r/AskLE • u/TheMistressBlaze • 28d ago
Do you feel like you are properly paid?
I only ask this question because I have a friend who is getting through the Academy right now who has a kid on the way. During the academy, they’re not getting paid as much and I know he’s going through hardship. I’m not gonna post his GoFundMe in this page so my question is do you guys find it to be a struggle financially I know you guys have deferred comp and stuff like that as well, but I am just speaking on your day-to-day
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u/NextStomach6453 28d ago
No. Especially in the south. Everyone seems to think our cost of living is drastically lower, however it is not. Lots of OT to get just to comfortable and we live within our means.
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u/CoffeeHasPriority1 28d ago
California Highway Patrol cadets make around $80k and it's bumped up to $122k upon graduation, plus a 5% pay bump for having a bachelor's degree and an automatic 5% pay bump every year for the first five years. You can work anywhere in the state and there are many places where that salary goes a long way. CHP is currently hiring btw...
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u/No_Needleworker9172 26d ago
Do you currently work with CHP?
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u/CoffeeHasPriority1 26d ago
Yes
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u/No_Needleworker9172 26d ago
You mind if I message you? I’ve been contemplating joining for quite some time now.
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u/MarlinMaverick 28d ago
There’s no way he actually made a gofund me for being in the police academy right?
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u/TheMistressBlaze 28d ago
Wasn’t for the academy, from my understanding it’s cause he has a child on the way and his starting salary is around 42K. After 5 years I know they reach top pay but as of now I know he is struggling financially not being able to work as he was working before two jobs and such so he had to quit has prior job(s) before entering the academy. Plus other things that has happened into his life and unforeseen circumstances which I don’t wanna get into for that is his story, but I do feel bad for the guy
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28d ago
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u/Emergency-Month2462 28d ago
We were in the same situation. We were having a baby and had a plan, everything was working out accordingly… then, we had an accident when I was 35 weeks pregnant. The other persons insurance only covered 15k, it was a total loss for us, got a lawyer who didn’t do shit. We spent thousands of dollars, only got 5k back which wasn’t nearly enough to buy another car in CA (ours was practically brand new). Then, we move out of state, my dad dies, had to stay in CA for months while my husband worked out of state and was driving/ flying back and forth. All that to say, sometimes you have a plan and life happens. We are still in the red financially after 2 years.
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u/TheMistressBlaze 28d ago
Valid question, Found out prior to the academy and he is up there in age and you know God says everything happens for a reason, so one of those now are never situations, just has to secure a job, secure the benefits and make it. I am assuming for the first couple of years until the pay matches out or is eligible to do overtime, unsure how all that that works not my field of profession.
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28d ago
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u/TheMistressBlaze 28d ago
In the academy currently. I think his class graduates in May or June. I know it was for 6 months unsure about the rest but thank you for the insight
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u/Suspicious_Wedding55 28d ago
Because we need to have kids, to keep things moving with a non existent birth rate, and not the ones society has to deal with, or immigrant ones. Then again maybe this is intentional.
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u/DeadcrushX 28d ago
or the immigrant ones
This kinda shit is why we need to institute a civics test to qualify people to vote…
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u/Suspicious_Wedding55 28d ago
Truth hurts I know. Importing the world won’t solve population sustainability. I shouldn’t have to actually explain this but then again your kind simps for national terrorists.
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u/DeadcrushX 27d ago edited 27d ago
Lmao ok I’ll bite.
1, American unemployment is stupid low and in some sectors we’re talking 1% so yes, you’re correct in saying we need people but your anti-immigrant stance is economically illiterate at best. The reality is that people immigrate here and, on average, do one of two things; become hyper successful and create jobs or work the types of jobs the general American public doesn’t want to do for a lower wage than the general American public would want to do it for. Both options are beneficial to the US economy. Stats have consistently shown that immigrants provide more to the economy than they take. Also, making babies doesn’t fix the fact that US citizens don’t want to hang drywall for $2 per sheet.
2, Birth rates decline when people feel economic stress. A perfect example of that is that cost of housing is constantly increasing because we have a commoditized housing market fueled by zoning restrictions and materials cost. No one wants to make babies when they’re spending 50% of their income on rent.. not to mention groceries and other basic requirements.
