First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives Salary
First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives in Alabama make a median of $75,970 a year, or about $36.53 an hour. The range runs from $49K at the entry level to $121K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.36), which stretches that salary to about $85,978 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,085/month, or 21.7% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Alabama. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $76K actually covers in Alabama, month by month
About first-line supervisors of police and detectives
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What this looks like in Alabama
Pay for first-line supervisors of police and detectives in Alabama runs about 28% below the U.S. median of $106K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,085/month, 22.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.36 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Alabama can be a reasonable trade-off for first-line supervisors of police and detectives who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Alabama
Entry-level first-line supervisors of police and detectives (10th percentile) start around $49K. Mid-career wages sit at $76K. Top earners bring in $121K or more, a $73K spread from bottom to top.
First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives salary by metro in Alabama
11 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huntsville | $99K | +30% | 120 |
| Daphne-Fairhope-Foley | $98K | +28% | 60 |
| Birmingham | $95K | +25% | 400 |
| Decatur | $83K | +9% | 50 |
| Auburn-Opelika | $78K | +3% | 70 |
| Mobile | $76K | +0% | 300 |
| Tuscaloosa | $75K | -2% | 70 |
| Montgomery | $74K | -2% | 220 |
| Anniston-Oxford | $74K | -3% | 30 |
| Dothan | $64K | -16% | 40 |
| Florence-Muscle Shoals | $61K | -20% | 60 |
Showing 1–10 of 11 metros
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Alabama numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a first-line supervisors of police and detectif afford a 2BR apartment alone in Alabama?
Yes — at the median salary of $76K, rent takes 22.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,085/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for first-line supervisors of police and detectives in Alabama?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new first-line supervisors of police and detectives typically earn — is $49K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,230/month. At HUD’s $1,085/month FMR, rent would take 34% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is first-line supervisors of police and detectif a high-paying job in Alabama?
Local pay runs 28% below the national median — $76K here vs. $106K nationally. Cost of living is 12% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Alabama compare to the national average for first-line supervisors of police and detectives?
Alabama pays $76K median vs. the U.S. average of $106K — that’s -28%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.36), the purchasing-power equivalent is $86K — below the national median.
How much do first-line supervisors of police and detectives make in Alabama?
The median is $75,970 a year, that works out to about $37 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $48,520, and experienced first-line supervisors of police and detectives can clear $121,430. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $76K enough to live in Alabama?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,850/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,085/month, which eats 22.4% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a first-line supervisors of police and detectives salary go in Alabama?
Alabama has a Regional Price Parity of 88.36 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median first-line supervisors of police and detectives salary is worth about $85,978 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do first-line supervisors of police and detectives get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.