Police Pay by Country 2026: How the UK Compares

The short answer

A top-of-scale police constable in England and Wales is paid £52,015 basic. Out of 15 police pay scales in 9 countries, that ranks 10th in pounds, 10th after adjusting for cost of living and 8th of 14 as a multiple of national median pay (1.33x). New constables fare worse: £32,255 ranks 12th of 15 in pounds and 13th after cost of living, and is below the median full-time wage.

Top of scale, in pounds 10th of 15

After cost of living 10th of 15

Starting pay vs median 0.83x

As at 14 October 2026. England and Wales pay from 1 September 2026 (2026/27 points calculated from the official 2025/26 scale plus the confirmed 3.5%). Exchange rates: Bank of England, 13 October 2026. Cost of living: World Bank purchasing power parities, 2025. Basic pay only, before tax; each force's definition is shown when you open it below.

Compare police pay around the world

Switch between starting pay and the top of the scale, choose how to compare (pounds at market rates, pounds adjusted for cost of living, or a multiple of national median pay), and filter by region. Open any force to see the figures in local currency, what is in and out of the salary, hours, years to the top, pension and the official source.

Pay level

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Region

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Constable pay, top of scale: pounds at market rates

Converted at Bank of England spot rates on 13 October 2026. England and Wales ranks 10 of 15 on this measure. Tap a force for what is included, hours, pension and sources.

England and Wales Scotland and Northern Ireland Elsewhere* read with care (tap for why)

Where would your pay rank?

Pick an England and Wales constable pay point, or type your own annual basic pay, and see where it would sit among the 15 scales and what the same job pays in each. It runs in your browser: nothing you enter is stored or sent.

Your pay

Constable pay point (from 1 September 2026, calculated)

Compare with each force's

In pounds10 of 169 of 15 scales pay more

After cost of living10 of 169 of 15 scales pay more

x E&W median1.33xRanks 8 of 15 on this measure

Compared with the top of scale of each force below. Your pay is treated as UK pay, so it is the same in pounds and after cost of living; the difference column uses the cost-of-living figure.

What the same job pays in each force compared with your pay
Force	£ market	£ cost of living	vs you
Los Angeles (LAPD)	£96,355	£86,443	+£34,428
New York (NYPD) *	£82,536	£74,046	+£22,031
Toronto	£65,685	£71,782	+£19,767
New South Wales *	£73,632	£67,613	+£15,598
Canada (RCMP) *	£61,262	£66,948	+£14,933
Victoria *	£62,698	£57,573	+£5,558
Queensland *	£62,267	£57,177	+£5,162
Scotland	£54,597	£54,597	+£2,582
Ireland (Garda) *	£50,978	£54,407	+£2,392
England and Wales *	£52,015	£52,015	same
Denmark *	£52,047	£50,908	−£1,107
Northern Ireland *	£50,256	£50,256	−£1,759
Germany (NRW) *	£43,553	£49,160	−£2,855
Netherlands *	£44,792	£48,068	−£3,947
Sweden *	£32,685	£34,219	−£17,796

Basic pay only, before tax, and each force defines it differently (* tap the force in the chart above for why). A country's real offer also depends on allowances, tax, pension and hours.

All the figures

Every scale in one table, ranked by top-of-scale pay in pounds. Local amounts are annual gross basic pay as published; the pound figures are converted at Bank of England rates on 13 October 2026. An asterisk marks an entry that needs reading with care, with the reason underneath.

Constable pay by country and force, start and top of scale, local currency and pounds
Rank	Force	Start (local)	Top (local)	Start £	Top £	Top £ cost of living	Top x median
1	Los Angeles (LAPD) Rates operative 28 June 2026	US$93,730.32	US$127,660.32	£70,745	£96,355	£86,443	2.04x
2	New York (NYPD) * Rates effective 1 August 2024 (latest published) August 2024 rates (latest published)	US$55,942	US$109,352	£42,224	£82,536	£74,046	1.75x
3	New South Wales * From 1 July 2026 Includes 11.5% loading paid as salary	A$92,576	A$139,688	£48,799	£73,632	£67,613	1.54x
4	Toronto From 1 July 2026	C$86,572.66	C$123,678.50	£45,978	£65,685	£71,782	1.76x
5	Victoria * From 1 June 2026 Includes 13% commuted penalty allowance	A$84,060	A$118,945	£44,310	£62,698	£57,573	1.31x
6	Queensland * From 1 July 2026 (CPI uplift adjustment schedule) Excludes 21% shift allowance	A$78,505	A$118,127	£41,382	£62,267	£57,177	1.30x
7	Canada (RCMP) * From 1 April 2024 (including the market adjustment); still the latest published rates April 2024 rates (latest published)	C$71,191	C$115,350	£37,809	£61,262	£66,948	1.64x
8	Scotland From 1 April 2026 (2026/27, inflation-guarantee adjusted)	£34,001	£54,597	£34,001	£54,597	£54,597	1.37x
9	Denmark * State pay tables from 1 August 2026 No comparable national median	DKK 357,427	DKK 460,467	£40,400	£52,047	£50,908	n/a
10	England and Wales * From 1 September 2026 (2026/27) 2026/27 points calculated (2025/26 + 3.5%)	£32,255	£52,015	£32,255	£52,015	£52,015	1.33x
11	Ireland (Garda) * As of 1 February 2026 Median includes part-time jobs	€39,194	€60,333	£33,117	£50,978	£54,407	1.30x
12	Northern Ireland * From 1 September 2025 (2025/26); the 2026/27 award had not been decided at the check date 2025/26 rates (2026/27 not yet decided)	£31,164	£50,256	£31,164	£50,256	£50,256	1.36x
13	Netherlands * October 2026 (DERIVED: official 1 January 2025 table plus the CAO rises of 1% on 1 December 2025, 2% on 1 March 2026 and 2% on 1 September 2026) Derived October 2026; excludes 8% holiday + 8.33% year-end pay	€31,772.76	€53,011.08	£26,846	£44,792	£48,068	1.20x
14	Germany (NRW) * From 1 April 2026 (GV. NRW. 2026 S. 474) Civil servants pay no pension or unemployment contributions	€41,258.64	€51,545.40	£34,862	£43,553	£49,160	0.95x
15	Sweden * Pay ladder for newly qualified officers from 1 September 2026 Top = end of 2-year ladder, not a maximum	SEK 408,000	SEK 432,000	£30,869	£32,685	£34,219	0.94x

