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Protective Service Occupations

Reviewed by Armen

Group median

$50,580

Group mean

$61,000

Employment

3,654,910

Occupations

May 2024 national BLS data. Figures are national medians and percentiles from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS (May 2024); your local market, employer and experience will differ. Wage data ages — this reflects the May 2024 release, verified June 2026. Informational only, not career, salary-negotiation or financial advice.

Protective Service Occupations (SOC code 33-0000) encompassed 3,654,910 workers in the United States as of May 2024, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. This major occupational group reported a national median annual wage of $50,580 and a mean annual wage of $61,000 during that period.

The Protective Service Occupations group functions as an umbrella classification containing 24 detailed occupations with substantially varying compensation levels. Individual occupations within this group earned wages both considerably above and below the group median, reflecting differences in job responsibilities, required qualifications, and market demand across the protective services sector. Workers considering opportunities in this field should examine specific occupational data rather than relying solely on the group-level figures.

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Occupations in Protective Service Occupations

Occupation	Median pay	Employment
First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives	$105,980	153,130
Detectives and Criminal Investigators	$93,580	110,790
First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers	$92,430	93,680
Transit and Railroad Police	$82,320	3,000
Fire Inspectors and Investigators	$78,060	14,050
First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers	$76,310	53,390
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers	$76,290	666,990
First-Line Supervisors of Protective Service Workers, All Other	$74,960	20,460
Fish and Game Wardens	$68,180	6,420
Transportation Security Screeners	$63,360	46,340
Firefighters	$59,530	332,240
First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers	$58,610	70,310
Correctional Officers and Jailers	$57,970	365,380
Bailiffs	$57,050	16,910
Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists	$52,380	2,780
Private Detectives and Investigators	$52,370	38,700
Parking Enforcement Workers	$47,150	7,770
Animal Control Workers	$45,830	11,790
Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators	$43,900	10,000
Protective Service Workers, All Other	$41,600	83,110
Security Guards	$38,370	1,241,770
Crossing Guards and Flaggers	$37,700	90,180
School Bus Monitors	$34,980	72,140
Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers	$33,720	143,590

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U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 national (public domain), verified June 2026. How we compile this.

Protective Service Occupations

Occupations in Protective Service Occupations

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