Protective Service

First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives

25/100
#220 of 825
$106,040
median pay, U.S.
154,610
employed (2024)
+2.9%
growth, 2024–34
10,900
openings per year
High school diploma or equivalent
typical entry education

Is first-line supervisors of police and detectives a good career?

It scores 25/100 and ranks #220 of 825 occupations on pay, growth, employment and openings. Here's what the federal data says, with no editorializing.

Advantages

  • Pays well above the U.S. median wage ($106,040 vs $61,390)
  • No college degree typically required to enter

Possible tradeoffs

  • Slower-than-average projected growth (+2.9%)
  • Often needs prior experience (less than 5 years)

What first-line supervisors of police and detectives earn

Wages: BLS OEWS May 2025

Pay is a range, not a number. Half of U.S. first-line supervisors of police and detectives earn between $81,860 and $132,620 a year.

Best-paying states

California statewide
$163,960
New Jersey statewide
$142,990
Hawaii statewide
$140,590
Alaska statewide
$137,320
Washington statewide
$136,280
Illinois statewide
$135,080
$134,760
Nevada statewide
$132,100
Delaware statewide
$131,080
Colorado statewide
$126,810
$80k $150k $220k

Best-paying metros

01 San Francisco, CA $175,840
02 Vallejo, CA $175,070
03 Santa Cruz, CA $172,590
04 Los Angeles, CA $167,600
05 Napa, CA $164,150
06 Sacramento, CA $163,810
07 San Jose, CA $163,700
08 Santa Maria, CA $161,440

Strongest employment concentration

01 California 13,200
02 New York 12,750
03 Florida 9,900
04 Georgia 7,910
05 New Jersey 7,650
06 Maryland 6,700

Live first-line supervisors of police and detectives jobs

No live first-line supervisors of police and detectives openings yet

When the jobs.best ATS feed launches, verified first-line supervisors of police and detectives openings will appear here — each shown against the $106,040 national median. Nothing here is placeholder.

No placeholder listings · nothing invented

How to become a first-line supervisors of police and detective

Typical education
High school diploma or equivalent
Work experience
Less than 5 years
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training

Related occupations

Postsecondary nondegree award · $93,530 median
High school diploma or equivalent · $55,940 median
High school diploma or equivalent · $77,970 median
Questions about becoming a first-line supervisors of police and detective
How much do first-line supervisors of police and detectives make?

The national median wage is $106,040 a year, with the middle half earning between $81,860 and $132,620 (BLS OEWS May 2025).

Is first-line supervisors of police and detectives a good career?

On the Jobs.best index it scores 25 of 100 and ranks #220 of 825 occupations, weighing pay, growth, employment and openings. Employment is projected to change +2.9% through 2034.

What education do you need to become a first-line supervisors of police and detective?

The typical entry-level education is high school diploma or equivalent, usually with less than 5 years.

Where do first-line supervisors of police and detectives earn the most?

Among states, California pays the highest median ($163,960). Local pay for every state and metro is below.

U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsWages: BLS OEWS May 2025 · Projections: BLS EP 2024–34
Sources: OEWS-M2025 · EP-2024-34. How we score careers →