Pay, demand and where this field concentrates.
low → high: location quotient
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By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Protective Service occupations employ 3,776,610 people in the US with a median pay of $50,080 a year. BLS projects 1.1% growth to 2035 and about 414,200 openings a year.
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Median pay ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Security Guards | 1,283,470 | $38,020 | $30,210 | $58,840 |
| Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers | 670,520 | $76,210 | $47,510 | $115,120 |
| Correctional Officers and Jailers | 380,500 | $58,940 | $42,760 | $93,220 |
| Firefighters | 345,990 | $59,280 | $34,910 | $101,040 |
| Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers | 157,550 | $33,580 | $25,780 | $43,970 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | 154,610 | $106,040 | $63,350 | $165,110 |
| Detectives and Criminal Investigators | 114,430 | $93,790 | $55,390 | $160,540 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers | 99,140 | $93,530 | $53,430 | $140,010 |
| Crossing Guards and Flaggers | 94,360 | $38,100 | $30,840 | $61,690 |
| Protective Service Workers, All Other | 81,500 | $42,540 | $32,470 | $74,590 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers | 81,480 | $55,940 | $37,300 | $92,260 |
| School Bus Monitors | 78,420 | $35,100 | $28,130 | $43,250 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers | 53,380 | $77,970 | $52,330 | $127,780 |
| Transportation Security Screeners | 50,290 | $66,770 | $44,700 | $78,350 |
| Private Detectives and Investigators | 35,580 | $51,220 | $36,740 | $97,630 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Protective Service Workers, All Other | 20,690 | $76,400 | $41,110 | $103,420 |
| Bailiffs | 17,310 | $56,600 | $32,140 | $96,770 |
| Fire Inspectors and Investigators | 13,800 | $75,920 | $46,530 | $118,750 |
| Animal Control Workers | 12,070 | $45,660 | $33,090 | $68,070 |
| Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators | 9,520 | $43,370 | $32,730 | $61,970 |
| Parking Enforcement Workers | 9,050 | $46,730 | $35,130 | $75,340 |
| Fish and Game Wardens | 5,770 | $74,060 | $50,990 | $100,980 |
| Transit and Railroad Police | 4,390 | $90,230 | $57,690 | $125,910 |
| Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists | 2,780 | $56,870 | $35,420 | $105,460 |
Office and Administrative Support · Food Preparation and Serving Related · Transportation and Material Moving · Sales and Related · Management · Business and Financial Operations · Healthcare Practitioners and Technical · Educational Instruction and Library · Production · Healthcare Support · Construction and Extraction · Installation, Maintenance, and Repair · Computer and Mathematical · Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance · Personal Care and Service · Community and Social Service · Architecture and Engineering · Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media · Life, Physical, and Social Science · Legal · Farming, Fishing, and Forestry
| State ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 48,670 | 0.95 | $44,450 | -11% |
| Alaska | 8,510 | 1.08 | $69,100 | +38% |
| Arizona | 89,230 | 1.13 | $50,810 | +1% |
| Arkansas | 28,860 | 0.91 | $43,350 | -13% |
| California | 461,860 | 1.04 | $51,700 | +3% |
| Colorado | 65,970 | 0.95 | $56,930 | +14% |
| Connecticut | 38,390 | 0.93 | $61,050 | +22% |
| Delaware | 10,450 | 0.89 | $51,540 | +3% |
| District of Columbia | 29,670 | 1.74 | $73,950 | +48% |
| Florida | 264,700 | 1.10 | $47,130 | -6% |
| Georgia | 118,360 | 1.00 | $46,290 | -8% |
| Hawaii | 20,920 | 1.37 | $55,760 | +11% |
| Idaho | 16,420 | 0.79 | $51,920 | +4% |
| Illinois | 153,150 | 1.03 | $56,670 | +13% |
| Indiana | 67,370 | 0.87 | $48,960 | -2% |
| Iowa | 24,190 | 0.64 | $53,410 | +7% |
| Kansas | 31,390 | 0.90 | $49,200 | -2% |
| Kentucky | 44,000 | 0.91 | $42,310 | -16% |
| Louisiana | 58,850 | 1.25 | $41,740 | -17% |
| Maine | 12,240 | 0.79 | $51,730 | +3% |
| Maryland | 77,060 | 1.15 | $57,520 | +15% |
| Massachusetts | 82,890 | 0.94 | $65,550 | +31% |
| Michigan | 80,020 | 0.75 | $52,000 | +4% |
| Minnesota | 48,790 | 0.68 | $58,980 | +18% |
