Protective Service Occupations
SOC 33-0000 • View wages by state
The median annual wage for Protective Service Occupations is $47,760, based on BLS OEWS 2023 data. The mean annual wage is $57,710, and an estimated 3,504,330 workers are employed in this occupation nationally. Between 2020 and 2023, pay rose +9.3% while consumer prices rose 17.7% — a real change of -7.2% (pay did not keep up with inflation).
Wage Trend & Inflation Adjustment
How the national median wage for Protective Service Occupations has moved across BLS OEWS release years, and what each year's wage is worth in 2023 dollars after adjusting for CPI inflation. "Real" change strips out inflation — the truest measure of whether pay is actually rising.
| Year | Median (nominal) | In 2023 $ (real) | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $47,760 | $47,760 | 3,504,330 |
| 2022 | $45,450 | $47,321 | 3,437,610 |
| 2021 | $46,590 | $52,390 | 3,385,030 |
| 2020 | $43,710 | $51,460 | 3,351,180 |
Nominal change
+9.3%
Inflation (CPI)
+17.7%
Real change
-7.2%
Highest-Paying Areas (2023)
Where Protective Service Occupations earn the most, and how each area's median compares to the national median of $47,760. A positive premium means the area pays above the national rate.
| Area | Median Annual | vs National | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $81,810 | +71.3% | 3,890 |
| North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $74,940 | +56.9% | 4,100 |
| North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $70,030 | +46.6% | 3,610 |
| Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area | $68,890 | +44.2% | 1,830 |
| Capital/Northern New York nonmetropolitan area | $68,700 | +43.8% | 6,040 |
| District of Columbia | $65,240 | +36.6% | 28,310 |
| Central East New York nonmetropolitan area | $64,720 | +35.5% | 6,280 |
| Alaska | $64,110 | +34.2% | 8,800 |
| Massachusetts | $64,060 | +34.1% | 80,480 |
| Alaska nonmetropolitan area | $63,380 | +32.7% | 3,600 |
Wage Distribution (National, 2023)
10th, 25th, 50th (median), 75th, and 90th percentile annual wages from BLS OEWS — the full spread, not just an average.
10th Pct
$29,890
25th Pct
$36,370
Median
$47,760
75th Pct
$71,560
90th Pct
$100,170
Related Occupations in Protective Service
Other occupations in the same SOC major group, ranked by national median wage.