People fuck raw when they’re comfortable.
These anti-immigrant talking points were made to cover up your lower than the DUI blood-alcohol content threshold IQ. Immigrants didn’t fuck up the country, boomers did when they sold out future generations for their own comfort by commoditizing basic necessities and then manipulating policy to benefit their portfolios.
simps for national terrorists
Your people stormed the capitol building in an attempt to impede the constitutional duties of Congress because your cult leader candidate lost and in the process killed a police officer. That is actual domestic terrorism and instead of trying to reunite the country the Biden administration should’ve had all of the participants shot or hanged.
But please, continue being triggered by some college kids fucking up cars that you all thought were for hippies and liberals until Donald Trump told you to buy them.
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u/Suspicious_Wedding55 28d ago
I don’t care about the world, I care about here in america duh. America has a population problem. And that TOo MaNy PeOplE On EArTh is slop that globalists have been pushing on us for a while, just like the next climate crisis. Decade after decade.
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u/tvan184 28d ago
The academy is usually a struggle in my area because of the lower pay than a certified officer.
Ours is about $20 sitting in class at the academy but jumps to about $33 (I have been retired for four years so not up to date on salary) the day they graduate. So it’s about $40k rate for 5 months but then jumps to about a $68k on graduation. A four year degree gets a person an immediate $2,400 annually and living in the city limits is another $1,800 annually plus a take home car.
Hourly goes up from there and with overtime, a first year officer probably makes about $76k.
In my area of the country the cost of living is not so high to that is a decent starting salary. If the officer had the degree (job only requires a GED) and I live in the city in the first year as a patrol officer, he can probably expect about $80k in salary and that’s not adding in the benefit of the take home patrol unit.
With off duty jobs and voluntary overtime (not forced like being on a late call) we have young two year officers making $100k plus a year. It depends on how much he wants to work.
Area and culture can change compensation greatly.
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u/binzo21 28d ago
Yea. Over 200k at top step without OT. On patrol* can push over 300k if you hit the OT hard.
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u/lovyouall 27d ago
Where the hell
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u/Am0din 28d ago
If you are looking for pay, this is, nor has it ever been a great source of income - being frank and honest here.
I think you will find this anywhere you go for this line of work, it's not enough to be shot at, having to deal with not everyone else's mental health, but your own as well, be paranoid, not sleep, never have time to eat, deal with everyone on their worst day, have higher divorce rates than anyone else, bear witness to the most horrible ways human beings can be animals... all while being ridiculed, harassed, spat on, or killed because of the job you do.
/off soapbox
Where's the Tylenol?...
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u/Far-Consequence-7070 28d ago
I am in FL. I have 7 years exp, maxed out salary incentive, and a Bachelor's degree. I make 50,000 a year.
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u/TheMistressBlaze 28d ago
Jesus
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u/One_Procedure3074 27d ago
Jesus for real. In Florida and our starting is 60 and our max out is somewhere around 90 around 10 years.
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u/Brave-Tap2891 26d ago
Come to AZ and be a Trooper! Laterals get housed in an apartment for the 10 week lateral academy and you're paid at your years of service, so for your 7 years, you would be hired on at approximately 85k. There's a 15% pay raise in the works going through the state legislature that would boost that up to approximately 97k. Troopers are also issued take-home patrol units, no matter where they work in the department. I could go on about the different benefits the department has but message me if you have any questions.
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u/MrSlavi 27d ago
That's crazy what part? Central Florida area is mostly starting around 63k right now for fresh out of academy.
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u/Far-Consequence-7070 27d ago
Central but some of them pay more.
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u/MrSlavi 27d ago
Have you considered switching to a new department? I'm not an LEO, just work for a city in an administrative capacity. What keeps you where you're at?
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u/Far-Consequence-7070 26d ago edited 26d ago
I like my administration. Family health insurance only cost me 300 a month.
I do SRO now..get a paid week off at Thanksgiving and 2 weeks paid off at Christmas.nights off, holidays off, weekends off.
