Updated October 15, 2026
Public Safety & Security Salary Guide: Pay for 15 Careers
Median annual pay, hourly wage, pay range and job growth for 15 public safety careers, from official Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Click a column to sort.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
The typical median wage across these 15 careers is $58,940 a year. The highest-paying is detective at $93,790.
| Career | Median/yr | Median/hr | 10th pct | 90th pct | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detective | $93,790 | $45.09 | $55,390 | $160,540 | +0.2% |
| Emergency Management Director | $93,330 | $44.87 | $54,210 | $166,430 | +3.9% |
| Police Officer | $76,210 | $36.64 | $47,510 | $115,120 | +3.5% |
| Fish and Game Warden | $74,060 | $35.60 | $50,990 | $100,980 | -5.7% |
| Transportation Security Officer | $66,770 | $32.10 | $44,700 | $78,350 | -4.2% |
| Probation Officer | $66,270 | $31.86 | $46,840 | $107,790 | +3.0% |
| Firefighter | $59,280 | $28.50 | $34,910 | $101,040 | +3.7% |
| Correctional Officer | $58,940 | $28.34 | $42,760 | $93,220 | -7.4% |
| Bailiff | $56,600 | $27.21 | $32,140 | $96,770 | -1.9% |
| Security Supervisor | $55,940 | $26.90 | $37,300 | $92,260 | +3.7% |
| 911 Dispatcher | $53,040 | $25.50 | $37,320 | $79,830 | +3.7% |
| Private Investigator | $51,220 | $24.62 | $36,740 | $97,630 | +5.5% |
| Animal Control Officer | $45,660 | $21.95 | $33,090 | $68,070 | +4.0% |
| Security Guard | $38,020 | $18.28 | $30,210 | $58,840 | +0.9% |
| Lifeguard | $33,580 | $16.14 | $25,780 | $43,970 | +5.5% |