First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives Salary: $105,980 Median Pay (2026 stats)
Executive Summary
About 153,130 first-line supervisors of police and detectives work nationally, and $105,980 is the BLS national median annual wage. Employment in the series shown rose about 46% from the first to the last year; projections imply about 3.8% annual growth.
First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives: what the data shows
Common questions about first-line supervisors of police and detectives careers, answered from BLS OEWS and O*NET in this repository.
What is a first-line supervisors of police and detectives?
First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives is tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics under SOC 33-1012.
U.S. employment in our OEWS extract is about 153,130 workers.
What does a first-line supervisors of police and detectives do?
O*NET work activities rated highest for this occupation include Making Decisions and Solving Problems, Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates, Performing for or Working Directly with the Public, Getting Information, Documenting/Recording Information, Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events, and related tasks. See Work Activities for the full list.
How much does a first-line supervisors of police and detectives make?
BLS national median annual wage: $105,980 (May 2024 in our extract).
Mean annual wage in our occupational extract: $167,192 — higher than the median, which often reflects top earners in the distribution.
Wage percentiles below are from the California OEWS extract (not national unless noted).
| Wage percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $126,960 |
| 25th percentile | $139,208 |
| Median (50th) | $167,367 |
| 75th percentile | $191,360 |
| 90th percentile | $211,672 |
What skills do you need?
O*NET ratings for this occupation emphasize skills such as Active Listening, Monitoring, Coordination, Critical Thinking, Speaking, Social Perceptiveness, and knowledge areas including Law and Government, Public Safety and Security, English Language, Psychology. See Education & Skills for detail.
Is first-line supervisors of police and detectives in demand?
Historical employment trend in our series implies about 3.8% annual growth (compound rate in the extract).
Five-year projected employment change: 20.6%.
Ten-year projected employment change: 45.4%.
Current U.S. headcount: 153,130.
We report federal series only—compare wages, growth, and openings against your target market.
Where do first-line supervisors of police and detectivess work?
Top industries by employment share in our OEWS industry extract:
| Industry | Employment | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Cross-industry | 153,130 | 16.5% |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | 151,690 | 16.4% |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | 148,340 | 16.0% |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | 148,340 | 16.0% |
| Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | 125,410 | 13.5% |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | 124,500 | 13.4% |
See Industry for charts.
What degrees lead to this career?
Common majors for First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives in O*NET:
See Related degrees.
What careers are related?
Other occupations linked through shared degree pathways in our mapping:
| Occupation | U.S. employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers | — | — |
| Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists | 86,820 | $64,520 |
| Correctional Officers and Jailers | 365,380 | $57,970 |
| Detectives and Criminal Investigators | — | — |
Employment
Employment and salary information for the First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives workforce.
Employment Over Time
153,130 U.S. workforce (OEWS)
California employment for First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives grew from 28,520 in 2009 to 51,900 in 2025 (82.0%).
Historical employment for First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives from the California OEWS series, 2009–2025. The U.S. workforce figure is national and is not the endpoint of this line.
Yearly Wage Ranking
$105,980 Median pay (BLS national)
First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives earn $105,980 as the BLS national median annual wage.
Wage ranking compared to other occupations.
Wage Distribution
This chart shows the distribution of average salaries by income buckets for First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives.
Salary distribution for First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives.
Employment Growth Projections
3.8% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)
62,578 Projected Employment (5 years)
Projected growth: 20.6%
75,453 Projected Employment (10 years)
Projected growth: 45.4%
This occupation is projected to grow at 3.8% annually, indicating strong future demand.
Historical employment trends and future projections for First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives.
Industry
Information on the industries that employ First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives and on wages for those in the field.
Occupations by Industries
This graphic shows the share of First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives employed by various industries.
Industry distribution for First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives.
Wage Trends by Industry
-4.5% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate
Historical wage growth trends by industry for First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives.
Geographic Distribution
Employment and wage information by geographic location for First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives.
State employment and wages are from the U.S. BLS OEWS May 2024 state extract. Metropolitan areas use the national MSA file when available.
Top States by Employment
Top States by Employment:
- CA: 12,980 employees, $162,570 avg wage
- NY: 12,470 employees, $127,950 avg wage
- FL: 9,480 employees, $108,190 avg wage
- MD: 7,550 employees, $117,240 avg wage
- NJ: 7,420 employees, $146,900 avg wage
- GA: 7,370 employees, $82,180 avg wage
- TX: 5,810 employees, $108,680 avg wage
- IL: 5,550 employees, $123,850 avg wage
- PA: 5,310 employees, $106,590 avg wage
- OH: 5,240 employees, $97,880 avg wage
Top 10 states by employment for First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives.
Top Metropolitan Areas
Top Metropolitan Areas:
- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ: 13,930 employees, $141,670 avg wage
- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV: 4,960 employees, $132,610 avg wage
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA: 4,800 employees, $169,410 avg wage
- Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD: 4,280 employees, $117,160 avg wage
- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA: 4,240 employees, $88,050 avg wage
- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN: 4,190 employees, $133,780 avg wage
- Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH: 3,570 employees, $114,940 avg wage
- Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD: 3,050 employees, $121,080 avg wage
- San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR: 2,720 employees, $49,950 avg wage
- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI: 2,580 employees, $100,570 avg wage
Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives.
Diversity
Demographic information on First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives in the US.
Gender and Age
The U.S. workforce for First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives is about 153,130 people in our OEWS extract.
Gender and age distribution for First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives.
Races
Racial and ethnic shares when present in the career dataset. If the chart area shows a notice instead, occupational race/ethnicity fields are not yet populated for this extract.
Race and ethnicity distribution for First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives.
Education & Skills
Data on higher education choices and required skills for First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives.
Majors
The most common majors achieved by First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives in 2023 were Business Administration, Business, Social Sciences.
Common majors for First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives.
Education Levels
The main educational levels achieved by First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives workers.
Education level distribution for First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives.
Skills
First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives need many skills, but most especially Active Listening, Monitoring, Coordination, Critical Thinking, Speaking.
Required skills for First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives.
Knowledge & Abilities
Knowledge areas and abilities required for First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives.
Knowledge Areas
The most important knowledge areas for First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives include Law and Government, Public Safety and Security, English Language, Psychology, Administration and Management.
Knowledge areas required for First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives.
Abilities
Key abilities needed for First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives include Oral Expression, Oral Comprehension, Written Comprehension, Problem Sensitivity, Speech Clarity.
Required abilities for First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives.
Work Activities
Common work activities performed by First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives.
Daily Activities
First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives spend their time on activities such as Making Decisions and Solving Problems, Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates, Performing for or Working Directly with the Public, Getting Information, Documenting/Recording Information.
Most important work activities for First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives.
About
First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives
First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives earn $105,980 as the BLS national median annual wage.
SOC Code
33-1012 - First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives
Insights and Analysis
High earnings profile: First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives reports an average salary of $167,192, placing it among stronger-paying occupations.
Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 153,130 workers, indicating sustained demand.
Forward outlook: Projected annual growth is 3.8%, which should inform long-term career planning.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), and O*NET Online.
All wage figures represent annual averages and may vary by location, industry, and experience level.