Police Chief Salary in the United States

Pay Job Details Skills Salary Comparison Average Salaries Cost of Living Pay Adjustments FAQs About Our Data
  1. Compensation Data
  2. > Salary
  3. > Police Chief
  4. > United States

Last Updated: July 14, 2026

$147,416 USD

per year
Hourly Rate $70.87
Bonus $8,152

What should I pay?

Price a Job

What am I worth?

Find Market Worth
Entry Level $101K
Average $147K
Senior Level $180K

Customize

The average pay for a Police Chief is $147,416, which is $70.87 an hour in the United States. The average salary range for a Police Chief is between $100,685 and $180,290. On average, a Master's is the highest level of education for a Police Chief.

This compensation analysis comes from aggregated salary survey data for the United States. ERI's compensation information is based on employer-reported data collected from ERI's salary surveys, customer HRIS data, data from Proxies/10Ks and Forms 990, proprietary databases, and purchased survey data. Cost-of-labor data in the Assessor Series are based on actual housing sales data from commercially available sources, plus rental rates, gasoline prices, consumables, medical care premium costs, property taxes, effective income tax rates, etc. For more information, see ERI's methodology.

Powered by ERI's Assessor database

What should I pay?

Price a Job

What am I worth?

Find Market Worth

Explore Jobs:

Search salary data for another role and location.

Explore our Compensation Hub to research salaries, executive compensation, industries, cost of living, and more here.

Salary Potential for Police Chief

Explore the estimated salary growth for Police Chief in the United States for up to 5 years. The estimated salary of Police Chief in 1 year will be $151,529, and in 5 years, will be $169,164.

Number of Years

2 Years

Estimated Salary

$155,758 USD

Percentage Growth

0%

Growth Trajectory

The estimated salary growth for Police Chief in [# of years] is [salary], which is [average growth %] average growth. This information is based on ERI's compensation database.

What Does a Police Chief Do?

Serves as the face of the police department and dictates, presides over, and directs the operations of the entire department. Coordinates with other senior staff and human resources personnel to develop and dictate new policy and procedure measures to improve internal conduct and ensure compliance with laws. Oversees and manages the daily operations of the police department and coordinates activities across police units, departments, and external agencies. Maintains channels of communication with government bodies, local governments, community leaders, and neighboring police department chiefs. Directs the development and review of the police department budget, forecasts future budget needs, and allocates funds based on the goals of the police department. Maintains up to date knowledge of laws and regulations and adjusts prioritization of crimes based on updates to local, state, and federal laws.

Explore ERI's AI Job Description Writing Tool

Generate accurate, research-backed job descriptions tailored to fit any role including, niche positions.

Learn More

Education, Skills, and Certifications for Police Chiefs

Gain access to salary differentials for education and skills in ERI's Salary Assessor

Education

Below is the average education level for a Police Chief. About 50% have a Master's degree, 25% have a Associate degree, and 12% have a Doctorate degree.

  • Master's Degree 50%
  • Associate Degree 25%
  • Doctorate Degree 12%
  • Bachelor's Degree 12%
  • High School Diploma 0%
  • Less Than HS 0%

Top Skills

Below are top skills for a Police Chief.

Do you have certifications for Police Chief?

Learn more about how earning certificates can impact your salary.

Calculate your market salary using our salary calculator.

Compare Police Chief Salaries by Location

See how Police Chief salaries vary by region and find the best location for your career.

Average Salaries for Police Chief

The average salary of police chief in the United States is $147,416. The average salary of police chief in California is $164,674. The average salary of police chief in Canada is $143,093. Explore the average salaries for police chief in other locations below.

What am I worth?

Find Market Worth

What should I pay?

Price a Job

Cost of Living in the United States

The cost of living in the United States is 0% equal to than the national average.

Whether you're planning to move or just want to see the cost of living in different locations, our cost-of-living calculator is the place to start. Compare salaries for other locations by city, U.S. ZIP code, state, or country.

Explore Cost-of-Living Calculator

Why Your Salary May Look Different

This information is based on a specific job title and location, but real-world compensation can vary based on factors like years of experience, company size, shift differentials, and more. Because of these variables, your actual pay may fall above or below the average ranges shown. Use ERI's salary data and compensation management platform to identify market trends and accurately adjust pay so that you can price jobs competitively.