| Mississippi | 33,630 | 1.19 | $37,390 | -25% |
| Missouri | 62,760 | 0.88 | $46,840 | -6% |
| Montana | 9,500 | 0.76 | $57,570 | +15% |
| Nebraska | 17,320 | 0.70 | $60,590 | +21% |
| Nevada | 52,820 | 1.40 | $44,740 | -11% |
| New Hampshire | 12,010 | 0.72 | $60,420 | +21% |
| New Jersey | 122,610 | 1.18 | $54,480 | +9% |
| New Mexico | 26,980 | 1.28 | $49,980 | -0% |
| New York | 322,670 | 1.37 | $56,390 | +13% |
| North Carolina | 115,740 | 0.96 | $46,300 | -8% |
| North Dakota | 7,990 | 0.77 | $58,350 | +17% |
| Ohio | 119,760 | 0.89 | $52,030 | +4% |
| Oklahoma | 42,490 | 1.02 | $46,430 | -7% |
| Oregon | 38,350 | 0.80 | $59,260 | +18% |
| Pennsylvania | 135,600 | 0.92 | $47,690 | -5% |
| Rhode Island | 13,000 | 1.07 | $59,520 | +19% |
| South Carolina | 54,160 | 0.97 | $45,330 | -9% |
| South Dakota | 7,540 | 0.68 | $52,140 | +4% |
| Tennessee | 76,930 | 0.97 | $46,610 | -7% |
| Texas | 319,780 | 0.94 | $51,310 | +2% |
| Utah | 28,490 | 0.68 | $50,210 | +0% |
| Vermont | 4,840 | 0.66 | $56,910 | +14% |
| Virginia | 114,200 | 1.14 | $51,120 | +2% |
| Washington | 77,850 | 0.90 | $62,090 | +24% |
| West Virginia | 16,160 | 0.95 | $45,390 | -9% |
| Wisconsin | 54,430 | 0.76 | $60,110 | +20% |
| Wyoming | 7,060 | 1.03 | $55,390 | +11% |
Highest median pay among metropolitan areas with at least 5,000 jobs in this field.
| Metropolitan area ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Median pay ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salinas, CA | 6,300 | $79,080 | 1.39 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | 9,960 | $78,910 | 1.21 |
| New Haven, CT | 5,820 | $66,810 | 0.85 |
| Worcester, MA | 7,990 | $66,790 | 0.94 |
| Springfield, MA | 6,440 | $66,220 | 1.32 |
| Fresno, CA | 11,470 | $66,170 | 0.99 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 60,420 | $64,790 | 0.92 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 95,920 | $64,710 | 1.26 |
| Madison, WI | 6,560 | $63,130 | 0.66 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | 8,960 | $62,630 | 0.91 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | 17,930 | $60,650 | 1.03 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | 9,620 | $60,170 | 0.88 |
| Omaha, NE-IA | 9,290 | $59,860 | 0.77 |
| Reno, NV | 5,860 | $59,660 | 0.88 |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | 9,370 | $59,640 | 1.43 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 43,230 | $59,620 | 0.85 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | 13,330 | $59,380 | 0.91 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | 13,360 | $59,300 | 1.03 |
| Syracuse, NY | 6,400 | $58,850 | 0.88 |
| Rochester, NY | 11,650 | $58,610 | 0.97 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 32,270 | $58,240 | 0.68 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | 7,130 | $58,210 | 1.15 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 30,350 | $58,030 | 1.16 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | 16,400 | $57,510 | 0.82 |
| Akron, OH | 6,710 | $57,120 | 0.87 |
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | 6,930 | $56,780 | 0.94 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | 6,620 | $56,390 | 0.67 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 34,860 | $56,360 | 0.89 |
| Cleveland, OH | 26,300 | $56,300 | 1.05 |
| Toledo, OH | 6,160 | $56,160 | 0.87 |
| Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | 7,020 | $55,720 | 0.78 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 52,640 | $54,990 | 0.91 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | 6,260 | $54,640 | 0.80 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 22,330 | $54,550 | 0.76 |
| Columbus, OH | 27,840 | $54,370 | 1.04 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 40,420 | $54,100 | 1.08 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 321,560 | $54,000 | 1.39 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 36,520 | $53,970 | 0.79 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | 15,070 | $53,850 | 0.92 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | 7,090 | $53,680 | 0.92 |
The median is $50,080 a year across the field (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
3,776,610 in May 2025.