All careers › First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives
Police and detective supervisors: pay, job outlook and how to enter the field
- $63,350lowest 10% earn less
- $81,86025th percentile
- $106,040median
- $132,62075th percentile
- $165,110top 10% earn more
First-line supervisors of police and detectives had a median pay of $106,040 a year in May 2025[1]. Jobs are projected to grow 3.3% from 2025 to 2035[2].
- Job growth, 2025–35
- +3.3%[2]
- Openings per year
- 10,600[5]
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent[6]
How much do police and detective supervisors make?
If you are looking at detective supervisor jobs, the official BLS category is First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives. Its median pay was $106,040 a year, or $50.98 an hour, in May 2025[1]. Half of the workers earned more and half earned less[1]. The average (mean) was $112,190 a year, or $53.94 an hour[7].
All occupations together had a median of $50,980 a year[4]. So this job's median was higher than the all-occupations figure[1][4].
The range is wide. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $63,350 a year, and the lowest-paid 25% earned less than $81,860[3]. The highest-paid 25% earned more than $132,620, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $165,110[3]. BLS explains that a percentile is a boundary and that it publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary[8].
| Measure | Annual wage | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile[3] | $63,350 | |
| 25th percentile[3] | $81,860 | |
| Median[1] | $106,040 | |
| 75th percentile[3] | $132,620 | |
| 90th percentile[3] | $165,110 |
By the hour, the 10th percentile was $30.46 and the 90th percentile was $79.38[9].
These wages cover people paid a wage or salary. They leave out the self-employed, nonproduction bonuses and the cost of benefits such as health insurance[10].
Pay by state and city
California had the highest state median at $163,960 a year, followed by New Jersey at $142,990 and Hawaii at $140,590[11]. Mississippi had the lowest listed state median at $59,860[11].
Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA was listed first at $175,840, then Vallejo, CA at $175,070 and Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA at $167,600[12].
The most jobs were in California (13,200), New York (12,750) and Florida (9,900)[13]. The metro area with the most jobs was New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ, with 13,970 jobs and a median of $135,270[14].
Show median pay in 50 states and DC
| State | Median per year | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| California[11] | $163,960 | 13,200 |
| New Jersey | $142,990 | 7,650 |
| Hawaii | $140,590 | 700 |
| Alaska | $137,320 | 320 |
| Washington | $136,280 | 2,750 |
| Illinois | $135,080 | 4,900 |
| District of Columbia | $134,760 | 1,230 |
| Nevada | $132,100 | 1,300 |
| Delaware | $131,080 | 410 |
| Colorado | $126,810 | 2,790 |
| New York | $124,080 | 12,750 |
| Oregon | $122,130 | 1,470 |
| Maryland | $120,700 | 6,700 |
| Minnesota | $118,750 | 2,870 |
| Texas | $111,000 | 5,540 |
| Utah | $110,500 | 1,360 |
| Connecticut | $109,360 | 2,240 |
| Nebraska | $106,100 | 730 |
| Arizona | $104,850 | 2,790 |
| Massachusetts | $104,320 | 5,540 |
| Pennsylvania | $102,400 | 5,690 |
| Virginia | $101,230 | 3,750 |
| Florida | $100,880 | 9,900 |
| New Hampshire | $100,060 | 940 |
| Vermont | $99,280 | 210 |
| Iowa | $98,840 | 1,370 |
| Ohio | $98,380 | 5,170 |
| North Dakota | $98,300 | 440 |
| Michigan | $98,140 | 3,290 |
| Rhode Island | $97,690 | 820 |
| Wisconsin | $97,120 | 2,080 |
| Idaho | $94,920 | 930 |
| Missouri | $94,440 | 3,490 |
| Maine | $92,350 | 440 |
| New Mexico | $92,200 | 1,320 |
| Wyoming | $91,400 | 430 |
| North Carolina | $91,100 | 4,820 |
| Montana | $89,380 | 450 |
| South Dakota | $87,810 | 190 |
| Kansas | $82,950 | 2,330 |
| Oklahoma | $82,830 | 2,420 |
| Indiana | $81,540 | 1,700 |
| Kentucky | $80,390 | 1,600 |
| Georgia | $80,120 | 7,910 |
| Alabama | $75,970 | 1,900 |
| Tennessee | $74,770 | 4,430 |
| West Virginia | $74,280 | 490 |
| South Carolina | $73,700 | 1,560 |
| Louisiana | $70,470 | 3,120 |
| Arkansas | $62,290 | 2,100 |
| Mississippi | $59,860 | 2,060 |
How to enter this job
BLS describes the typical path into this occupation in three parts[6]:
- Education: a high school diploma or equivalent[6].
