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COL-adjusted ranking

Best Cities for First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectivess by Take-Home Pay

The cities that pay First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectivess the most on paper aren't usually the best deals once rent and prices are factored in. Vallejo ranks first with a COL-adjusted equivalent of $161,385/year, better purchasing power than San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont's higher nominal pay of $175,840. The table below uses BLS OEWS May 2025 salary data and BEA Regional Price Parities.

Highest nominal pay

#1 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont$175,840
#2 Vallejo$175,070
#3 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim$167,600

Best purchasing power

#1 Vallejo$161,385
#2 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom$153,567
#3 Anchorage$152,817

Top 25 metros by purchasing power

Ranked by COL-adjusted salary. Metros with fewer than 100 employed first-line supervisors of police and detectivess excluded.

Rank
Metro
Nominal
COL-adj.
#1
Vallejo
15% rent burden
$175,070
$161,385
#2
$163,810
$153,567
#3
Anchorage
10% rent burden
$161,100
$152,817
#4
$175,840
$152,098
#5
$159,810
$150,141
#6
$161,440
$148,382
#7
$163,700
$148,252
#8
$167,600
$147,574
#9
$158,510
$142,635
#10
Salinas
21% rent burden
$153,930
$141,168
#11
Lexington Park
16% rent burden
$137,640
$136,602
#12
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater
17% rent burden
$140,730
$135,748
#13
$149,460
$135,221
#14
Cedar Rapids
10% rent burden
$120,030
$134,926
#15
Yakima
13% rent burden
$128,770
$134,767
#16
$148,310
$132,550
#17
$129,690
$132,242
#18
$132,100
$131,810
#19
$130,040
$131,540
#20
Modesto
15% rent burden
$136,920
$131,515
#21
Reno
17% rent burden
$132,790
$131,462
#22
$135,080
$130,399
#23
$140,400
$129,282
#24
El Paso
10% rent burden
$115,820
$128,818
#25
Lincoln
12% rent burden
$117,860
$128,696

COL-adjusted = nominal salary divided by (BEA RPP divided by 100). Rent burden = annual 2BR FMR as % of nominal salary. Sources: BLS OEWS May 2025, BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents.

Common questions

What does "COL-adjusted pay" mean for First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectivess?

COL-adjusted pay divides the BLS median salary by the BEA Regional Price Parity index (100 = national average). A salary of $175,840 in a city with RPP 120 has the same purchasing power as $146,533 at national average prices.

Why doesn't New York or San Francisco top this list?

Both cities pay above-average salaries, but rent and everyday costs eat most of that premium. A first-line supervisors of police and detectives in New York might earn 30% more but pay 60-80% more in rent. The net result is often less purchasing power than mid-cost metros.

How is purchasing power calculated?

Purchasing power equals nominal median salary divided by (BEA RPP divided by 100). BEA's Regional Price Parities measure relative price levels across metro areas, updated annually from the National Income and Product Accounts.

What's the most affordable metro for First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectivess?

Anchorage has one of the lowest rent burdens for First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectivess in this dataset. HUD FMR for a 2-bedroom is $1,376/month, with a median salary of $161,100.

Where do First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectivess get paid the most in nominal terms?

San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont pays the highest nominal median salary at $175,840/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. But check the COL-adjusted column before accepting any relocation offer.

National salary breakdown for First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivessView →How to become a first-line supervisors of police and detectivesGuide →Compare two cities side by sideCompare →