First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives earn a median of $106,040 per year ($50.98/hr) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to grow 3.3% through 2035, with about 10,600 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- SOC 33-1012
- Protective Service
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
First-Line Supervisor of Police and Detectives in four numbers
- Median pay
- $106,040a year, or $50.98/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $63KTop 10% $165K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +3.3%About as fast as averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+3.3%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +3.3% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 10,600160,200 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025160.2K
- Projected 2035165.4K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 160.2K Projected 2035 165.4K - Typical education
- High schoolneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- High school56.4%
- Certificate0.9%
- Some college19.6%
- Associate's3.6%
- Bachelor's19.4%
Highest education held by first-line supervisors of police and detectives Segment Value High school 56.4% Certificate 0.9% Some college 19.6% Associate's 3.6% Bachelor's 19.4%
Also advertised as: Captain, Deputy Sheriff, Detective Sergeant, Lieutenant, Patrol Sergeant, Police Captain.
Pay
How much do First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives make?
Every first-line supervisor of police and detectives in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$106,040
Middle half earn $81,860 to $132,620
- 10th
- $63,350
- 25th
- $81,860
- 75th
- $132,620
- 90th
- $165,110
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $63,350 |
| 25th | $81,860 |
| Median | $106,040 |
| 75th | $132,620 |
| 90th | $165,110 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $106,040
- Median hourly wage
- $50.98/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $112,190
- People employed
- 154,610
Versus all US occupations
At $106,040, First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives earn 108% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $55,060 a year.
Versus protective service occupations
Inside the Protective Service group, where the middle occupation pays $74,060, this is 43% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $165,110 or more while the bottom 10% earn $63,350, a gap of 2.6×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 80% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
California pays the most at $163,960, and still leads at $148,085 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1California | $163,960 | $148,085 | 13,200 |
| 2New Jersey | $142,990 | $131,419 | 7,650 |
| 3Hawaii | $140,590 | $127,866 | 700 |
| 4Alaska | $137,320 | $134,155 | 320 |
| 5Washington | $136,280 | $127,349 | 2,750 |
| 6Illinois | $135,080 | $135,137 | 4,900 |
| 7District of Columbia | $134,760 | $122,619 | 1,230 |
| 8Nevada | $132,100 | $132,128 | 1,300 |
| 9Delaware | $131,080 | $131,332 | 410 |
| 10Colorado | $126,810 | $123,054 | 2,790 |
Job outlook
Is First-Line Supervisor of Police and Detectives a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
About as fast as average. +3.3% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | +3.3% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
About as fast as average
BLS projects employment of First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives to change 3.3% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 5,200 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 10,600 openings are projected each year, 6.6% of the 160,200 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a First-Line Supervisor of Police and Detectives
- 1
Typical entry-level education
High school diploma or equivalent
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
Less than 5 years
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Little or no preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as first-line supervisors of police and detectives.
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)56.4%
- Some College Courses19.6%
- Bachelor's Degree19.4%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree3.6%
- Post-Secondary Certificate0.9%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 56.4% |
| Some College Courses | 19.6% |
| Bachelor's Degree | 19.4% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 3.6% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 0.9% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a First-Line Supervisor of Police and Detectives do?
Directly supervise and coordinate activities of members of police force.
Day-to-day tasks
- Explain police operations to subordinates to assist them in performing their job duties.
- Inform personnel of changes in regulations and policies, implications of new or amended laws, and new techniques of police work.
- Prepare work schedules and assign duties to subordinates.
- Maintain logs, prepare reports, and direct the preparation, handling, and maintenance of departmental records.
- Inspect facilities, supplies, vehicles, and equipment to ensure conformance to standards.
- Train staff in proper police work procedures.
- Supervise and coordinate the investigation of criminal cases, offering guidance and expertise to investigators, and ensuring that procedures are conducted in accordance with laws and regulations.
- Direct collection, preparation, and handling of evidence and personal property of prisoners.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather at least weekly.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely importantDealing with customers or the public is very important.
