Public Safety Survey (2008)

California Statewide Survey Results

Patrol Group

The table below presents the summary of the data collected within California relative to the Patrol Group classes. This data was provided by the thirty-six California cities and counties that were survey respondents.

Compares the State's salary and compensation to the medians for all jurisdictions surveyed

Classification	State of CA Maximum Base Salary	Survey Median Max Base Salary	State Relationship to Median	State of CA Maximum Total Compensation	Survey Median Max Total Compensation	State Relationship to Median
Patrol Officer	$5,762	$5,632	2.26%	$8,512	$7,911	7.06%
Sergeant	$7,008	$7,177	-2.41%	$10,122	$9,455	6.59%
Captain	$10,837	$10,236	5.55%	$12,999	$13,184	-1.42%

The maximum Total Compensation of the State of California Patrol Officer and Sergeant, California Highway Patrol classes is moderately higher than the median maximum Total Compensation reported by survey respondents for those benchmark classes.

Note that the Patrol Officer and Sergeant, California Highway Patrol classes receive several California pay differentials, in addition to longevity and education pay, that do not appear in the base salary range of those classes. These compensation components appear as "Other Cash" in the detailed data spreadsheets that appear in three appendices (Statewide Data, Regional Data, and Non-California Data).

These pay differentials increase the State of California Total Compensation of those classes by approximately an additional 10%, and account for the change in the State relationship to the median percentage between the base salary and Total Compensation data for the Patrol Officer and Sergeant benchmark classes. This circumstance underscores the necessity of considering Total Compensation in evaluating relative compensation levels when public safety classes are involved.

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California Statewide Survey Results

• Patrol Group
• Corrections Group
• Other Law Enforcement

Updated October 6, 2008 at 12:04 PM.