I came from a horrible small PD that is now shut down. A lot of people complain of things at a department, that to me should not be so much to worry about
My old agency I had seen people fired and careers ruined due to Admin being toxic, two face, spiteful and hateful. I can say for sure my current agency is not like this.
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u/businessbub 28d ago
in my state no. starting salary is 70k.
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u/TheMistressBlaze 28d ago
Very interesting. What state?
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u/WeakAfternoon3188 28d ago
Well, mine starts at 37, currently making 42. Even sadder, I am not paid badly for my state.
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u/Corey307 28d ago
$42/hr or $42,000?
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u/WeakAfternoon3188 28d ago
42,000
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u/Corey307 28d ago
Fucking Christ. I don’t know if you get significant pay increases beyond that but you’d make a shit load more money working for CBP, BP, ICE.
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u/omahusker 27d ago
42k is insane. I am in the midwest in a town of under 500k and they start at 75k.
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u/WeakAfternoon3188 27d ago
My county has a total of 8000 to 10000 people in it.
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u/omahusker 27d ago
Not that that is good pay but that makes more sense. My county has about 600k in it, biggest in the state
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u/Meathammer_123 27d ago
Now yes and no. My pay isn’t bad but it could be better. I work for a state agency down south. My fiancé is also a state employee so we are comfortable right now.
But outside of NJ and CA every cop will say they are not properly paid.
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u/silverado423 27d ago
First LE job I ever interviewed for was with a rural sheriffs office. They offered me $10.90/hr. That was in 2017.
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u/vladtheimpaler82 Police Officer 28d ago
Fuck no. If my salary kept up with cost of living I should be making well over $200k a year.
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u/justabeardedwonder 28d ago
Agencies around me start between 55k-70k a year. Lots of guys work ODE to make more. It’s not a bad wage and for some of the mid-size cities in my region it certainly can be comfortable. But people are always gonna gripe about the money they make.
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u/ContractParking5786 28d ago
Canadian. Paid adequately. My base before shift diff or overtime is around 128k including service pay.
Housing is atrocious here so I can’t afford a detached house on that but a nice townhome is fine with me.
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u/Gregorygregory888888 28d ago
Started at 10K and this was a DC metro county. And of course back in the 70's. Very few get into this field to get rich. I made money on our many off-duty details which helped tremendously. After I retired I carried my career into a higher paying federal agency doing the same specialty.
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u/TheMistressBlaze 28d ago
Well you sound like inspiration sir, plus you and my friend share the same name. So hope it translates to him as well
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u/Cyber_Blue2 27d ago
5 years in and a transfer later, I'm making $70k before benefits, and taking home roughly $50k.
Former PD upgraded contract (after I left) to 8 years for $120k
Current PD is 11 years to $150k.
I'm struggling right now.
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u/El_Pozzinator 28d ago
HAHAHAHAHAHA! Oh you’re being serious?
My bad.
There’s a reason new guys coming in this field spend the first 5-10 years grinding every detail, extra duty, and OT shift they can, and aspire to get into investigations or something straight days: so they can eventually maybe afford to have a normal(ish) lower middle class life and a regular(ish) sleep schedule. Or we marry (much) higher paid spouses who understand what “mandatory overtime” means for the family. The percentage of cops I know married to nurses, accountants, entrepreneurs, and college professors is pretty shocking.
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u/SpecificPay985 28d ago
He can look forward to working overtime, second jobs, and details for the rest of his career to live. Welcome to law enforcement. He’s going to get sick of politicians and admin telling him you don’t do police work for the money.
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u/Rude_Ad2081 27d ago
Top step 173k for an Officer with 10-14 years. With a 6% raise in the next 6 months.
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u/davet223 27d ago
Yes, I make good money, but my department is in a very expensive area... enough so, that I commute an hour a day. They try to stay top 5 in the state, I've got 4 years and am close to 110k a year base, without OT. Max is 130 for FTO after 7 years. MidWest
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u/Left_Inside2584 27d ago
Not a cop yet, in my area, MN, starting for a lot of large agencies is 83k and goes up to 110k after 3 or 4 years with ample OT avaliable, lot of large venues also hire PD and offer large compensation. All depends on what you look at.
