Police Officer Salary in Boston, MA: 2026
Police Officer salary data for Boston, MA, adjusted for local cost of living. Entry-level to senior pay ranges, take-home pay calculator, and local job market insights.
The median Police Officer salary in Boston, MA is $78,180 per year ($6,515/month, $37.59/hr). That is the BLS OEWS May 2025 median annual wage for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metropolitan area, which covers Boston. Salario's cost-of-living model (index 152) would have estimated $115,839; the entry, senior and top tiers below are Salario estimates rescaled to the BLS median.
Also known as: Patrol Officer, Law Enforcement Officer, Cop. The estimates on this page are used for these related job titles in Boston, MA, although actual pay can differ by title and scope.
Median: BLS OEWS May 2025, Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers (SOC 33-3051), Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH MSA. Entry, senior and top earner are Salario estimates rescaled to the BLS median.
Police Officer Take-Home Pay in Boston
Tax Breakdown (Median Salary)
| Gross Annual | $78,180 |
| Federal Tax | -$8,370 |
| State Tax (5.0% eff.) | -$3,909 |
| FICA (SS + Medicare) | -$5,981 |
| Annual Take-Home | $59,921 |
| Monthly Take-Home | $4,993 |
Living Cost Comparison
Police Officer Requirements
Key Skills
Police Officer salary search terms in Boston
People comparing Police Officer pay in Boston, MA may use related job-title wording. Salario keeps the main estimate tied to the Police Officer role, then treats the terms below as comparison phrases that should be checked for licensing, employer type, seniority, and role scope.
| Comparison point | How to use it |
|---|---|
| Primary local answer | $78,180 median salary, $56,500-$103,400 modeled range, and $59,921 estimated take-home pay in Boston. |
| Title variants | Patrol Officer, Law Enforcement Officer, Cop can point to similar searches, but some variants may represent a narrower specialty or a higher/lower seniority band. |
| Offer comparison | Compare base salary, hourly equivalent, take-home pay, certifications, local cost of living, and whether the job is employee, contractor, public-sector, commission-heavy, or management-level. |
Boston Job Market Overview
Boston, Massachusetts has a population of 675,647 and an unemployment rate of 3.5%. The top industries are Healthcare, Education, Technology. The local job growth rate is 2.0%, and the average commute time is 31minutes. These local figures come from Salario's city dataset; verify current values with BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics and Census QuickFacts.
Related Government Salaries in Boston
Police Officer Salary in Nearby Massachusetts Cities
Salary Percentile Breakdown: Police Officer in Boston
Based on Salario's cost-of-living-adjusted salary tiers for Police Officer in Boston, MA, here is an estimated percentile breakdown:
| Percentile | Annual Salary | Hourly Equivalent | Career Stage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th (lowest) | $56,500 | $27/hr | Entry-level, < 1 yr exp. |
| 25th | $67,340 | $32/hr | Junior, 1-3 yrs exp. |
| 50th (median) | $78,180 | $38/hr | Mid-career, Police Academy |
| 75th | $103,400 | $50/hr | Senior, 5-10 yrs exp. |
| 90th (top) | $132,300 | $64/hr | Lead/Principal, 10+ yrs |
P50 is the measured BLS OEWS May 2025 metro median; P10, P25, P75 and P90 are approximations, not measured local percentiles: they map to Salario's entry, senior and top tiers rescaled to the BLS median, with P25 interpolated halfway between entry and median. Top earners (P90) typically include managers, specialists with rare skills, or those at high-paying employers in Boston's Healthcare sector.
5-Year Salary Trajectory
Salario's national dataset models approximately 12.0% salary growth for Police Officers over the past 5 years. That national assumption is applied to the Boston estimate below; it is not a measured local trend, and it should be compared with cumulative CPI inflation before treating it as a real-terms gain:
Year-over-year, an average Police Officer can expect a 6.9% annual increase moving from entry to senior level over 9 years in Boston. Negotiation, certifications (POST Certification, CPR), and changing employers strategically can accelerate this trajectory.
Boston vs National Average
The national median Police Officer salary is $76,210 (BLS OEWS May 2025, Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers). In the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro, the BLS median of $78,180 is 2.6% above the national figure. Boston's cost of living index is 152 (higher than the national average of 100), so the wage premium and the cost premium do not necessarily cancel out.
For Police Officers, this means: rent typically consumes 56.1% of take-home pay (households spending >30% are considered rent-burdened), and a median home in Boston costs about 11.3× annual take-home. Homeownership in Boston on this salary is challenging, most experts recommend keeping home costs to 3-4× income.
