Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officer Salary in Baltimore, MD
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers in the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD metro area earn a median $76,530 a year — 0% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $59,397 take-home, or $4,950 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median police and sheriff's patrol officer salary in Baltimore, MD. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$8,007
- Social Security (6.2%)$4,745
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,110
- Maryland income tax$3,272
- Take-home pay$59,397
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 4.75% state
Living in Baltimore City? City residents also pay Baltimore City’s city income tax — about $2,239 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $57,158 ($4,763 a month). Choose “Baltimore City” 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 Baltimore, MD
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $60,770 | $29.22 | $48,486 | $4,040 |
| 25th percentile | $69,190 | $33.26 | $54,582 | $4,549 |
| Median (50th) | $76,530 | $36.79 | $59,397 | $4,950 |
| 75th percentile | $95,990 | $46.15 | $72,163 | $6,014 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $100,980 | $48.55 | $75,437 | $6,286 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Maryland resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $76,530 buys in Baltimore, MD
Prices in Baltimore, MD are 4.5% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.18× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median police and sheriff's patrol officer's $59,397 take-home pay has the buying power of $56,847 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 less concentrated in Baltimore, MD than nationally (location quotient 0.79), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for police and sheriff's patrol officers, adjusted for cost of living
Baltimore, MD ranks #36 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 |
| 36 | Baltimore, MD | $76,530 | $59,397 | $56,847 |
*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 Baltimore, MD?
The median police and sheriff's patrol officer salary in the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD metro area is $76,530 a year, or about $36.79 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $69,190 and $95,990.
What is a police and sheriff's patrol officer’s take-home pay in Baltimore, MD?
On the median $76,530 salary, a single filer living in Maryland takes home about $59,397 a year ($4,950 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $3,272 in Maryland taxes in 2026.
Is Baltimore, MD a good place to work as a police and sheriff's patrol officer?
Pay here is 0% above the national median of $76,210. Local prices are 4.5% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $56,847 would in a typical U.S. city. Baltimore, MD ranks #36 of 46 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a police and sheriff's patrol officer afford rent in Baltimore, MD?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Baltimore, MD is $1,511 a month ($1,857 for two bedrooms) — 31% 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 Baltimore, MD
- First-Line Supervisor of Police and Detectives — $124,660
- Firefighter — $73,810
- Correctional Officer and Jailer — $64,250
- Security Guard — $36,970
- Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers — $34,080