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayHandling conflict situations at least monthly.
Cost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Reading Comprehension4.0
- Active Listening4.0
- Speaking4.0
- Critical Thinking4.0
- Monitoring4.0
- Active Learning3.9
- Writing3.8
- Learning Strategies3.8
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 4.0 |
| Active Listening | 4.0 |
| Speaking | 4.0 |
| Critical Thinking | 4.0 |
| Monitoring | 4.0 |
| Active Learning | 3.9 |
| Writing | 3.8 |
| Learning Strategies | 3.8 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Social Perceptiveness4.0
- Management of Personnel Resources4.0
- Coordination3.9
- Persuasion3.9
- Instructing3.9
- Complex Problem Solving3.8
- Judgment and Decision Making3.8
- Service Orientation3.5
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Social Perceptiveness | 4.0 |
| Management of Personnel Resources | 4.0 |
| Coordination | 3.9 |
| Persuasion | 3.9 |
| Instructing | 3.9 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.8 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.8 |
| Service Orientation | 3.5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Process mapping and design software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Web platform development software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Calendar and scheduling software
- Graphics or photo imaging software
- Helpdesk or call center software
- Internet browser software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a First-Line Supervisor of Police and Detectives?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | First-Line Supervisor of Police and Detectives |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 3 |
| Investigative | 2 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 4 |
| Enterprising | 7 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around leading, persuading, selling and making decisions, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Enterprising6.9
- Conventional5.1
- Social3.8
- Realistic3.5
- Investigative2.3
- Artistic1.0
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to First-Line Supervisor of Police and Detectives
O*NET related occupations
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Most earn $52K to $128K
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More protective service careers
Median annual pay, with first-line supervisors of police and detectives highlighted
- First-Line Supervisor of Police and Detectives$106,040
- Detective and Criminal Investigator$93,790
- Intelligence Analyst$93,790
- Police Officer$76,210
- Custom and Border Protection Officer$76,210
- Firefighter$59,280
- Correctional Officer and Jailer$58,940
- Private Detective and Investigator$51,220
- Security Guard$38,020
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| First-Line Supervisor of Police and Detectives | $106,040 |
| Detective and Criminal Investigator | $93,790 |
| Intelligence Analyst | $93,790 |
| Police Officer | $76,210 |
| Custom and Border Protection Officer | $76,210 |
| Firefighter | $59,280 |
| Correctional Officer and Jailer | $58,940 |
| Private Detective and Investigator | $51,220 |
| Security Guard | $38,020 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Specialty careers within first-line supervisor of police and detectives
Distinct careers BLS counts inside this occupation, each with its own profile.
Lists First-Line Supervisor of Police and Detectives appears on
Questions
First-Line Supervisor of Police and Detectives: frequently asked questions
How much do First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives make?
First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives earn a median of $106,040 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That is 108% above the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $50.98/hr. The middle half earn between $81,860 and $132,620. The top 10% earn $165,110 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a First-Line Supervisor of Police and Detectives?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives. BLS also lists moderate-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. Employers typically expect less than 5 years of related work experience first. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 56.4% hold high school diploma or the equivalent (such as a ged).
Is First-Line Supervisor of Police and Detectives a growing career?
It is stable rather than fast-growing: employment is projected to change 3.3% over 2025–2035, about the same as the 3.5% projected across all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 10,600 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a First-Line Supervisor of Police and Detectives do?
Directly supervise and coordinate activities of members of police force. A core O*NET task: explain police operations to subordinates to assist them in performing their job duties. Employers most often ask for Data base user interface and query software, Electronic mail software, Office suite software.
Which states pay First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives the most?
The highest state medians for First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives are California ($163,960), New Jersey ($142,990), Hawaii ($140,590) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a First-Line Supervisor of Police and Detectives?
O*NET scores First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives highest on the Enterprising, Conventional and Social interest areas, so the work mixes leading, persuading, selling and making decisions with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ESTJ, ESFJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.