MANCHESTER, NH – The Manchester Board of Mayor and Aldermen are currently in negotiations for new collective bargaining agreements with the two unions representing members of the Manchester Police Department. The negotiations have become a key part of negotiations on the Fiscal Year 2027 budget as several aldermen believe that without a tax cap override, the city cannot offer a competitive offer to those unions.
While it’s a matter of debate whether an override is necessary to properly pay Manchester’s police officers, what can be confirmed is what a certified police officer in the State of New Hampshire sees when applying for a job.
It’s uncertain what the future might bring when it comes to Manchester’s budget and there can be intangibles that an applicant for a law enforcement job might have; but for the sake of comparison, here is what an applicant looking at just annual base salaries would see when they look at job listings in Manchester, the communities neighboring Manchester and the other communities alongside Manchester within the state’s 10 largest communities.
Salaries and links to the job listings or collective bargaining agreements for certified officers are accurate as of June 8, 2026, and are listed from highest to lowest based upon the lower end of listed salary ranges. Additional details as well as details on benefits packages or offers with sign-on bonuses can be found at each of the links. Some of the listings do not clarify between certified and non-certified positions. When available, only certified position salaries are listed below.
$74,419 to $96,166
$72,820 to $89,003.20
$70,720 to $84,385.60
$67,995 to $107,441.36
$67,974.40 to $85,675.20
$65,707.20 to $71,801.60
$64,438 to $85,966
$63,960 – $92,580
$62,982 to $86,840
$62,961 to $81,786
$62,212 to $74,755
$56,888 to $95.139.20
$56,056 to $73,458
$55,952 to $74,505.60
$51,542 to $88,275