n/a: no comparable national median (Denmark's includes pension contributions). National medians are measured differently from country to country (full-time annual, full-time weekly x 52, per job including part-time), so the multiple is indicative. Exchange rates used (pounds per unit): USD 0.754774, EUR 0.844951, AUD 0.52712, CAD 0.531096, DKK 0.11303, SEK 0.07566.

What the rankings show

England and Wales sits in the bottom half

At the top of the scale, England and Wales (£52,015) is 10th of 15 in pounds. The scales above it are Los Angeles (LAPD), New York (NYPD), New South Wales, Toronto, Victoria, Queensland, Canada (RCMP), Scotland and Denmark; below it are Ireland (Garda), Northern Ireland, Netherlands, Germany (NRW) and Sweden. Denmark is only £32 a year ahead in pounds. After adjusting for cost of living England and Wales is 10th, but the order around it changes: Ireland (Garda) moves above England and Wales and Denmark drops below.

Starting pay is the weak point

A new constable's £32,255 ranks 12th of 15 in pounds and 13th after cost of living. It is 0.83x the median full-time wage in England and Wales (£39,059). Only 4 of the 14 scales with a comparable median start officers at or above their national median: Los Angeles (LAPD), Toronto, New South Wales and Canada (RCMP). The short six-year climb to the top in England and Wales softens this: officers who stay reach 1.33x the median.

North America and Australia pay most

The LAPD's starting salary alone (£70,745) is 36% higher than the top of the England and Wales scale. A top-scale constable in New South Wales gets £73,632, 42% more than England and Wales, and Toronto £65,685. After adjusting for cost of living 9 of the other 14 scales still pay more at the top than England and Wales. Remember that US and Canadian figures are for individual employers, and that Australian forces define salary differently (see below).

Northern Europe pays less in gross terms

The Netherlands (£44,792), Germany (£43,553) and Sweden (£32,685) are below England and Wales at the top of the scale, but each figure understates something: Dutch officers get an 8% holiday allowance and an 8.33% year-end payment on top; German officers pay no employee pension or unemployment contributions; and Sweden's figure is the end of a two-year ladder, after which pay is set individually.

Within the UK

Scotland pays £1,746 more than England and Wales to start and £2,582 more at the top, but takes 11 years to reach it. Northern Ireland's figures (£31,164 to £50,256) are the 2025/26 rates, one pay round behind; they match the 2025/26 England and Wales scale exactly. For the Scottish comparison in full, including tax, see Police Scotland vs England pay.

Why comparing police pay between countries is hard

A ranking is only as fair as the numbers that go into it. These are the main reasons a gross salary in one country is not the same as the same gross salary in another, and what we did about each one.

Gross is not net

Every figure here is gross basic pay. Income tax, social security and pension contributions vary a lot between countries. German police, as civil servants, pay no employee pension or unemployment contributions, while officers in England and Wales pay a substantial share of pay into their pension scheme. We do not convert to take-home pay because that depends on personal circumstances and each country's tax rules.

What counts as salary

Some forces build shift and weekend compensation into salary and some pay it separately. New South Wales includes an 11.5% loading and Victoria a 13% commuted penalty allowance; Queensland's base excludes a 21% shift allowance (about A$94,991 at the start point with it); England and Wales pays unsocial-hours allowances and overtime on top. We use each force's published basic or ordinary rate and say exactly what it includes.

Extra months and allowances

The Netherlands pays an 8% holiday allowance and an 8.33% year-end payment to everyone; including both, Dutch pay would be about €36,961 to start and €61,668 at the top. London officers in England and Wales get London Weighting and the London Allowance; Scottish island officers get an Islands Allowance; PSNI officers get the Northern Ireland Transitional Allowance. None of these are in the rankings.

Pensions

UK officers build a defined benefit pension. In Australia most new officers get employer superannuation paid on top of salary (12% in New South Wales, 18% in Queensland), while Victoria's police scheme is still defined benefit. A salary that looks lower can come with a more valuable pension, or the other way round. See the pensions section below.