Based on the average salary in the United States, if your shift differential is 10%, then your pay will increase by $7.09/hour

*Some jobs may not be adjusted using shift differentials. Please contact [email protected] for additional information.

Accurate Pay Adjustment Insights with ERI

Use ERI's shift differential data to calculate pay for night, day, and swing shifts to benchmark compensation with confidence. Our robust salary survey data can help you accurately price roles using industry-specific shift policies.

Discover how ERI can help you apply shift differentials to your workforce.

Contact Us

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Police Chief salaries and career insights

How much does a Police Chief make in the United States?

ERI's data indicated that, on average, a Police Chief is $147,416 per year or $70.87 per hour in the United States, which is equal to the national average. Top earners have reported making up to $180,290. However, the typical pay range in the United States, is between $100,685 and $180,290 annually.

What is the salary potential for Police Chief in 5 years?

Police Chief is projected to see 14.8% salary growth in 5 years.

What are some factors that impact Police Chief salaries?

Several factors can impact the salary, including experience, company size, job market, location, industry, and more. Understanding how these factors affect the role can provide opportunities to earn more. Use our salary calculator to find out how much you should be paid based on what someone in your area, with similar experience, earns.

How can I accurately price jobs for my organization?

There are several factors that can impact the salary, including experience, company size, job market, location, industry, education, certificates, shift differentials, and more. Understanding how these factors affect the role can help you spot pay gaps and retain top talent. ERI's Assessor Platform brings these factors together in one platform, making it easy to benchmark roles, analyze insights, and set pay with confidence.

What is ERI Economic Research Institute?

ERI Economic Research Institute was founded over 35 years ago to provide trusted compensation data for private and public organizations. ERI has established itself as a gold standard for global salary benchmarking and geographic differentials and has evolved to offer a complete compensation management software solution.

How can ERI help HR and compensation experts?

With decades of experience in compensation, ERI offers an extensive and reliable salary survey database powered by the Assessor Platform, a comprehensive compensation management solution that optimizes complex processes for accuracy and efficiency.

HR and compensation professionals in organizations ranging from small companies to the Fortune 500 rely on ERI's Assessor Platform to:

  • Effectively plan and manage compensation and benefits
  • Streamline workflows using AI-powered solutions, such as AI Job Matching, AI-Generated Job Descriptions, AI Pay Grade Creation, and ERI's cutting-edge AI Job Growth Model
  • Benchmark salaries in local labor markets and specific industries
  • Develop competitive executive compensation packages
  • Compare the cost of living in locations across the globe
  • Develop lasting pay structures
  • And so much more
How often does ERI's compensation database get updated?

ERI's team of PhD-level data scientists and seasoned compensation professionals review and validate our salary data approximately every six weeks, ensuring the accuracy of the data that we publish. Learn more about our methodology.

What educational resources does ERI offer for professionals?

ERI offers 36 free self-study courses through our Distance Learning Center, helping professionals master technical domains like market pricing and geographic differentials. While course content is complimentary, practitioners can choose to pursue the Compensation Analyst (CAC) or Compensation Committee (CCC) credentials to validate their expertise and earn up to 20 HRCI or SHRM recertification credits. Learn more.

About Our Data

This page is an excerpt of the much more complete compensation information available in ERI's Assessor Series.

For over 35 years, ERI has compiled the most robust and accurate salary, cost-of-living, and executive compensation survey database available. Data are analyzed using AI and traditional statistics, depending on which approach is best for a particular application. ERI collects salary survey data from five different sources, which you can learn about here.

Verified Sources

Data sourced from internal salary surveys, purchased surveys, public sources, HRIS data, and proprietary databases.

Real-Time Data

Our salary database is updated and verified approximately every six weeks.

Quality Assurance

Along with our data scientists, we have included AI in our rigorous process to analyze and provide the highest quality data.

10,500+

Locations

35,900+

Job Titles

4,400+

Skills

5,500+

Certifications

1,100+

Industries

Discover a Faster, More Accurate Way to Price Police Chief Roles

ERI's Assessor Platform delivers precise, data-driven salary insights to power smarter compensation decisions. Access reliable salary data, compare market benchmarks, and build competitive compensation packages.

Get Started Schedule a Demo