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Protective Service Jobs — US Salaries

24 occupations · about 3,776,600 US workers · top-paid First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives at $106,040 — BLS OEWS May 2025.

How much do protective service jobs pay in the US?

The Protective Service field (SOC 33) covers 24 detailed US occupations employing about 3,776,600 people. Median pay across its 24 priced occupations runs from $33,580 to $106,040 a year, with First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives the highest-paid at $106,040 (BLS OEWS May 2025). The US all-occupations median is $50,980. Updated annually from BLS OEWS.

Source:U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)·As of May 2025 national estimates · updated annually · last refreshed

Occupations

24

in this field

US workers

3,776,600

total employment

Top median

$106,040

highest-paid job

Lowest median

$33,580

of priced jobs

Every protective service occupation, by median pay

Protective Service occupations by national annual median wage, BLS OEWS May 2025
OccupationMedianMeanUS workers
First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesSOC 33-1012$106,040$112,190154,610
Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsSOC 33-3021$93,790$99,430114,430
First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention WorkersSOC 33-1021$93,530$96,93099,140
Transit and Railroad PoliceSOC 33-3052$90,230$91,8104,390
First-Line Supervisors of Correctional OfficersSOC 33-1011$77,970$84,38053,380
First-Line Supervisors of Protective Service Workers, All OtherSOC 33-1099$76,400$74,39020,690
Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersSOC 33-3051$76,210$79,200670,520
Fire Inspectors and InvestigatorsSOC 33-2021$75,920$78,67013,800
Fish and Game WardensSOC 33-3031$74,060$74,9505,770
Transportation Security ScreenersSOC 33-9093$66,770$64,31050,290
FirefightersSOC 33-2011$59,280$63,630345,990
Correctional Officers and JailersSOC 33-3012$58,940$63,630380,500
Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention SpecialistsSOC 33-2022$56,870$66,6402,780
BailiffsSOC 33-3011$56,600$61,66017,310
First-Line Supervisors of Security WorkersSOC 33-1091$55,940$59,90081,480
Private Detectives and InvestigatorsSOC 33-9021$51,220$60,15035,580
Parking Enforcement WorkersSOC 33-3041$46,730$51,1909,050
Animal Control WorkersSOC 33-9011$45,660$48,44012,070
Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling InvestigatorsSOC 33-9031$43,370$45,6309,520
Protective Service Workers, All OtherSOC 33-9099$42,540$48,07081,500
Crossing Guards and FlaggersSOC 33-9091$38,100$43,35094,360
Security GuardsSOC 33-9032$38,020$42,4701,283,470
School Bus MonitorsSOC 33-9094$35,100$35,15078,420
Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service WorkersSOC 33-9092$33,580$34,470157,550

Suppressed BLS cells are shown as “—”, never estimated. Click any occupation for its full salary breakdown and national rank.

Frequently asked questions

What is the highest-paying protective service job in the US?
Among Protective Service occupations, First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives have the highest published national median wage at $106,040 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025).
How many people work in protective service jobs in the US?
About 3,776,600 US workers are employed across the 24 occupations in the Protective Service field (SOC 33), summing the published BLS OEWS May 2025 employment estimates for each member occupation.
What jobs are in the protective service field?
The Protective Service field is SOC major group 33. It includes occupations such as First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives, Detectives and Criminal Investigators, First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers, Transit and Railroad Police, First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers, and 19 more. Every occupation whose 6-digit SOC code starts with 33 belongs to this field.
Where does this protective service salary data come from?
From the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2025 national release — cross-industry, all-ownership estimates. As US federal government work it is public domain. GeraJobs publishes the figures verbatim; suppressed cells are shown as "—".

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Data source

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) · May 2025 national estimates · SOC major group 33 · Public domain (U.S. federal government work)

Grouped by official US SOC 2018 major group and published verbatim by GeraJobs. Last updated: 2026-06-27. ← All occupational fields

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