Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officer Salary in St. Louis, MO
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers in the St. Louis, MO-IL metro area earn a median $73,240 a year — 4% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $57,849 take-home, or $4,821 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median police and sheriff's patrol officer salary in St. Louis, MO. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$7,283
- Social Security (6.2%)$4,541
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,062
- Missouri income tax$2,505
- Take-home pay$57,849
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 4.70% state
Living in St. Louis? City residents also pay St. Louis’s Earnings Tax — about $732 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $57,117 ($4,760 a month). Choose “St. Louis” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
The St. Louis, MO-IL metro spans Missouri, Illinois. 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 St. Louis, MO
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $48,540 | $23.34 | $39,838 | $3,320 |
| 25th percentile | $60,460 | $29.07 | $48,855 | $4,071 |
| Median (50th) | $73,240 | $35.21 | $57,849 | $4,821 |
| 75th percentile | $79,800 | $38.37 | $62,156 | $5,180 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $92,490 | $44.47 | $70,487 | $5,874 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Missouri resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $73,240 buys in St. Louis, MO
Prices in St. Louis, MO are 4.9% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 21% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median police and sheriff's patrol officer's $57,849 take-home pay has the buying power of $60,838 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 St. Louis, MO as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 1.03).
Best-paying cities for police and sheriff's patrol officers, adjusted for cost of living
St. Louis, MO ranks #30 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 |
| 30 | St. Louis, MO | $73,240 | $57,849 | $60,838 |
*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 Missouri
- Kansas City, MO — $62,960
Frequently asked questions
How much does a police and sheriff's patrol officer make in St. Louis, MO?
The median police and sheriff's patrol officer salary in the St. Louis, MO-IL metro area is $73,240 a year, or about $35.21 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $60,460 and $79,800.
What is a police and sheriff's patrol officer’s take-home pay in St. Louis, MO?
On the median $73,240 salary, a single filer living in Missouri takes home about $57,849 a year ($4,821 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,505 in Missouri taxes in 2026.
Is St. Louis, MO a good place to work as a police and sheriff's patrol officer?
Pay here is 4% below the national median of $76,210. Local prices are 4.9% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $60,838 would in a typical U.S. city. St. Louis, MO ranks #30 of 46 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a police and sheriff's patrol officer afford rent in St. Louis, MO?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in St. Louis, MO is $989 a month ($1,211 for two bedrooms) — 21% 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 St. Louis, MO
- Firefighter — $68,970
- Security Guard — $42,600