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Salary comparison

Protective Service Workers, All Other vs. Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers: Who Earns More?

Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officerss out-earn Protective Service Workers, All Others by $34K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Protective Service Workers, All Others land at $42,540 and Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officerss at $76,210. The education gap is real: protective service workers, all other programs typically require high school diploma or equivalent, while police and sheriff's patrol officer programs require high school diploma or equivalent. Top-paying state for Protective Service Workers, All Others is New Hampshire ($88,960); for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officerss it's California ($118,880).

Protective Service Workers, All Other
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers
Median salary
$42,540
$76,210
Hourly rate
$20.45/hr
$36.64/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$32,470
$47,510
Senior level (90th %)
$74,590
$115,120
Education required
High school diploma or equivalent
High school diploma or equivalent
U.S. employment
81,500
670,520
Job growth (10-year)
N/A
3%
Category
Public Safety
Public Safety
Top-paying state
New Hampshire
California

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Protective Service Workers, All Other median pay.

State
Protective Service Workers, All Other
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers
District of Columbia
$88,570
$88,650
Hawaii
$57,370
$83,820
Alaska
$56,120
$99,130
New Jersey
$54,950
$92,610
New York
$52,690
$92,790
Massachusetts
$50,040
$78,940
Oregon
$49,520
$88,140
Colorado
$44,340
$97,350
Washington
$42,170
$102,080
Delaware
$39,520
$92,970
California
$39,330
$118,880
Minnesota
$38,330
$83,360
Illinois
$38,020
$100,520
Connecticut
$37,480
$82,170
Pennsylvania
$34,320
$85,470

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Protective Service Workers, All Others or Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officerss?

Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officerss earn more nationally. The median is $42,540 for Protective Service Workers, All Others versus $76,210 for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officerss, a difference of $34K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Protective Service Workers, All Other or Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers?

BLS Employment Projections data is not available for one or both occupations. Check the individual career pages for current outlook figures.

Which requires more education, Protective Service Workers, All Other or Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers?

Protective Service Workers, All Other typically requires high school diploma or equivalent. Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers requires high school diploma or equivalent. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Protective Service Workers, All Others get paid the most?

New Hampshire is the top-paying state for Protective Service Workers, All Others at $88,960/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Protective Service Workers, All Other vs. Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In District of Columbia, Protective Service Workers, All Others earn $88,570 vs. $88,650 for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officerss. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Protective Service Workers, All Other salary breakdownView →Full Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers salary breakdownView →Best cities for Protective Service Workers, All Others by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officerss by take-home payExplore →How to become a protective service workers, all otherGuide →How to become a police and sheriff's patrol officersGuide →