Cost of living

Exchange rates move daily and do not reflect what money buys. Purchasing power parities (PPP) adjust for price levels: the World Bank's 2025 factors convert each salary into what it would buy in the UK. PPP is a whole-economy average, so it will not capture Sydney or Toronto rents, or the difference between London and the rest of England.

Hours, progression and pay dates

Contracted hours range from 36 a week (Netherlands) to 40 (England and Wales, Scotland, Canada, LAPD). Reaching the top takes 3 years in Canada and 6 in England and Wales but about 27 in Denmark. Pay years differ too, and two entries are older rates because new deals have not been settled: the RCMP (April 2024) and the NYPD (August 2024).

National medians are not measured the same way

To compare pay with what ordinary workers earn, we divide by each country's median. But the UK, German and Canadian medians are for full-time workers over a year, the Australian and US medians are full-time weekly earnings x 52, Sweden's is monthly pay converted to full-time x 12, and the Irish and Dutch medians include part-time workers (which lowers the median and flatters the police multiple). So the multiple is indicative, not exact. Denmark is left out because its published median includes pension contributions.

Hours and years to the top

How long it takes to go from starting pay to the top of the scale matters as much as either number. A short climb means more lifetime pay for the same top figure. Where a source did not state hours or progression, we say so rather than guess.

Contracted weekly hours and years to the top of the constable scale, by force
Force	Years to top	Hours a week	Start to top rise
Sweden	2	Not stated	6%
Canada (RCMP)	3	40	62%
Toronto	3	40	43%
New York (NYPD)	5.5	Not stated	95%
England and Wales	6	40	61%
Northern Ireland	6	Not stated	61%
Ireland (Garda)	8	Not stated	54%
Scotland	11	40	61%
Victoria	11	Not stated	42%
Denmark	27	Not stated	29%
New South Wales	Not verified	38	51%
Queensland	Not verified	38	50%
Los Angeles (LAPD)	Not verified	40	36%
Netherlands	Not verified	36	67%
Germany (NRW)	Not verified	Not stated	25%

NSW: the NSW Government says about 10 years from Probationary Constable to the top of Senior Constable; the Police Association says 9. LAPD: about six and a half years to the top step of Police Officer II. Netherlands and Queensland: years to the top not verified. Germany (NRW): about 24 years, not confirmed in the source table. Sweden: end of a two-year ladder, then individual pay.

Country by country

What each figure is, where it comes from and what to bear in mind. The basis and notes are taken from the official sources listed with each force.

England and Wales

One national scale covers all 43 Home Office forces. Constables appointed since April 2013 start on pay point 1 (£32,255) and reach pay point 7 (£52,015) after six annual increments, one of the shorter climbs in this comparison. London and South East forces add allowances that are not in these figures. The 2026/27 figures are the official 2025/26 points plus the confirmed 3.5%, calculated by us because the Home Office had not published the new table when we checked.

43 Home Office forces (national pay scale)

Police Constable

Start: £32,255; £32,255
Top: £52,015; £52,015
Top, cost of living: £52,015
Top x median: 1.33x

Pay year: From 1 September 2026 (2026/27).

What is included: Basic pay only, constables appointed on or after 1 April 2013 (pay points 1 to 7). Excludes London Weighting (£3,260), London Allowance (up to £6,819, Met and City of London), South East Allowance (£2,070 or £3,105 in eight forces), overtime and unsocial-hours payments. No 13th month.

Notes: 2026/27 figures are the official 2025/26 points uplifted by the confirmed 3.5% and rounded to the pound; the Home Office determination listing the new points had not been published at the check date, so the official figures may differ by a few pounds. Chief officers may start new constables on point 2 (£33,609). Constables appointed before April 2013 are on a legacy scale with the same top. Pension source: gov.uk

Every rank and pay point: police pay scales 2026/27. The award itself: police pay rise 2026/27.

Scotland

Police Scotland has its own scale, negotiated through the Police Negotiating Board for Scotland, with a pay year that starts on 1 April. It pays more than England and Wales at both ends (£34,001 and £54,597), but the climb is longer: twelve points and 11 years to the top.

Police Scotland

Police Constable

Start: £34,001; £34,001
Top: £54,597; £54,597
Top, cost of living: £54,597
Top x median: 1.37x

Pay year: From 1 April 2026 (2026/27, inflation-guarantee adjusted).

What is included: Basic pay only. Excludes Islands Allowance (£1,332 to £2,664), overtime and other allowances. No 13th month.

Notes: Twelve points: commencing point, then point 1 after one year's service and one point a year to point 11. Pension source: pensions.gov.scot

Police Negotiating Board for Scotland, Circular 2026/01 (federated ranks pay), constables' pay from 1 April 2026

Full scale: Police Scotland pay scales 2026/27.

Northern Ireland

PSNI points for 2025/26 are identical to the 2025/26 England and Wales points, so Northern Ireland appears one pay round behind. The 2026/27 award had not been decided when we checked. PSNI officers also receive the Northern Ireland Transitional Allowance, which is not in these figures.

Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI)

Constable

Start: £31,164; £31,164
Top: £50,256; £50,256
Top, cost of living: £50,256
Top x median: 1.36x

Pay year: From 1 September 2025 (2025/26); the 2026/27 award had not been decided at the check date.

What is included: Basic pay only, constables appointed on or after 1 September 2014 (pay points 1 to 7). Excludes the Northern Ireland Transitional Allowance (£4,284 a year), overtime and other allowances. No 13th month.

Notes: These are 2025/26 rates, one pay round behind England and Wales. The 2025/26 PSNI points are identical to the 2025/26 England and Wales points. The PRRB was asked on 24 February 2026 to review 2026/27 pay in broad alignment with England and Wales.

Republic of Ireland

A garda starts on €39,194 (£33,117) and reaches €60,333 (£50,978) after 8 years. In pounds the top is just below England and Wales; after adjusting for cost of living it is £54,407, above it. The Irish median used includes part-time jobs, so the multiple of median pay is not like for like.

An Garda Síochána

Garda

Start: €39,194; £33,117
Top: €60,333; £50,978
Top, cost of living: £54,407
Top x median: 1.30x

Pay year: As of 1 February 2026.

What is included: Basic pay only. Excludes shift and unsocial-hours allowances paid on the 12-hour core roster, and overtime. No 13th month. Long-service increments above the 8-year point are not included.

Notes: Trainees are paid an allowance of €354 a week for the 36-week Garda College programme and become sworn members (attested) after phase one. Probation normally lasts two years from attestation. The CSO median includes part-time jobs, so the police-to-median multiple is flattered compared with UK figures.

Australia

Policing is run by the states, and each sets its own pay. The three biggest forces define their headline salary differently: New South Wales includes an 11.5% loading paid as salary, Victoria includes a 13% commuted penalty allowance, and Queensland's base salary excludes a 21% shift allowance that shift-working officers receive. So Queensland looks lower than it is for shift workers. Employers also pay superannuation on top of salary (12% in New South Wales, 18% in Queensland).

NSW Police Force (New South Wales)

Probationary Constable to Senior Constable

Start: A$92,576; £48,799
Top: A$139,688; £73,632
Top, cost of living: £67,613
Top x median: 1.54x

Pay year: From 1 July 2026.

What is included: Award salary including the 11.5% loading that is paid as salary to all non-commissioned officers (it compensates for weekend, shift and other work and replaces annual leave loading). Base without loading: $83,028 start, $125,281 top. Excludes overtime and other allowances, and superannuation (employer pays 12% on top).

Notes: Top is Senior Constable Level 5. Progression needs at least 12 months on each of 10 levels plus competency requirements; the NSW Government says Probationary Constable to top of Senior Constable takes about 10 years, the Police Association says 9. Academy students are not on the police scale: they are employed as temporary administrative staff on $1,360 a week during the 16-week Academy session.

Crown Employees (Police Officers - 2024) Award, NSW Industrial Gazette Vol 397 (9 May 2025), Table 1b

Victoria Police

Constable to Senior Constable

Start: A$84,060; £44,310
Top: A$118,945; £62,698
Top, cost of living: £57,573
Top x median: 1.31x

Pay year: From 1 June 2026.

What is included: Enterprise agreement 'ordinary rate of pay', which already includes a 13% commuted penalty allowance for weekend, public holiday and shift liability. Excludes the Operational Readiness, General Duties, capability, wellbeing and retention allowances, shift allowances, overtime and superannuation.

Notes: Top is Senior Constable point 12, reached by annual increments from point 1 (11 years). Leading Senior Constable (points 13 to 16, up to $126,007) is a selected role and is excluded. Recruits are paid $61,187 while in training until sworn in at the end of week 12.

Victoria Police Enterprise Agreement 2025, [2025] FWCA 1135 (AE528554), Schedule A

Queensland Police Service

Constable to Senior Constable

Start: A$78,505; £41,382
Top: A$118,127; £62,267
Top, cost of living: £57,177
Top x median: 1.30x

Pay year: From 1 July 2026 (CPI uplift adjustment schedule).

What is included: Base salary only. Excludes the 21% Operational Shift Allowance paid to shift-working officers (about $94,991 at the start point with OSA), other allowances, overtime and superannuation (employer pays 18%).

Notes: Start is Constable 1.1, top is Senior Constable 2.10. Recruit pay at the Academy is a percentage of the Constable rate plus a training allowance and is not shown here. Because Queensland's headline excludes the 21% shift allowance while NSW and Victoria build loadings into salary, Queensland looks lower than it is for shift workers.

Every Australian force's scale, allowances and pay deal is on our sister site, Police Pay Australia: police salary in Australia by state. UK officers thinking of moving should start with transferring to an Australian force from the UK.

Canada

Two very different employers: the RCMP, the federal force, and the Toronto Police Service, a municipal force. Both reach the top constable rate in about three years. The RCMP figures are April 2024 rates because its agreement expired on 31 March 2025 and no successor rates were found.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)

Constable

Start: C$71,191; £37,809
Top: C$115,350; £61,262
Top, cost of living: £66,948
Top x median: 1.64x

Pay year: From 1 April 2024 (including the market adjustment); still the latest published rates.

What is included: Basic annual rate of pay, Steps 1 to 5. Excludes overtime, shift premiums and allowances.

