First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives

More data on this career

Pay by education level. Among full-time, year-round first-line supervisors of police and detectives ages 25 to 64, median yearly pay is $66,000 with a high school diploma or GED, $97,500 with some college or an associate's degree, $111,700 with a bachelor's degree and $126,900 with a master's degree or higher (Census Bureau American Community Survey, 2024 dollars). Pay differs for many reasons besides education, such as experience, employer and location.

Industries that employ this career. The largest shares of first-line supervisors of police and detectives work in Public Administration (96%) and Educational Services (2%) (Census Bureau American Community Survey, 2024).

Where the jobs are, and what they pay by industry. Nationwide, the industries that employ the most first-line supervisors of police and detectives are Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (83% of the jobs counted, median pay $103,250), State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (10% of the jobs counted, median pay $119,780), Federal Executive Branch (4% of the jobs counted, median pay $181,600), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (2% of the jobs counted, median pay $91,450) (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025). Among large industries, the highest median pay is in Federal Executive Branch ($181,600), State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals ($119,780), Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals ($103,250). Pay differs by industry for many reasons, including the mix of jobs and where employers are located.

What workers studied. Among first-line supervisors of police and detectives with a bachelor's degree or higher, the most common fields of the bachelor's degree are Criminal Justice and Fire Protection (40%), Business Management and Administration (6%), Psychology (5%) and General Business (5%) (Census Bureau American Community Survey, 2024).

Injury and illness rates. For first-line supervisors of police and detectives, employers reported 246.0 nonfatal injury and illness cases with days away from work per 10,000 full-time workers, compared with 94.6 for all U.S. workers; the median case kept the worker away 10 days (all workers: 8) (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023-2024). Rates reflect the work setting as well as the occupation.

Union membership. In the broad group "Protective service", which includes this career, 31.3% of wage and salary workers belong to a union (all U.S. workers: 10.0%); median weekly pay is $1,728 for union members and $1,011 for workers not in a union (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, 2025). This is a group figure, not specific to first-line supervisors of police and detectives.

Employer benefits. In the broad group "Service", which includes this career, 52% of civilian workers had access to an employer retirement plan, 51% had access to employer medical care benefits, and 70% had paid sick leave, 60% paid vacation and 59% paid holidays (all civilian workers: 75%, 74%, 83%, 77% and 79%) (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Compensation Survey, March 2026). This is a group figure, not specific to first-line supervisors of police and detectives, and having access to a benefit does not mean every worker uses it. The Bureau of Labor Statistics has not endorsed this presentation. Employers spent about $27.17 per hour worked on total compensation for the occupational group "Service" in June 2026 ($19.59 in wages and salaries and $7.58 in benefits, 27.9% of the total; all civilian workers: $49.46, with 31.6% in benefits) (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employer Costs for Employee Compensation).

Work environment. In O*NET's survey of workers in this occupation, the conditions most often placed at the two highest levels for first-line supervisors of police and detectives are: telephone conversations (100%), e-mail (100%), face-to-face discussions with individuals and within teams (99%), contact with others (93%), impact of decisions on co-workers or company results (91%), in an enclosed vehicle or operate enclosed equipment (91%). Each percentage is the share of respondents choosing the top two levels for that condition (for example 'most of the time' or 'continually'), so it describes how common the condition is in the job, not how a particular workplace is (O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Dept. of Labor, ETA, CC BY 4.0).

Typical preparation. In O*NET's survey of workers in this occupation, for related work experience, the most common answer (72% of 26 respondents) was "none"; for on-site or in-plant training, the most common answer (37% of 26 respondents) was "over 3 months, up to and including 6 months"; for on-the-job training, the most common answer (45% of 26 respondents) was "over 6 months, up to and including 1 year". These are what workers report is needed to do the job; employers' requirements and individual paths vary (O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Dept. of Labor, ETA, CC BY 4.0).

Related careers. O*NET lists these occupations as similar to first-line supervisors of police and detectives in the work done and the skills used: Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers, Detectives and Criminal Investigators, First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers, First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers, Transit and Railroad Police, First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers, First-Line Supervisors of Passenger Attendants, Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists (O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Dept. of Labor, ETA, CC BY 4.0).

Pay by state. See what first-line supervisors of police and detectives earn in each state, with the pay range and number of jobs: First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives salary by state (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025).

Compare first-line supervisors of police and detectives with other careers (pay, growth, openings and education side by side).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 PUMS (MajorPays' own estimates from the survey; Census is credited as the source of the original data and has not endorsed them); BLS Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses; BLS Current Population Survey; BLS National Compensation Survey (employee benefits); HRSA National Center for Health Workforce Analysis; U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification (LCA disclosure data, FY2025). MajorPays has selected and reorganized these figures; these agencies have not approved or endorsed them. See it interactively →