- Experience: less than 5 years of work in a related occupation[6].
- Training: moderate-term on-the-job training[6].
ONET also asked workers about the education level their job requires. In an ONET survey of 26 workers, 56% named a high school diploma or equivalent, 20% named some college courses and 19% named a bachelor's degree[15].
O*NET lists sample job titles that workers reported, including Patrol Sergeant, Detective Sergeant, Lieutenant, Captain and Police Chief[16].
What police and detective supervisors do
O*NET describes the job as directly supervising and coordinating the activities of police officers[17]. Tasks it lists include[18]:
- Guiding investigators on criminal cases and checking that legal procedures are followed.
- Making work schedules and assigning duties.
- Directing how evidence and prisoners' property are collected and handled.
- Looking into personnel problems and misconduct charges against staff.
- Keeping logs, writing reports and overseeing department records.
- Telling officers about new rules, laws and police techniques, and training them.
- Disciplining staff who break department rules.
- Reviewing how well subordinates perform and approving promotions and transfers.
Job outlook
BLS projects employment to grow 3.3% from 2025 to 2035, from about 160,200 to 165,400 jobs, a gain of 5,200[2]. For all occupations, the projected growth is 3.5%[19]. These projection counts include self-employed workers[2].
BLS projects about 10,600 openings a year on average from 2025 to 2035[5]. These openings come from workers who retire or change occupations as well as from new jobs[5]. Each year, 2.4% of workers are projected to leave the labor force and 3.8% to move to a different occupation[20].
OEWS counted about 154,610 wage and salary jobs in May 2025[21]. The projection counts include self-employed workers, and the OEWS count does not[2][21].
Is it a good fit?
The facts show a job with a median above the all-occupations median and a wide pay range[1][3][4]. The entry path lists a high school diploma, less than 5 years of related experience and on-the-job training[6]. Growth is projected at 3.3%, a little below the 3.5% for all occupations, though about 10,600 openings a year are projected[2][19][5]. Pay also differs a lot by state, from $59,860 in Mississippi to $163,960 in California[11]. Our facts do not cover hours, promotion rules or benefits, so those are worth checking with local departments.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a police or detective supervisor make an hour?
- The median was $50.98 an hour in May 2025, and the average was $53.94[1][7].
- What education do you need to be a police or detective supervisor?
- BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry education, with less than 5 years of related experience[6].
- Is this job in demand?
- BLS projects 3.3% growth from 2025 to 2035 and about 10,600 openings a year[2][5]. Growth for all occupations is projected at 3.5%[19].
- What is the highest paying state for police and detective supervisors?
- California, with a median of $163,960 a year in May 2025[11].
Facts and sources
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives in the US was $106,040 per year and $50.98 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections: employment of First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives is projected to grow 3.3% from 2025 to 2035, from about 160,200 to 165,400 jobs (a change of +5,200). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives: 10th percentile $63,350, 25th percentile $81,860, 75th percentile $132,620, 90th percentile $165,110. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections: about 10,600 openings for First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections, typical path into First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives: education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent; work experience in a related occupation: Less than 5 years; typical on-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives was $112,190 per year and $53.94 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives: 10th percentile $30.46, 25th percentile $39.35, 75th percentile $63.76, 90th percentile $79.38. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage for First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives (areas with at least 100 jobs): San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $175,840; Vallejo, CA $175,070; Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $167,600; Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $163,810; San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $163,700; Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA $161,440; Anchorage, AK $161,100; Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $159,810. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives jobs: California 13,200; New York 12,750; Florida 9,900; Georgia 7,910; New Jersey 7,650. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 13,970 (median $135,270); Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 5,050 (median $125,960); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 4,840 (median $167,600); Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 4,460 (median $81,860); Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 3,800 (median $135,080); Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH 3,720 (median $108,190). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- O*NET 33-1012.00 survey of workers (26 respondents), education level they say is required: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 56%, Some College Courses 20%, Bachelor's Degree 19% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
- O*NET 33-1012.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Captain, Deputy Sheriff, Detective Sergeant, Lieutenant, Patrol Sergeant, Police Captain, Police Chief, Police Lieutenant. O*NET OnLine
- O*NET description of First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives. O*NET OnLine
- O*NET task list for First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives. O*NET OnLine
- BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives: 2.4% of workers leave the labor force each year and 3.8% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 154,610 people were employed as First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.