Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officer Salary in Pittsburgh, PA
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers in the Pittsburgh, PA metro area earn a median $83,190 a year — 9% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $64,800 take-home, or $5,400 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median police and sheriff's patrol officer salary in Pittsburgh, PA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$9,472
- Social Security (6.2%)$5,158
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,206
- Pennsylvania income tax$2,554
- Take-home pay$64,800
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 3.07% state
Living in Pittsburgh? City residents also pay Pittsburgh’s 1% city + 2% school district — about $2,496 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $62,305 ($5,192 a month). Choose “Pittsburgh” 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 Pittsburgh, PA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $50,470 | $24.26 | $41,183 | $3,432 |
| 25th percentile | $64,630 | $31.07 | $52,126 | $4,344 |
| Median (50th) | $83,190 | $40.00 | $64,800 | $5,400 |
| 75th percentile | $98,570 | $47.39 | $75,148 | $6,262 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $107,630 | $51.75 | $81,243 | $6,770 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Pennsylvania resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $83,190 buys in Pittsburgh, PA
Prices in Pittsburgh, PA are 5.3% 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 $64,800 take-home pay has the buying power of $68,448 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 Pittsburgh, PA as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 1.06).
Best-paying cities for police and sheriff's patrol officers, adjusted for cost of living
Pittsburgh, PA ranks #14 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 |
| 14 | Pittsburgh, PA | $83,190 | $64,800 | $68,448 |
*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
- Philadelphia, PA — $89,580
Frequently asked questions
How much does a police and sheriff's patrol officer make in Pittsburgh, PA?
The median police and sheriff's patrol officer salary in the Pittsburgh, PA metro area is $83,190 a year, or about $40.00 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $64,630 and $98,570.
What is a police and sheriff's patrol officer’s take-home pay in Pittsburgh, PA?
On the median $83,190 salary, a single filer living in Pennsylvania takes home about $64,800 a year ($5,400 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,554 in Pennsylvania taxes in 2026.
Is Pittsburgh, PA a good place to work as a police and sheriff's patrol officer?
Pay here is 9% above the national median of $76,210. Local prices are 5.3% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $68,448 would in a typical U.S. city. Pittsburgh, PA ranks #14 of 46 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a police and sheriff's patrol officer afford rent in Pittsburgh, PA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Pittsburgh, PA is $1,058 a month ($1,281 for two bedrooms) — 20% 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 Pittsburgh, PA
- Security Guard — $35,850