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Over 60 percent of protective service jobs were in the public sector in May 2021
May 16, 2022
Protective service occupations had employment of nearly 3.4 million in May 2021, representing 2.4 percent of U.S. employment. Sixty-two percent of protective service jobs were in the public sector, compared with about 15 percent of overall employment. Security guards, with employment of nearly 1.1 million, was the largest protective service occupation. About 90 percent of security guards were employed in the private sector. After security guards, the largest protective service occupations were police and sheriff’s patrol officers (665,380), correctional officers and jailers (392,600), and firefighters (317,310). Unlike security guards, these occupations had over 90 percent of their employment in the public sector.
Employment, percent of employment in public sector, and annual mean wage for protective service occupations, May 2021
Occupation
Employment, all ownerships
Percent in public sector
Annual mean wage, all ownerships
All protective service occupations
3,385,030
62.2%
$53,420
Security guards
1,057,100
9.6
35,830
Police and sheriff's patrol officers
665,380
99.0
70,750
Correctional officers and jailers
392,600
94.9
53,420
Firefighters
317,310
93.8
55,290
First-line supervisors of police and detectives
128,230
98.9
98,760
Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers
114,320
39.6
27,320
Detectives and criminal investigators
107,890
99.9
90,370
Protective service workers, all other
100,110
60.1
42,160
Crossing guards and flaggers
82,690
52.6
35,670
First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
80,890
96.2
83,270
First-line supervisors of security workers
55,450
11.8
55,080
School bus monitors
55,310
58.8
30,220
First-line supervisors of correctional officers
54,470
97.0
69,750
Transportation security screeners
48,320
85.9
46,380
Private detectives and investigators
28,860
12.8
60,970
First-line supervisors of protective service workers, all other
23,780
47.7
63,910
Bailiffs
16,420
99.0
52,340
Fire inspectors and investigators
14,600
78.8
69,680
Animal control workers
11,600
92.3
42,620
Gambling surveillance officers and gambling investigators
9,190
62.1
38,080
Parking enforcement workers
7,450
94.2
46,050
Fish and game wardens
6,730
100.0
58,190
Transit and railroad police
3,590
86.9
69,570
Forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists
2,770
97.8
54,340
The annual mean wage for protective service occupations was $53,420, compared with $58,260 for all occupations combined. The highest paying protective service occupations were first-line supervisors of police and detectives ($98,760), detectives and criminal investigators ($90,370), and first-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers ($83,270).
School bus monitors ($30,220) and lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers ($27,320) were the lowest paying protective service occupations. The largest protective service occupation, security guards ($35,830), was also among the lowest paying.
United States Department of Labor