Notes: The agreement expired on 31 March 2025 and no successor rates were found at the check date, so these are April 2024 rates. RCMP recruiting says constables normally reach the top step within 36 months.

Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, RCMP (RM group) collective agreement, Appendix A, Constable row 'V) April 1, 2024 - Market adjustment'

Toronto Police Service

Constable (4th class to 1st class)

Start: C$86,572.66; £45,978
Top: C$123,678.50; £65,685
Top, cost of living: £71,782
Top x median: 1.76x

Pay year: From 1 July 2026.

What is included: Basic salary, Schedule A. Excludes overtime, shift premiums, retention pay and allowances.

Notes: Constables progress from 4th class to 1st class over about three years; officers hired after 2015 are paid at the 2nd class rate for their first six months at 1st class.

Toronto Police Association Uniform Collective Agreement 2025-2029, Schedule A (Ontario Ministry of Labour collective agreements e-library)

United States

Pay is set city by city, so there is no national scale. New York and Los Angeles are two of the largest departments. For context, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics national median for police and sheriff's patrol officers is US$76,210 (£57,521, May 2025). The NYPD rates are from August 2024 because the union contract expired on 31 July 2025 and had not been settled.

New York City Police Department (NYPD)

Police Officer

Start: US$55,942; £42,224
Top: US$109,352; £82,536
Top, cost of living: £74,046
Top x median: 1.75x

Pay year: Rates effective 1 August 2024 (latest published).

What is included: Base salary only. Excludes the annual uniform allowance, holiday pay, the 2.25% neighbourhood policing differential, night differential, overtime and City contributions to welfare and annuity funds.

Notes: The minimum salary rises to $109,352 on completion of five and a half years. The PBA contract expired on 31 July 2025 and a successor had not been settled at the check date. US police pay varies widely by city: the national median for police and sheriff's patrol officers is in US_POLICE_MEDIAN.

NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services, Notice of Examination, Police Officer (The Salary)

Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD)

Police Officer I/II

Start: US$93,730.32; £70,745
Top: US$127,660.32; £96,355
Top, cost of living: £86,443
Top x median: 2.04x

Pay year: Rates operative 28 June 2026.

What is included: Base salary only (Police Officer I/II step 1 to Police Officer II top step). Excludes overtime, bonuses and allowances.

Notes: The top step of Police Officer II is reached after about six and a half years. Police Officer III is a higher-paid assignment and is excluded. Pension source: content.lafpp.lacity.gov

Denmark

Danish officers are state civil servants. The top-of-scale figure (£52,047) is almost the same as England and Wales in pounds, but it takes far longer to reach: about 27 years on the route described in the pay circular. Denmark is not ranked on median pay because the national median includes pension contributions.

Danish National Police (Politiet)

Politibetjent

Start: DKK 357,427; £40,400
Top: DKK 460,467; £52,047
Top, cost of living: £50,908
Top x median: n/a

Pay year: State pay tables from 1 August 2026.

What is included: State civil-servant basic pay including the general percentage adjustment and local-area allowance (stedtillæg). Excludes evening, night and weekend allowances, local pay supplements and pension contributions.

After probation: DKK 367,974 (£41,592).

Notes: Start is the probation rate (skalatrin 23). afterTraining is the newly permanent rate (skalatrin 29) at the lowest local-area rate (II); in Copenhagen (rate VI) it is 386,849. Skalatrin 33 after 4 years, skalatrin 36 (414,064 to 424,494) after a further 5 years, and the top step (skalatrin 42) after 18 years on skalatrin 36 or from age 57 if earlier. No national median is shown: Statistics Denmark's median (48,700 kr a month, 2025) includes pension contributions, so it is not comparable with basic pay.

Sweden

Sweden has no fixed top of scale. New officers move up a two-year pay ladder, and after that pay is set individually. The "top" here is the end of the ladder, not a maximum, which is why Sweden is last on top-of-scale pay. Polisen gives the average for all officers below management as 42,400 SEK a month, a better guide to experienced pay.

Swedish Police Authority (Polisen)

Polisassistent

Start: SEK 408,000; £30,869
Top: SEK 432,000; £32,685
Top, cost of living: £34,219
Top x median: 0.94x

Pay year: Pay ladder for newly qualified officers from 1 September 2026.

What is included: Basic monthly pay x 12 (34,000, 35,000 and 36,000 SEK a month on the pay ladder). Excludes unsocial-hours allowances (often 4,000 to 7,000 SEK a month for patrol officers), the Stockholm supplement (up to 3,500 SEK a month) and overtime.

Notes: Sweden has no fixed top of scale: after the two-year ladder, pay is set individually. 'top' here is the end of the ladder, not a maximum. Polisen gives the average for all officers below management as 42,400 SEK a month (508,800 a year), which is the better guide to experienced pay. Aspirants are paid 23,000 SEK a month during the six-month placement.

Netherlands

Dutch figures are monthly salary x 12, from the minimum of scale 6 (agent) to the maximum of scale 7 (hoofdagent). They exclude the 8% holiday allowance and the 8.33% year-end payment that everyone receives on top, so they understate annual pay. The October 2026 figures are derived by us from the official January 2025 table and the collective agreement rises.