Industry Context: Healthcare in Boston
Boston's economy is anchored by Healthcare, Education, Technology, with 675,647 residents and an unemployment rate of 3.5% in Salario's city dataset. Pay for Police Officers can differ by sector, so compare Healthcare employers with other local employers. The local job growth rate in Salario's city dataset is 2.0%, and Salario's job dataset lists a 3.0% growth outlook for Police Officer roles; check the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook for the official 2024-2034 projection for the closest matching occupation.
Methodology & Data Sources
How we calculate Police Officer salaries in Boston, MA:
- Local median is the BLS OEWS May 2025 median annual wage for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers (SOC 33-3051) in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metropolitan statistical area, retrieved from the BLS Public Data API on September 17, 2026. BLS reports by metro area, so this is a regional figure, not a Boston-only wage.
- Cost-of-living adjustment is shown only for comparison ($115,839 modeled) using the Boston index of 152 relative to the national baseline of 100, with local rent, home price, unemployment, and tax inputs stored separately in Salario's city dataset.
- Percentile distribution (P10-P90) estimated from the entry, median, senior, and top compensation tiers in the Salario salary model rescaled to the BLS metro median rather than claimed as exact employer payroll data.
- Take-home pay calculated using 2026 federal tax brackets (10%-37%), MA 2026 state income tax brackets after the standard deduction (top rate 9.0%), and FICA (Social Security 6.2% + Medicare 1.45%).
- Tax brackets and standard deduction ($16,100 single filer for tax year 2026) sourced from IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32 and updated annually.
Authoritative data sources:
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, national and metro-area salary data
- O*NET OnLine, occupation tasks, alternate job titles, skills, and SOC crosswalks
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, occupation outlook where a matching profile is available
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U), regional inflation data (CPI measures price changes, not city-to-city price levels)
- U.S. Census Bureau, Boston QuickFacts, population and demographic data
- IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32 summary, 2026 federal tax brackets and standard deductions
- BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, official local unemployment rates to verify the Boston figure above
Last reviewed: 2026. Salario's salary dataset is refreshed periodically, not automatically; check the linked BLS releases for the latest official data. Police Officer salaries can vary significantly based on employer, sector (Healthcare vs others in Boston), specific skill set (Law Enforcement, Report Writing, De-escalation), and individual negotiation. Always verify current compensation through multiple sources before making career decisions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average Police Officer salary in Boston, MA?
How much does a Police Officer take home in Boston after taxes?
Is Boston a good city for Police Officers?
What skills are needed for a Police Officer in Boston?
How does Police Officer salary in Boston compare to the national average?
What job titles are similar to Police Officer in Boston?
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average Police Officer salary in Boston, MA?
The median Police Officer salary in Boston, MA is $78,180 per year: the BLS OEWS May 2025 median annual wage for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers (SOC 33-3051) in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metropolitan area. BLS publishes wages by metro area, not by city. The entry-level estimate of around $56,500 and the senior estimate of $103,400 or more are Salario tiers calibrated to that BLS median, not BLS percentiles.
How much does a Police Officer take home in Boston after taxes?
A Police Officer earning the median salary of $78,180 in Boston, MA takes home approximately $59,921 per year ($4,993/month) after federal, state, and local taxes. The effective tax rate is 23.4%.
Is Boston a good city for Police Officers?
Boston, MA has a cost of living index of 152 (above national average). Police Officers here earn above the city median. The local unemployment rate is 3.5% and top industries include Healthcare, Education, Technology.
What skills are needed for a Police Officer in Boston?
Key skills for Police Officers include Law Enforcement, Report Writing, De-escalation, Firearms, Community Policing. Typical education requirement is High School Diploma / Associate's. Valuable certifications include POST Certification, CPR, Defensive Tactics.
How does Police Officer salary in Boston compare to the national average?
The national median for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers is $76,210 (BLS OEWS May 2025). In the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro, the BLS median is $78,180, which is 2.6% higher than the national figure. For comparison, Salario's cost-of-living model (index 152) would have estimated $115,839.
What job titles are similar to Police Officer in Boston?
Related search terms for Police Officer in Boston, MA include Patrol Officer, Law Enforcement Officer, Cop. Use them as comparison terms, not always exact matches: licensing, employer type, seniority, public-sector rules, and whether the role is W-2, contractor, clinical, technical, management, or sales-focused can change the salary range.