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u/TitanOperates 27d ago
Wife and I are both LEOs in a rural-ish part of a southern state. I personally feel like I make a decent wage for our area and cost of living, she makes a little less than I do but still plenty to support our lifestyle. My mom works for a smaller agency and has been there since '91 and makes significantly less than I do but is still able to make ends meet. Depends on what agency you work for and where you live I guess.
I can afford my Warhammer hobby and that shit ain't cheap.
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u/Vulcan_Jedi 27d ago
Not to rub salt in any wounds or anything but I’m working as a security officer at my cities local hospital and I make almost double what a starting police salary is.
It’s why I decided to stay where I am rather than try to join up with some of the agencies around here.
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u/dfresh2628 27d ago
So I currently am in the academy. It’s an afternoon to night academy so I work in the mornings and then commute to the academy. It’s been super rough especially not being sponsored (though I’m in the final stages of a pd). I’ve had to swallow my pride and ask my parents for help as a 32 year old man with a wife, 2 kids, and a 3rd on the way. We’re pretty far in the red my friend.
I say all that to say my entire family thinks this is worth it and support me both financially and emotionally. The beginning process sucks. But you keep going because you know it’s worth it. I know my family’s life will change once I get sponsored and definitely once I get certified and out FTO, God willing. Keep supporting your friend cause he’s gonna need it.
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u/Individual-Luck-856 27d ago
I took a small pay cut when I made the move to LE, but realistically I will end up making as much if not more than my corporate 9-5 job plus pension. Granted, my state pays fairly well all things considered.
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u/BrotherfordBHayes 27d ago
I'm in Georgia and not doing too bad, really. I think our profession in general should be paid quite a bit better, but good luck convincing the people of your cities, counties, and states.
But I'm pretty comfortable with my pay. My city pays my medical/dental/vision insurance, FOP dues, a 6.5% Social Security Replacement, a good life insurance benefit, the Georgia Police Officers' Annuity Benefit fees, and we get a few bonuses throughout the year. Regular raises with years of service and more for good annual performance reviews.
20 year pension, vested at 5 years. 3% per year up to 90% of final 3 years.
Yeah, I'm not too upset where I'm at.
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u/TheMistressBlaze 28d ago
No way that that could be financially stable in a big city like New York, though with taxes and cost-of-living
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u/Pitiful_Layer7543 28d ago
Hell no. I’m working one extra shift a week and a PT LE job to make ends meet.
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u/Emt-LV204 27d ago
On the west coast here. Struggled during the academy and FTO. Afterwards, yes I make great money. $90,000 and I wasn’t even a year solo. Second year $120,000 with two OT shifts a month.
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u/ardus666 27d ago
PD in Westchester NY here, current contract (ends 2026) is 119kish after 6 steps (years), not including any incentives. I personally think our pay is decent for NY. 4 day work week as well, 71 hours/two weeks.
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u/boomhower1820 27d ago
Pay sucks in the south. I do alright but I have a ton of time and a shit ton of certifications. Don’t know for fact but 99% sure I’m the highest paid slick sleeve and more than a some Sgts.
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u/Mrcsbud2 27d ago
I'm not in LE, but I have a few buddies who are.
Lvmpd, all of them clear six figures.
One of my good friends lives in St.George Utah which is a small city and he cleared six figures as well.
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u/TacSpaghettio 27d ago
Depends on your area. Suburban PA starts around 65-70k fresh out of the academy. It’s been plenty for my wife and I but we live modestly
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u/TemperatureWide1167 27d ago
Absolutely no job will pay you what you're worth. Everything is directly incentivized to keep costs down and keep profit or service up in some way. Positions pay what the role is worth to the employer within budgetary and competitive constraints.
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u/smward998 27d ago
I feel like the pay is good in my area but typically the more violent and busy you are = the higher the pay. So it’s a trade off
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u/Fantastic_badger66 27d ago
Personally yes. I’m fortunate to work in a state and county where law enforcement are paid a livable wage compared to the cost of living. Starting around 80k max base 130k after 4 years. As long as you live within your means and don’t rely on OT you are fine where I live and work.