Politie (National Police of the Netherlands)

Agent (scale 6) to hoofdagent (scale 7)

Start: €31,772.76; £26,846
Top: €53,011.08; £44,792
Top, cost of living: £48,068
Top x median: 1.20x

Pay year: October 2026 (DERIVED: official 1 January 2025 table plus the CAO rises of 1% on 1 December 2025, 2% on 1 March 2026 and 2% on 1 September 2026).

What is included: Monthly basic salary x 12: minimum of scale 6 (agent) to maximum of scale 7 (hoofdagent). Excludes the 8% holiday allowance and the 8.33% year-end payment, which are paid on top to everyone (including both: about €36,961 start and €61,668 top), irregular-hours allowances and overtime.

Notes: The monthly figures (scale 6 minimum €2,647.73, scale 7 maximum €4,417.59) are calculated by us by applying the three CAO percentage rises to the official 1 January 2025 table, rounding to the cent; check against the next consolidated table. Years to the top of scale 7 not verified. Police officers in training (aspirants) are paid separately and are not shown. Pension (ABP) headline not verified.

Germany (North Rhine-Westphalia)

German police pay is set by each state. North Rhine-Westphalia recruits all new officers through a three-year policing degree into grade A 9. As civil servants (Beamte), German officers pay no employee pension or unemployment contributions, so their gross pay goes further than the same gross figure for an employee elsewhere.

Polizei Nordrhein-Westfalen (North Rhine-Westphalia)

Polizeikommissarin / Polizeikommissar (pay grade A 9)

Start: €41,258.64; £34,862
Top: €51,545.40; £43,553
Top, cost of living: £49,160
Top x median: 0.95x

Pay year: From 1 April 2026 (GV. NRW. 2026 S. 474).

What is included: Civil-servant basic pay (Grundgehalt) x 12, grade A 9 from experience step 3 (€3,438.22 a month) to the final step 11 (€4,295.45). Excludes the police allowance, family supplements and allowances for unsocial hours. NRW pays no separate Christmas bonus (it is folded into monthly pay). As Beamte, officers pay no employee pension or unemployment contributions, so gross pay is not directly comparable with employee pay elsewhere.

Notes: North Rhine-Westphalia recruits all new officers into the upper service (gehobener Dienst) through a three-year policing degree, so this is a graduate-entry constable-equivalent; pay during the degree is not shown. Progression through the experience steps to step 11 takes about 24 years (not confirmed in the source table). Bavaria's 1 October 2026 table (A 7 Polizeimeister €3,160.90 to €3,717.21 a month) was still provisional pending the Landtag, so it is not used.

Finanzverwaltung NRW: Grundgehälter Besoldungsordnungen A, B, R und W ab 1 April 2026

Pensions: the part of pay you do not see

Pension arrangements change the value of a salary a great deal, but they are hard to put a single number on. These are the headline arrangements we could verify. Where we could not, we leave it out.

England and Wales Police Pension Scheme 2015: career average defined benefit, 1/55.3 of pensionable pay a year, normal pension age 60 (Home Office member's guide).
Scotland Police Pension Scheme 2015 (Scotland): career average defined benefit, normal pension age 60 (Scottish Public Pensions Agency).
Ireland (Garda) Fast-accrual pension scheme for uniformed members (garda.ie recruitment guide).
New South Wales Accumulation superannuation with the 12% Superannuation Guarantee from the employer; the old Police Superannuation Scheme (defined benefit) is closed to new members.
Victoria Operational police join the ESSS Defined Benefit Fund (ESSSuper), a defined benefit scheme that is still open.
Queensland Accumulation superannuation (QSuper, Australian Retirement Trust) with an 18% employer contribution; the QSuper Police defined benefit account is closed.
Canada (RCMP) RCMP Superannuation (defined benefit); full pension after 25 years' service (RCMP recruiting).
Toronto OMERS defined benefit plan: normal retirement age 60, unreduced earlier after 30 years' service.
Los Angeles (LAPD) Los Angeles Fire and Police Pensions Tier 6 (defined benefit): can retire at 50 with 20 years' service on 40% of final average salary, rising to 90% at 33 years.
Sweden Pension contributions twice the usual labour-market level (Polisen).

Not verified, so not shown: Northern Ireland, New York (NYPD), Denmark, Netherlands, Germany (NRW). If you are weighing a move abroad, find out what your UK police pension is worth first: the police pension calculator shows it in pounds.

Not included and why

We only rank a force when we could find a dated starting and top-of-scale figure in an official source. These were checked and left out, or only partly used.

