occupation · 33-0000 · major
Protective Service Occupations — wages and employment
Protective Service Occupations earned a median annual wage of $50,580 in the United States in May 2024, with 3,654,910 people employed, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
What stands out
Protective Service Occupations earned a median annual wage of $50,580 in the United States in May 2024, with 3,654,910 people employed, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The lowest-paid tenth earned $32,040 or less, the best-paid tenth $104,000 or more. Since May 2023 the median moved from $47,760 to $50,580, +5.9 %. The best-paying state is District of Columbia at $73,270; the lowest Puerto Rico at $22,210. Among metropolitan areas, Hanford-Corcoran, CA pays the highest median, $95,840. Wages are as published by BLS for May of each year; '≥ $239,200' is BLS's top code. Every value links to its fact record.
United States, year by year
Annual wages at the median, mean and four percentiles; employment is the May estimate.
| Reference | Employment | Median | Mean | 10th | 25th | 75th | 90th | Median hourly | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2024 | 3,654,910 | $50,580 | $61,000 | $32,040 | $37,580 | $76,140 | $104,000 | $24.32 | evidence → |
| May 2023 | 3,504,330 | $47,760 | $57,710 | $29,890 | $36,370 | $71,560 | $100,170 | $22.96 | evidence → |
By state
Median annual wage, May 2024, highest first. Each state has its own record with the full series.
| State | Median annual | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $73,270 | 30,110 |
| Alaska | $69,220 | 8,120 |
| Washington | $64,960 | 75,030 |
| Massachusetts | $63,690 | 80,670 |
| Rhode Island | $60,420 | 11,680 |
| Minnesota | $60,060 | 46,960 |
| Nebraska | $59,990 | 16,740 |
| New Hampshire | $59,970 | 12,340 |
| Wisconsin | $58,880 | 51,020 |
| North Dakota | $58,570 | 8,010 |
| Montana | $58,560 | 9,030 |
| Connecticut | $58,140 | 37,070 |
| Oregon | $57,810 | 37,400 |
| Maryland | $57,780 | 74,210 |
| Colorado | $56,850 | 63,330 |
| Hawaii | $56,600 | 20,160 |
| New York | $56,150 | 319,360 |
| New Jersey | $56,110 | 115,210 |
| California | $55,500 | 434,650 |
| Illinois | $54,720 | 147,070 |
| Idaho | $53,860 | 14,880 |
| Ohio | $52,710 | 119,750 |
| Vermont | $52,460 | 4,580 |
| Delaware | $52,190 | 9,880 |
| Maine | $52,150 | 11,610 |
| Michigan | $52,100 | 79,890 |
| Wyoming | $51,850 | 6,840 |
| Iowa | $51,420 | 22,880 |
| Virginia | $51,150 | 110,470 |
| Arizona | $50,940 | 84,800 |
| Utah | $50,790 | 26,580 |
| Texas | $50,440 | 313,770 |
| South Dakota | $49,970 | 7,200 |
| Indiana | $49,800 | 63,970 |
| New Mexico | $49,610 | 26,900 |
| Pennsylvania | $47,840 | 129,830 |
| Kansas | $47,310 | 31,020 |
| Florida | $47,260 | 262,730 |
| North Carolina | $46,940 | 111,010 |
| Missouri | $46,700 | 60,980 |
| Tennessee | $46,530 | 76,460 |
| Oklahoma | $46,190 | 41,730 |
| West Virginia | $46,110 | 17,220 |
| Georgia | $45,870 | 112,500 |
| South Carolina | $45,400 | 53,060 |
| Nevada | $45,260 | 49,730 |
| Alabama | $43,660 | 48,340 |
| Arkansas | $43,330 | 27,610 |
| Louisiana | $43,070 | 56,900 |
| Kentucky | $41,070 | 41,540 |
| Guam | $40,270 | 3,030 |
| Virgin Islands | $39,560 | 2,270 |
| Mississippi | $37,170 | 32,310 |
| Puerto Rico | $22,210 | 53,250 |
Highest-paying metropolitan areas
Top 20 by median annual wage.
| Metro area | Median annual | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $95,840 | 4,050 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $94,890 | 3,030 |
| Vallejo, CA | $93,580 | 4,710 |
| El Centro, CA | $91,280 | 3,970 |
| Bellingham, WA | $83,860 | 2,000 |
| Vineland, NJ | $80,610 | 2,690 |
| Salinas, CA | $79,600 | 5,550 |
| Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | $79,580 | 1,620 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | $78,490 | 2,600 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $77,900 | 10,170 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $77,530 | 2,040 |
| Walla Walla, WA | $76,400 | 990 |
| Sheboygan, WI | $75,880 | 720 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $75,780 | 1,210 |
| Barnstable Town, MA | $74,670 | 2,040 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $74,360 | 3,150 |
| Idaho Falls, ID | $73,940 | 1,420 |
| Redding, CA | $73,840 | 1,880 |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | $73,680 | 660 |
| Elmira, NY | $72,410 | 1,160 |
Occupations in this group
24 detailed occupations, largest first.
- Security Guards 33-9032 · median $38,370 · 1,241,770 jobs
- Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers 33-3051 · median $76,290 · 666,990 jobs
- Correctional Officers and Jailers 33-3012 · median $57,970 · 365,380 jobs
- Firefighters 33-2011 · median $59,530 · 332,240 jobs
- First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives 33-1012 · median $105,980 · 153,130 jobs
- Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers 33-9092 · median $33,720 · 143,590 jobs
- Detectives and Criminal Investigators 33-3021 · median $93,580 · 110,790 jobs
- First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers 33-1021 · median $92,430 · 93,680 jobs
- Crossing Guards and Flaggers 33-9091 · median $37,700 · 90,180 jobs
- Protective Service Workers, All Other 33-9099 · median $41,600 · 83,110 jobs
- School Bus Monitors 33-9094 · median $34,980 · 72,140 jobs
- First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers 33-1091 · median $58,610 · 70,310 jobs
- First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers 33-1011 · median $76,310 · 53,390 jobs
- Transportation Security Screeners 33-9093 · median $63,360 · 46,340 jobs
- Private Detectives and Investigators 33-9021 · median $52,370 · 38,700 jobs
- First-Line Supervisors of Protective Service Workers, All Other 33-1099 · median $74,960 · 20,460 jobs
- Bailiffs 33-3011 · median $57,050 · 16,910 jobs
- Fire Inspectors and Investigators 33-2021 · median $78,060 · 14,050 jobs
- Animal Control Workers 33-9011 · median $45,830 · 11,790 jobs
- Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators 33-9031 · median $43,900 · 10,000 jobs
- Parking Enforcement Workers 33-3041 · median $47,150 · 7,770 jobs
- Fish and Game Wardens 33-3031 · median $68,180 · 6,420 jobs
- Transit and Railroad Police 33-3052 · median $82,320 · 3,000 jobs
- Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists 33-2022 · median $52,380 · 2,780 jobs
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