and sheriff's patrol officers, adjusted for cost of living
Detroit, MI ranks #31 of 46 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $136,140 | $94,116 | $85,233 |
| 2 | Columbus, OH | $100,890 | $77,814 | $81,507 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $115,120 | $89,817 | $80,819 |
| 4 | San Francisco, CA | $132,000 | $91,726 | $79,338 |
| 5 | Chicago, IL | $107,810 | $79,483 | $76,724 |
| 6 | Los Angeles, CA | $121,980 | $85,939 | $75,673 |
| 7 | Sacramento, CA | $111,460 | $79,657 | $74,676 |
| 8 | Denver, CO | $101,970 | $76,788 | $72,590 |
| 31 | Detroit, MI | $78,450 | $60,936 | $60,755 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 46 metros →
About the job: police and sheriff's patrol officers
Maintain order and protect life and property by enforcing local, tribal, state, or federal laws and ordinances. Perform a combination of the following duties: patrol a specific area; direct traffic; issue traffic summonses; investigate accidents; apprehend and arrest suspects, or serve legal processes of courts.
- Typical education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +3.5% (about average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a police and sheriff's patrol officer make in Detroit, MI?
The median police and sheriff's patrol officer salary in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area is $78,450 a year, or about $37.72 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $65,640 and $82,480.
What is a police and sheriff's patrol officer’s take-home pay in Detroit, MI?
On the median $78,450 salary, a single filer living in Michigan takes home about $60,936 a year ($5,078 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $3,083 in Michigan taxes in 2026.
Is Detroit, MI a good place to work as a police and sheriff's patrol officer?
Pay here is 3% above the national median of $76,210. Local prices are 0.3% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $60,755 would in a typical U.S. city. Detroit, MI ranks #31 of 46 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a police and sheriff's patrol officer afford rent in Detroit, MI?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Detroit, MI is $1,128 a month ($1,413 for two bedrooms) — 22% of a median police and sheriff's patrol officer’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Detroit, MI
- Firefighter — $62,730
- Security Guard — $37,050