Highest-paying jobs in law enforcement and protective service
The 22 law enforcement and protective service occupations BLS publishes, ranked by national median pay, with the education each typically needs to enter.
The highest-paying law enforcement and protective service occupation is First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives, with a BLS national median of $106,040 a year (May 2025). 1 of the 22 law enforcement and protective service occupations BLS publishes have a median of $100,000 or more; the best-paid one that typically needs less than a bachelor's degree is First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives ($106,040).
All 22 occupations
Data BLS OEWS May 2025 national median annual wages.
| # | Occupation | Median annual | Median hourly | Typical entry-level education | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | $106,040 | $50.98 | High school diploma | 154,610 |
| 2 | Detective | $93,790 | $45.09 | High school diploma | 114,430 |
| 3 | First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers | $93,530 | $44.96 | Postsecondary certificate | 99,140 |
| 4 | Transit and Railroad Police | $90,230 | $43.38 | High school diploma | 4,390 |
| 5 | First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers | $77,970 | $37.49 | High school diploma | 53,380 |
| 6 | Police Officer | $76,210 | $36.64 | High school diploma | 670,520 |
| 7 | Fire Inspectors and Investigators | $75,920 | $36.50 | Postsecondary certificate | 13,800 |
| 8 | Game Warden | $74,060 | $35.60 | Bachelor's degree | 5,770 |
| 9 | Transportation Security Screeners | $66,770 | $32.10 | High school diploma | 50,290 |
| 10 | Firefighter | $59,280 | $28.50 | Postsecondary certificate | 345,990 |
| 11 | Correctional Officer | $58,940 | $28.34 | High school diploma | 380,500 |
| 12 | Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists | $56,870 | $27.34 | High school diploma | 2,780 |
| 13 | Bailiffs | $56,600 | $27.21 | High school diploma | 17,310 |
| 14 | First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers | $55,940 | $26.90 | High school diploma | 81,480 |
| 15 | Private Investigator | $51,220 | $24.62 | High school diploma | 35,580 |
| 16 | Parking Enforcement Workers | $46,730 | $22.47 | High school diploma | 9,050 |
| 17 | Animal Control Workers | $45,660 | $21.95 | High school diploma | 12,070 |
| 18 | Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators | $43,370 | $20.85 | High school diploma | 9,520 |
| 19 | Crossing Guards and Flaggers | $38,100 | $18.32 | No formal credential | 94,360 |
| 20 | Security Guard | $38,020 | $18.28 | High school diploma | 1,283,470 |
| 21 | School Bus Monitors | $35,100 | $16.88 | High school diploma | 78,420 |
| 22 | Lifeguard | $33,580 | $16.14 | No formal credential | 157,550 |
Best-paid law enforcement and protective service jobs that typically need less than a bachelor’s degree
Data Typical entry-level education from BLS Employment Projections: no formal credential, high school, some college, a postsecondary certificate or an associate degree.
| # | Occupation | Median annual | Typical entry-level education | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | $106,040 | High school diploma | 154,610 |
| 2 | Detective | $93,790 | High school diploma | 114,430 |
| 3 | First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers | $93,530 | Postsecondary certificate | 99,140 |
| 4 | Transit and Railroad Police | $90,230 | High school diploma | 4,390 |
| 5 | First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers | $77,970 | High school diploma | 53,380 |
| 6 | Police Officer | $76,210 | High school diploma | 670,520 |
| 7 | Fire Inspectors and Investigators | $75,920 | Postsecondary certificate | 13,800 |
| 8 | Transportation Security Screeners | $66,770 | High school diploma | 50,290 |
| 9 | Firefighter | $59,280 | Postsecondary certificate | 345,990 |
| 10 | Correctional Officer | $58,940 | High school diploma | 380,500 |
Pay versus size
Data The largest law enforcement and protective service occupation by employment is Security Guard (1,283,470 employed, median $38,020). The median of the 22 occupation medians is not a BLS figure and is not shown; each row is the occupation's own BLS median.
How this page is built
Occupations in BLS protective service occupations (SOC 33-0000): law enforcement, firefighting, corrections, security and related work, ranked by BLS national median annual wage (OEWS May 2025); BLS residual “all other” categories are left out. Education is the BLS typical entry-level education, not a legal requirement.
- Pay at a specific employer or in your state.
- Starting pay: medians include experienced workers.
- Which job fits your goals: pay is one factor among many.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates (public domain).
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025–35 (released Aug 27, 2026; public domain): typical entry-level education, work experience, on-the-job training, projected change and annual openings.