RECENT SALARY TABLE ADJUSTMENT SENDS MPD STARTING SALARY HIGHER THAN $80K
(Feb. 11, 2026)
MIDLAND, TEXAS -- The starting salary for a Midland Police Department officer has topped $80,000, and the impact can be seen on the shrinking number of vacancies on the police force.
City leaders and MPD officials have worked to increase salaries for police officers. A study shows that the starting salary has increased 21.9% since 2023 and 30.4% since 2020. A big reason was the Midland Police Department salary table adjustment in 2024. The city also shows costs of living adjustments (COLA) for MPD of 3% in 2023, 5% in 2024, 2.5% in 2025 and 5% in 2026.
Fewer vacancies are a result of the better pay. In 2019, MPD reported 52 vacancies. That number dropped to 19 in 2025 and is currently 13. That does not account for the 14 recruits currently in the academy.