Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officer Salary in Birmingham, AL
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers in the Birmingham, AL metro area earn a median $60,590 a year — 20% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $48,100 take-home, or $4,008 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median police and sheriff's patrol officer salary in Birmingham, AL. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$5,091
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,757
- Medicare (1.45%)$879
- Alabama income tax$2,765
- Take-home pay$48,100
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 5.00% state
Living in Birmingham? City residents also pay Birmingham’s Occupational Tax — about $606 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $47,494 ($3,958 a month). Choose “Birmingham” 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 Birmingham, AL
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $42,530 | $20.45 | $34,491 | $2,874 |
| 25th percentile | $49,280 | $23.69 | $39,577 | $3,298 |
| Median (50th) | $60,590 | $29.13 | $48,100 | $4,008 |
| 75th percentile | $74,290 | $35.72 | $57,644 | $4,804 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $77,220 | $37.13 | $59,558 | $4,963 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Alabama resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $60,590 buys in Birmingham, AL
Prices in Birmingham, AL are 8.4% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 28% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median police and sheriff's patrol officer's $48,100 take-home pay has the buying power of $52,485 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Birmingham, AL has 1.2× the national concentration of police and sheriff's patrol officer jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for police and sheriff's patrol officers, adjusted for cost of living
Birmingham, AL ranks #40 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 |
| 40 | Birmingham, AL | $60,590 | $48,100 | $52,485 |
*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 Birmingham, AL?
The median police and sheriff's patrol officer salary in the Birmingham, AL metro area is $60,590 a year, or about $29.13 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $49,280 and $74,290.
What is a police and sheriff's patrol officer’s take-home pay in Birmingham, AL?
On the median $60,590 salary, a single filer living in Alabama takes home about $48,100 a year ($4,008 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,765 in Alabama taxes in 2026.
Is Birmingham, AL a good place to work as a police and sheriff's patrol officer?
Pay here is 20% below the national median of $76,210. Local prices are 8.4% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $52,485 would in a typical U.S. city. Birmingham, AL ranks #40 of 46 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a police and sheriff's patrol officer afford rent in Birmingham, AL?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Birmingham, AL is $1,115 a month ($1,234 for two bedrooms) — 28% 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 Birmingham, AL
- Firefighter — $51,050
- Security Guard — $33,820