New Zealand Police: the official recruitment page (newcops.govt.nz/about-the-job/pay-benefits, undated) gives $59,906 during College, $77,481.30 in the first year out of College and a fifth-year AVERAGE of $83,534.81, each plus a 15% Operational Shift Allowance. No top-of-scale constable figure or effective date was found in an official source, so New Zealand is left out of the comparison. Stats NZ median weekly earnings from wages and salaries, June 2026 quarter: $1,419 (includes part-time).
Chicago Police Department: the City's Classification and Pay Plan 2026 (Schedule D, grade D-1) was read only as extracted text and the step columns could not be visually confirmed (the PDF blocks automated download), so the start and top figures are not used.
Ireland long-service increments: the 1 August 2025 garda pay sheet shows a long-service point of €64,303 (seen only via an archived copy), and any 2026 uplift to it was not confirmed. The entry uses the 8-year point (€60,333) from the 2026 recruitment guide.
Northern Ireland 2026/27: no PRRB report or Department of Justice decision had been published at 14 October 2026; the PSNI entry uses 2025/26 rates.
Norway: only district job adverts hosted on finn.no ('politibetjent 1 ... frå kr 510 000') were found, before the 2026 local pay round (due to finish 31 October 2026). No national scale, so left out.
Italy (Polizia di Stato, agente): DPR 24 March 2025 n. 53 gives a 2024 basic salary of €20,576.38 plus a pensionable allowance of €608.39 a month, but a 2025-2027 deal signed 15 July 2026 had not been implemented and no top-of-scale or ISTAT median was verified, so left out.
Spain (Policía Nacional / Guardia Civil): total pay depends on post-specific supplements (complemento específico, destino); no official total for the basic rank was found.
Denmark national median: Statistics Denmark's 2025 median (48,700 kr a month) includes pension contributions and is not stated as full-time, so it is not used.
France (Police nationale, gardien de la paix): the official recruitment page (1 January 2026) gives NET monthly pay including allowances (outside Ile-de-France: €1,570 at school, €2,162 at the first échelon, €3,704 at the end of career; Ile-de-France €1,617 / €2,344 / €3,917). Gross basic pay (traitement indiciaire, about €22,153 a year at the first échelon) excludes the large police allowance (ISSP), whose rate was not verified. Neither figure is comparable with the gross basic pay used here, so France is left out. If shown separately, compare net with net: INSEE private-sector median net monthly pay, full-time equivalent, 2024: €2,190 (insee.fr).
Germany, Bavaria: the 1 October 2026 pay table (A 7 Polizeimeister €3,160.90 to €3,717.21 a month; A 9 €3,387.91 to €4,223.97) was provisional pending the Landtag at the check date, so North Rhine-Westphalia is used instead.
Pension headlines not verified and therefore omitted: NYPD, PSNI, Denmark, Netherlands (ABP), Germany, Norway retirement age.

Thinking of moving?

Higher pay abroad is only part of the decision. Visas, which forces recruit UK officers at all, what happens to your police pension and how long the process takes all matter. In Australia, only Western Australia, South Australia and Queensland sponsor UK officers; the guide below explains why. These pages go further.

Moving abroad Transferring to an Australian force from the UK Which Australian forces recruit UK officers, and what happens to your police pension, tax and State Pension if you go. Read → Police Pay Australia UK vs Australia police pay, in detail Our sister site compares UK and Australian police pay point by point, with each state's current pay deal. Visit Police Pay Australia → Police Pay Australia Police salary in every Australian state All eight Australian forces' pay scales on one page, including the ones not in this comparison. Visit Police Pay Australia → Calculator Police salary calculator Your own England and Wales pay with allowances, overtime, tax, National Insurance and pension: the take-home this page does not show. Read → Before you resign Police pension calculator What your police pension is worth now. Worth knowing before you leave a defined benefit scheme for a job abroad. Read → UK pay Police pay scales 2026/27 Every England and Wales rank and pay point from 1 September 2026. Read → UK pay Police pay rise 2026/27 The 3.5% award, when it is paid and your back pay. Read → Scotland Police Scotland pay scales 2026/27 The Scottish scale point by point, and how Scottish tax changes the take-home. Read → Comparison Police vs army salary 2026 The other career many officers weigh up: base pay, allowances and pension compared. Read →

Police Pay Australia is our sister site, run by the same team. More UK pay comparisons: police pay compared with other jobs.

Methodology

Which pay. The first annual salary as a sworn constable (or local equivalent), and the top of the ordinary, non-promoted constable scale. For Australia that is the top of Senior Constable, the non-supervisory rank most officers reach by service; selected ranks such as Victoria's Leading Senior Constable are excluded. Trainee and recruit pay is described in the notes, not ranked.
Sources. Every figure was read in an official pay scale, collective agreement, government circular, force recruitment page or national statistics office on or before 14 October 2026. Where we calculated a figure from an official rule (the England and Wales 3.5% uplift, the Dutch collective agreement rises, weekly or monthly medians annualised), the entry says so.
Pounds at market rates. Local amount x Bank of England daily spot rate against sterling on 13 October 2026 (4pm London).
Adjusted for cost of living. Local amount / the country's World Bank PPP conversion factor (2025, indicator PA.NUS.PPP) x the UK factor. This gives the salary's value in UK purchasing power. Euro-area countries each have their own factor.
Multiple of national median pay. Local amount / that country's (or UK nation's) median earnings, in the same currency. Medians are measured differently, so this is indicative. Denmark is not ranked on it.
Ranking. Highest first. England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are ranked separately because they have separate pay scales. Every ranking can be reproduced from the data with a script we keep alongside the page.
What we did not do. We do not estimate take-home pay, add allowances that are not universal, or fill gaps with unofficial figures (for example salary websites or job adverts). If a figure could not be verified, it is listed in "Not included and why".

Frequently asked questions

How much are police officers paid in other countries?

