Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
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Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2020
33-0000 Protective Service Occupations (Major Group)
Protective Service Occupations comprises the following occupations:
First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers;
First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives;
First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers;
Miscellaneous First-Line Supervisors, Protective Service Workers;
Firefighters;
Fire Inspectors and Investigators;
Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists;
Bailiffs;
Correctional Officers and Jailers;
Detectives and Criminal Investigators;
Fish and Game Wardens;
Parking Enforcement Workers;
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers;
Transit and Railroad Police;
Animal Control Workers;
Private Detectives and Investigators;
Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators;
Security Guards;
Crossing Guards and Flaggers;
Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers;
Transportation Security Screeners;
School Bus Monitors and Protective Service Workers, All Other
National estimates for Protective Service Occupations
Industry profile for Protective Service Occupations
Geographic profile for Protective Service Occupations
National estimates for Protective Service Occupations:
Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Protective Service Occupations:
| Employment (1) |
Employment
RSE (3) |
Mean hourly
wage |
Mean annual
wage (2) |
Wage RSE (3) |
| 3,351,180 |
0.4 % |
$ 25.11 |
$ 52,220 |
0.7 % |
Percentile wage estimates for Protective Service Occupations:
| Percentile |
10% |
25% |
50%
(Median) |
75% |
90% |
| Hourly Wage |
$ 11.88 |
$ 14.82 |
$ 21.02 |
$ 31.77 |
$ 45.20 |
| Annual Wage (2) |
$ 24,710 |
$ 30,820 |
$ 43,710 |
$ 66,090 |
$ 94,020 |
Industry profile for Protective Service Occupations:
Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Protective Service Occupations are provided.
For a list of all industries with employment in Protective Service Occupations, see the Create Customized Tables function.
Industries with the highest levels of employment in Protective Service Occupations:
| Industry |
Employment (1) |
Percent of industry employment |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) |
1,381,700 |
25.57 |
$ 30.86 |
$ 64,190 |
| Investigation and Security Services |
721,290 |
78.17 |
$ 16.29 |
$ 33,880 |
| State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) |
384,200 |
17.47 |
$ 29.37 |
$ 61,100 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) |
143,710 |
6.91 |
$ 35.14 |
$ 73,100 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools |
112,620 |
1.37 |
$ 16.91 |
$ 35,180 |
Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Protective Service Occupations:
| Industry |
Employment (1) |
Percent of industry employment |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Investigation and Security Services |
721,290 |
78.17 |
$ 16.29 |
$ 33,880 |
| Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) |
1,381,700 |
25.57 |
$ 30.86 |
$ 64,190 |
| Facilities Support Services |
33,320 |
20.69 |
$ 21.33 |
$ 44,380 |
| State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) |
384,200 |
17.47 |
$ 29.37 |
$ 61,100 |
| Other Support Services |
47,570 |
15.95 |
$ 17.75 |
$ 36,910 |
Top paying industries for Protective Service Occupations:
| Industry |
Employment (1) |
Percent of industry employment |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services |
340 |
0.03 |
$ 53.56 |
$ 111,400 |
| Natural Gas Distribution |
80 |
0.08 |
$ 46.69 |
$ 97,100 |
| Postal Service (federal government) |
1,340 |
0.21 |
$ 39.42 |
$ 81,990 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) |
143,710 |
6.91 |
$ 35.14 |
$ 73,100 |
| Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing |
1,830 |
0.35 |
$ 33.93 |
$ 70,570 |
Geographic profile for Protective Service Occupations:
States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Protective Service Occupations are provided.
For a list of all areas with employment in Protective Service Occupations, see the Create Customized Tables function.
States with the highest employment level in Protective Service Occupations:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| California |
401,540 |
24.44 |
1.01 |
$ 31.24 |
$ 64,990 |
| New York |
294,130 |
33.84 |
1.40 |
$ 29.28 |
$ 60,910 |
| Texas |
292,110 |
24.14 |
1.00 |
$ 23.39 |
$ 48,660 |
| Florida |
235,510 |
27.90 |
1.16 |
$ 21.98 |
$ 45,710 |
| Illinois |
133,470 |
23.72 |
0.98 |
$ 27.53 |
$ 57,260 |
States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Protective Service Occupations:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| District of Columbia |
28,200 |
41.03 |
1.70 |
$ 33.83 |
$ 70,360 |
| New York |
294,130 |
33.84 |
1.40 |
$ 29.28 |
$ 60,910 |
| Hawaii |
18,910 |
32.94 |
1.37 |
$ 26.48 |
$ 55,070 |
| Nevada |
39,750 |
31.78 |
1.32 |
$ 23.26 |
$ 48,370 |
| New Mexico |
24,400 |
31.05 |
1.29 |
$ 21.33 |
$ 44,380 |
Top paying states for Protective Service Occupations:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| District of Columbia |
28,200 |
41.03 |
1.70 |
$ 33.83 |
$ 70,360 |
| California |
401,540 |
24.44 |
1.01 |
$ 31.24 |
$ 64,990 |
| Washington |
63,910 |
20.00 |
0.83 |
$ 30.45 |
$ 63,330 |
| New Jersey |
108,990 |
28.81 |
1.20 |
$ 30.30 |
$ 63,020 |
| Alaska |
8,340 |
28.13 |
1.17 |
$ 30.12 |
$ 62,650 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Protective Service Occupations:
| Metropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA |
299,310 |
33.88 |
1.41 |
$ 29.82 |
$ 62,030 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA |
148,980 |
25.59 |
1.06 |
$ 30.29 |
$ 63,010 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI |
105,340 |
24.15 |
1.00 |
$ 27.64 |
$ 57,490 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV |
84,790 |
28.06 |
1.16 |
$ 30.45 |
$ 63,330 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL |
84,680 |
33.77 |
1.40 |
$ 23.70 |
$ 49,290 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX |
73,530 |
20.49 |
0.85 |
$ 23.98 |
$ 49,870 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX |
72,260 |
24.34 |
1.01 |
$ 22.31 |
$ 46,400 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
68,640 |
25.45 |
1.06 |
$ 25.24 |
$ 52,500 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA |
60,620 |
23.02 |
0.96 |
$ 21.18 |
$ 44,060 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH |
55,780 |
21.44 |
0.89 |
$ 30.09 |
$ 62,590 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Protective Service Occupations:
| Metropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA |
3,670 |
86.06 |
3.57 |
$ 40.77 |
$ 84,800 |
| Pine Bluff, AR |
2,240 |
79.48 |
3.30 |
$ 18.26 |
$ 37,980 |
| Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ |
2,310 |
72.95 |
3.03 |
$ 29.32 |
$ 60,990 |
| The Villages, FL |
1,940 |
64.57 |
2.68 |
$ 20.17 |
$ 41,950 |
| El Centro, CA |
3,690 |
64.21 |
2.67 |
$ 35.03 |
$ 72,860 |
| Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ |
2,560 |
50.76 |
2.11 |
$ 20.95 |
$ 43,580 |
| Vineland-Bridgeton, NJ |
2,860 |
50.00 |
2.08 |
$ 33.10 |
$ 68,840 |
| Yuma, AZ |
3,020 |
49.83 |
2.07 |
$ 25.89 |
$ 53,860 |
| Michigan City-La Porte, IN |
1,790 |
46.37 |
1.92 |
$ 18.99 |
$ 39,510 |
| Kingston, NY |
2,540 |
46.32 |
1.92 |
$ 29.30 |
$ 60,940 |
Top paying metropolitan areas for Protective Service Occupations:
| Metropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Bremerton-Silverdale, WA |
1,760 |
20.32 |
0.84 |
$ 41.60 |
$ 86,520 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA |
3,670 |
86.06 |
3.57 |
$ 40.77 |
$ 84,800 |
| Vallejo-Fairfield, CA |
4,200 |
31.61 |
1.31 |
$ 40.63 |
$ 84,510 |
| Madera, CA |
1,920 |
41.76 |
1.73 |
$ 39.27 |
$ 81,680 |
| Bakersfield, CA |
9,680 |
31.71 |
1.32 |
$ 37.78 |
$ 78,580 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA |
3,120 |
28.83 |
1.20 |
$ 37.50 |
$ 78,010 |
| Salinas, CA |
5,250 |
30.60 |
1.27 |
$ 37.23 |
$ 77,450 |
| El Centro, CA |
3,690 |
64.21 |
2.67 |
$ 35.03 |
$ 72,860 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA |
19,120 |
17.34 |
0.72 |
$ 34.66 |
$ 72,100 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA |
45,640 |
19.58 |
0.81 |
$ 33.92 |
$ 70,550 |
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Protective Service Occupations:
| Nonmetropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| North Florida nonmetropolitan area |
9,230 |
77.61 |
3.22 |
$ 18.16 |
$ 37,760 |
| Hill Country Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area |
8,940 |
46.66 |
1.94 |
$ 21.13 |
$ 43,940 |
| Kansas nonmetropolitan area |
8,410 |
22.22 |
0.92 |
$ 19.03 |
$ 39,590 |
| North Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area |
7,990 |
29.68 |
1.23 |
$ 20.74 |
$ 43,140 |
| Southeast Coastal North Carolina nonmetropolitan area |
7,780 |
32.34 |
1.34 |
$ 18.61 |
$ 38,710 |
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Protective Service Occupations:
| Nonmetropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| North Florida nonmetropolitan area |
9,230 |
77.61 |
3.22 |
$ 18.16 |
$ 37,760 |
| Arizona nonmetropolitan area |
5,830 |
64.59 |
2.68 |
$ 23.89 |
$ 49,680 |
| Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area |
3,530 |
64.06 |
2.66 |
$ 34.70 |
$ 72,170 |
| Border Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area |
3,120 |
54.95 |
2.28 |
$ 29.41 |
$ 61,180 |
| Capital/Northern New York nonmetropolitan area |
6,650 |
49.74 |
2.06 |
$ 30.98 |
$ 64,430 |
Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Protective Service Occupations:
| Nonmetropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area |
3,530 |
64.06 |
2.66 |
$ 34.70 |
$ 72,170 |
| North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area |
4,370 |
45.01 |
1.87 |
$ 34.26 |
$ 71,260 |
| North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area |
3,180 |
32.37 |
1.34 |
$ 32.36 |
$ 67,310 |
| Capital/Northern New York nonmetropolitan area |
6,650 |
49.74 |
2.06 |
$ 30.98 |
$ 64,430 |
| Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area |
1,580 |
17.15 |
0.71 |
$ 30.60 |
$ 63,650 |
About May 2020 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia.
The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall.
The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median.
More about percentile wages.
(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.
(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours;
for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.
(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.
(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration.
A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.
Other OEWS estimates and related information:
May 2020 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2020 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2020 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2020 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2020 Occupation Profiles
Technical Notes
Last Modified Date: March 31, 2021
United States Department of Labor
