Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officer Salary in Philadelphia, PA
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area earn a median $89,580 a year — 18% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $69,099 take-home, or $5,758 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median police and sheriff's patrol officer salary in Philadelphia, PA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$10,878
- Social Security (6.2%)$5,554
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,299
- Pennsylvania income tax$2,750
- Take-home pay$69,099
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 3.07% state
Living in Philadelphia? City residents also pay Philadelphia’s Resident Wage Tax — about $3,350 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $65,749 ($5,479 a month). Choose “Philadelphia” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
The Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro spans Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officer pay by experience in Philadelphia, PA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $55,040 | $26.46 | $44,715 | $3,726 |
| 25th percentile | $73,600 | $35.38 | $58,348 | $4,862 |
| Median (50th) | $89,580 | $43.07 | $69,099 | $5,758 |
| 75th percentile | $99,830 | $48.00 | $75,996 | $6,333 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $121,200 | $58.27 | $90,373 | $7,531 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Pennsylvania resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $89,580 buys in Philadelphia, PA
Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 2.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.13× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median police and sheriff's patrol officer's $69,099 take-home pay has the buying power of $67,379 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 Philadelphia, PA as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 1.05).
Best-paying cities for police and sheriff's patrol officers, adjusted for cost of living
Philadelphia, PA ranks #18 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 |
| 18 | Philadelphia, PA | $89,580 | $69,099 | $67,379 |
*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.
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officer salaries elsewhere in Pennsylvania
- Pittsburgh, PA — $83,190
Frequently asked questions
How much does a police and sheriff's patrol officer make in Philadelphia, PA?
The median police and sheriff's patrol officer salary in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area is $89,580 a year, or about $43.07 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $73,600 and $99,830.
What is a police and sheriff's patrol officer’s take-home pay in Philadelphia, PA?
On the median $89,580 salary, a single filer living in Pennsylvania takes home about $69,099 a year ($5,758 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,750 in Pennsylvania taxes in 2026.
Is Philadelphia, PA a good place to work as a police and sheriff's patrol officer?
Pay here is 18% above the national median of $76,210. Local prices are 2.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $67,379 would in a typical U.S. city. Philadelphia, PA ranks #18 of 46 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a police and sheriff's patrol officer afford rent in Philadelphia, PA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Philadelphia, PA is $1,520 a month ($1,810 for two bedrooms) — 26% 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 Philadelphia, PA
- First-Line Supervisor of Police and Detectives — $119,540
- Firefighter — $78,050
- Correctional Officer and Jailer — $67,200
- Security Guard — $37,450
- Crossing Guard and Flagger — $37,350
- Protective Service Workers, All Other — $35,060
- School Bus Monitor — $34,620
- Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers — $32,220