Among the 15 police pay scales we compared in 9 countries, top-of-scale constable pay ranges from £96,355 (Los Angeles (LAPD)) to £32,685 (Sweden, where the figure is the end of a two-year ladder rather than a maximum), converted at Bank of England rates on 13 October 2026. England and Wales pays £52,015. These are basic salaries before tax, and each force defines basic pay slightly differently.

Where does England and Wales rank for police pay?

A top-of-scale constable in England and Wales (£52,015) ranks 10th of 15 in pounds, 10th of 15 after adjusting for cost of living, and 8th of 14 as a multiple of national median pay (1.33x). Starting pay (£32,255) ranks lower: 12th of 15 in pounds and 13th of 15 after cost of living.

Which country pays police officers the most?

In this comparison the Los Angeles Police Department pays the most, US$127,660.32 at the top of Police Officer II (£96,355), and it stays first after adjusting for cost of living. US pay varies widely by city, though: the national median for police and sheriff's patrol officers is US$76,210 (£57,521). Outside the US, New South Wales has the highest top-of-scale pay (£73,632).

Are police paid more in Australia than in the UK?

At the top of the scale, yes. New South Wales pays A$139,688 (£73,632), Victoria A$118,945 (£62,698) and Queensland A$118,127 (£62,267), against £52,015 in England and Wales. After adjusting for cost of living the gap narrows to £67,613, £57,573 and £57,177. New South Wales includes an 11.5% loading in salary, while Queensland's figure excludes a 21% shift allowance, and Australian employers pay superannuation on top.

How does police pay in Canada compare with the UK?

A Toronto constable reaches C$123,678.50 (£65,685) and an RCMP constable C$115,350 (£61,262), both in about three years, against £52,015 after six years in England and Wales. After adjusting for cost of living Toronto is £71,782 and the RCMP £66,948. The RCMP figures are April 2024 rates, the latest published.

How does Garda pay compare with UK police pay?

A garda starts on €39,194 (£33,117) and reaches €60,333 (£50,978) after 8 years. That is slightly below England and Wales in pounds, but after adjusting for cost of living the garda top (£54,407) is above the England and Wales top (£52,015). Shift allowances on the garda roster are not included.

Do police in Scotland earn more than in England?

Yes, on basic pay. From 1 April 2026 a Police Scotland constable starts on £34,001 and reaches £54,597, against £32,255 to £52,015 in England and Wales from 1 September 2026. The Scottish scale has more points (11 years to the top against 6), and Scottish income tax differs, so take-home pay is closer than the gross figures suggest.

Is police starting pay below the average wage?

In England and Wales, yes. A new constable's £32,255 is 0.83x the median gross annual pay of full-time workers (£39,059, ONS ASHE 2025 provisional). Of the 14 scales we could compare with a national median, 4 start at or above it: Los Angeles (LAPD), Toronto, New South Wales and Canada (RCMP). At the top of the scale England and Wales pays 1.33x the median.

What does adjusted for cost of living mean here?

We convert each salary using the World Bank's purchasing power parity (PPP) factors for 2025, which compare price levels across countries. The result is what the salary is worth in UK purchasing power. A UK salary is unchanged. PPP covers the whole economy, not police officers' own costs such as housing in a particular city, so treat it as a broad adjustment.

How long does it take to reach the top of the constable scale?

It varies widely. The RCMP and Toronto take about 3 years, England and Wales and Northern Ireland 6, Ireland 8, Scotland and Victoria 11, and Denmark about 27. The NSW Government says about 10 years from Probationary Constable to the top of Senior Constable (the Police Association says 9). Sweden has a two-year ladder and then individual pay.

Why are German police figures not directly comparable?

German police are civil servants (Beamte), who pay no employee pension or unemployment contributions, so the same gross pay leaves more in the pocket than an employee's. North Rhine-Westphalia also recruits all officers through a three-year degree into a graduate grade (A 9), so it is a graduate-entry equivalent of a constable. Its top step (£43,553) takes about 24 years, which is not confirmed in the source table.

Are these figures before or after tax?

Before tax. Every figure is annual gross basic pay as set out in the force's pay scale or agreement. Tax, social security and pension contributions differ a lot between countries, and so do allowances, overtime and shift pay, so a higher gross figure does not always mean more take-home pay. For your own UK take-home, use the police salary calculator.

Why are New Zealand, France and other countries not included?

We only include a force when we could verify both a starting and a top-of-scale figure, with a date, in an official source. New Zealand publishes no top-of-scale constable figure, France publishes net pay including allowances, and Spain's pay depends on post-specific supplements. Norway, Italy, Chicago and Bavaria are also left out for now; the reasons are listed on this page.

How often is this comparison updated?

The figures were checked on 14 October 2026, with exchange rates from 13 October 2026. Pay changes at different times of year (Australia in June and July, Scotland in April, England and Wales in September), and we update an entry when a new official scale is published.

Sources

All checked on or before 14 October 2026.

Pay scales and agreements

National median earnings

Conversion

PolicePay.co.uk is an independent reference site, not connected to any police force, government or staff association. This page is general information about published pay scales, not financial, tax, immigration or career advice. Confirm current pay and terms with the force concerned.