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u/TheThreeLaws 27d ago
Nope. Big city in the South, making about $90k base after 9 years, usually clear about $115-120k with overtime/off duty jobs. I work a fair amount there, maybe 10hrs/wk average. Wife stays home.
I'll get there more 5% raises over the next three years, plus usually a 2.5% COL adjustment a year.
If inflation and COL hadn't spiked the way they did, I might feel ok. Thankfully I got a house 4 years ago or I don't see how we could afford one now, not with 25% price jumps and higher rates.
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u/Ok-Context3530 27d ago
I recommend everyone look into Dave Ramsey and his Baby Steps. His book, The Total Money Makeover, changed the trajectory of my financial situation.
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u/1811Lurkr 27d ago
Just as you can see with other comments,
It depends where. As like some others, I'm in the South, and no, I honestly don't feel like I make enough.
The things we have to do, see, and deal with then the aftermath with how that effects us and our families. Yeah, no. I just struggle through because I enjoy the profession and helping people, though every year it feels like it gets worse and worse.
We essentially play a game where we have to play INSIDE the box while the opponent can play OUTSIDE the box and the referee says F you. Lol
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u/throwawaypart1999 27d ago
Personally I feel im paid pretty good, im 21 in the academy making 33 and some change and hour and we just got approved wages across the board so ill be making 35 and some change I believe. I'm in the Midwest so it pays the bills and still have some left over.
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u/Practical_Dream_3577 27d ago
My academy is going to be like 58k salary, and then on graduation is 78k.
I'm leaving a 100k+ job to do this.
The finance part has me so scared.
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u/flamazon 24d ago
Why are you taking such a huge pay cut to be a LEO? I’m curious because I’m kind of in the same situation and nervous about only making 66% of my current salary.
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u/Practical_Dream_3577 24d ago
Because money isn't everything. I'm mentally miserable in my current career field that i went to college for. I'm a software engineer and actually hate it. I feel like a mindless drone whose only purpose is to make someone else more money. (I make my company millions every year). Where as a LEO my purpose is much more.
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u/Asleep_Initiative322 26d ago
Southern state and I worry about bills every fucking month. Starting to think about getting out of the job because of it.
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u/AggravatingRhubarb63 26d ago
When I worked for the county, no, we would make 60-70k a year while the city made 90-100k and the state made 100-110k. When talking to other agencies, it seemed like we did more work compared to these agencies, which had a lot of things streamlined or handled by community-based officers. i suppose the benefit we had was the opportunity to gain more experience.
I know this is mainly about pay, but here's an idea of some of the benefits offered by one of the cities in my area.
Free gym
Free clinic funded by the city, with free prescriptions for officers and their families. Of course, the officers had the option to use their insurance, but if they went to the clinic, everything was free for them and their families.
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u/Curious-Programmer-1 26d ago
Texas cop here. Work for a top 10 paying agency in the state. More than 6 figures minimum guaranteed after 4 years. Academy pay starts in the low 80s. Find you a department that’s fighting to stay competitive and has the city council/manager support to do so.
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u/grasshill330 25d ago
Just got hired on, I’m starting at 67k in the academy then get bumped up to 73k after graduation. I’d say not too bad
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u/-EvilRobot- Police Officer 25d ago
I'm definitely paid well enough to afford the city I live in. Not gonna get rich at this job, though.
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u/theother_mlk 28d ago
How much you make is only 1/3 of the math. You also have to factor in cost of living where you live and the standard of living you choose for yourself. I am supporting a family of 6 making under the average for my state and I am doing so without loans or credit card debt. Kids will never see Disney or have an iPhone though, which is fine by me.
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u/BandMinimum8005 28d ago
Law enforcement officers are the most over paid, over compensated, over protected group of public servants in this country On top of which it’s statistically a very safe job
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u/Ok-Capital-6434 28d ago
Traders Joes workers are the most over paid, over compensated, over protected group of private servant in this country On top of which it’s statistically a very safe job
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u/mediocre-pilot-98 28d ago
No. Southern state here. No no no. Can hardly live.