CareerFacts

All careers › Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators

Surveillance officer: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 28, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$43,370median pay per year, or $20.85 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $32,730lowest 10% earn less
  2. $36,27025th percentile
  3. $43,370median
  4. $49,21075th percentile
  5. $61,970top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[3]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[4]

BLS counts gambling surveillance officers and gambling investigators together, and their median pay was $43,370 a year[1]. Employment is projected to shrink 1.8% from 2025 to 2035[2].

Job growth, 2025–35
-1.8%[2]
Openings per year
1,100[5]
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent[6]

How much do surveillance officers make?

This page covers the BLS category Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators. In May 2025, the median pay was $43,370 a year, or $20.85 an hour[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less[1]. The average was $45,630 a year, or $21.94 an hour[7].

For comparison, the median for all occupations in the US was $50,980[4]. So the median here sits below the all-occupation median[1][4].

Here is the range from low to high:

Percentile Annual wage Hourly wage
10th[3][8] $32,730 $15.74
25th[3][8] $36,270 $17.44
Median[1] $43,370 $20.85
75th[3][8] $49,210 $23.66
90th[3][8] $61,970 $29.79

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $32,730, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $61,970[3]. A percentile is a boundary, and BLS publishes percentile wages rather than a starting salary[9]. These figures cover wage and salary workers. They leave out the self-employed, bonuses that are not tied to production, and the cost of benefits[10]. About 9,520 people held these jobs in May 2025[11].

Pay by state and city

Among the 34 states with published data, Massachusetts had the highest median pay at $61,770, followed by Connecticut at $56,300 and Oregon at $50,120[12]. Those three states had small job counts, from 70 to 180[12].

Oklahoma had the most jobs at 1,310, then California at 990 and Nevada at 820[13]. Oklahoma's median was $36,000, while California's was $44,740 and Nevada's was $46,570[12].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim had the highest median at $48,070[14]. Atlantic City-Hammonton came next at $47,710, then Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue at $47,570[14]. Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas had the most jobs at 660, with a median of $47,420[15].

Show median pay in 34 states
StateMedian per yearJobs
Massachusetts[12]$61,77080
Connecticut$56,300180
Oregon$50,12070
Arizona$50,010380
New York$49,110170
New Jersey$48,620270
Maryland$47,950120
Indiana$46,910380
North Dakota$46,740120
Michigan$46,620330
Nevada$46,570820
Ohio$45,880190
Washington$45,740470
California$44,740990
Colorado$44,340100
Minnesota$44,080210
Illinois$42,760330
Wisconsin$42,150260
Virginia$41,980n/a
Florida$39,060230
Pennsylvania$38,930570
Delaware$38,91050
Missouri$38,860230
Idaho$38,85050
Alabama$36,97070
New Mexico$36,930110
Kansas$36,830110
Kentucky$36,33090
Oklahoma$36,0001,310
Iowa$35,750230
Mississippi$35,360240
West Virginia$35,15070
Louisiana$33,910240
South Dakota$33,82080

How to become a surveillance officer

The facts point to this path:

The handbook also lists three requirements: be at least 18, pass a background check and complete training[20][21][22]. A bachelor's degree is not required[23]. The training details come from a profile covering a wider group that includes security guards[24].

What surveillance officers do

They watch gambling operations for cheating or theft by employees or patrons, and they look into threats to money, chips and equipment[25]. Typical tasks include:

Workers report job titles such as Surveillance Agent, Surveillance Monitor and Gaming Investigator[27].

Where they work

These workers are employed in casinos and other gaming facilities, and only where gambling is legal[28]. Much of a shift may be spent at a desk in a dark room, watching customers on video[29]. The job can mean following several screens for long stretches[29].

Shifts usually run about 8 hours on rotating schedules, and night shifts are common[30]. The handbook says most workers in the wider group work full time[30].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment to fall 1.8% from 2025 to 2035, from about 9,800 to 9,600 jobs[2]. Employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5%[31]. These counts include self-employed workers[2].

BLS names one factor: advances in remote surveillance technology let each worker observe more activity[32].

Even so, about 1,100 openings a year are projected on average[5]. These openings are not only new jobs. They also come from workers who retire or move to other occupations[5]. Each year, 4.5% of workers leave the labor force and 7.4% move to a different occupation[33].

Is it a good fit?

The entry bar is low on paper, since the typical education is a high school diploma[6]. Related experience and several months of employer training still matter[6][18]. Pay is a bit under the all-occupation median, though the top 10% earned more than $61,970[1][4][3]. Jobs exist mainly where gambling is legal, and employment is projected to shrink slightly[28][2]. People who are comfortable with long periods of screen watching and shift work may find the facts line up with the job[29][30].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[34].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a surveillance officer make an hour?
The median was $20.85 an hour in May 2025[1]. The 10th percentile was $15.74 and the 90th was $29.79[8].
What education do you need to be a surveillance officer?
BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry education[6]. A bachelor's degree is not required[23].
How long does it take to become a surveillance officer?
The handbook says surveillance officers and investigators may need several months of training[18]. BLS also lists moderate-term on-the-job training[6].
Is surveillance officer a job in demand?
BLS projects a 1.8% decline from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3.5% growth for all occupations[2][31]. About 1,100 openings a year are still projected[5].
Which state pays surveillance officers the most?
Massachusetts had the highest median at $61,770 in May 2025[12].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators in the US was $43,370 per year and $20.85 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators is projected to decline 1.8% from 2025 to 2035, from about 9,800 to 9,600 jobs (a change of -200). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators: 10th percentile $32,730, 25th percentile $36,270, 75th percentile $49,210, 90th percentile $61,970. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS Employment Projections: about 1,100 openings for Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators 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
  6. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators: 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
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators was $45,630 per year and $21.94 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators: 10th percentile $15.74, 25th percentile $17.44, 75th percentile $23.66, 90th percentile $29.79. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. 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
  10. 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
  11. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 9,520 people were employed as Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. Median annual wage for Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators jobs: Oklahoma 1,310; California 990; Nevada 820; Pennsylvania 570; Washington 470. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators (areas with at least 100 jobs): Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $48,070; Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ $47,710; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $47,570; Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV $47,420; Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $46,100; Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $45,880; San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $45,570; Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $45,490. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators jobs: Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV 660 (median $47,420); Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 300 (median $46,100); Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA 290 (median $44,660); Tulsa, OK 270 (median $34,590); Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ 240 (median $47,710); Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 230 (median $45,490). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. O*NET 33-9031.00 survey of workers (31 respondents), education level they say is required: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 84%, Post-Secondary Certificate 6%, Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree 5% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  17. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Work experience in a related occupation. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  18. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  19. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  20. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  21. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  22. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  23. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  24. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile "Security Guards and Gambling Surveillance Officers" covers Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators together with other related occupations, so its text describes the wider group. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  25. O*NET description of Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators. O*NET OnLine
  26. O*NET task list for Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators. O*NET OnLine
  27. O*NET 33-9031.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Casino Enforcement Agent, Gaming Investigator, Security Officer, Surveillance Agent, Surveillance Investigator, Surveillance Monitor, Surveillance Observer, Surveillance Officer. O*NET OnLine
  28. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  29. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  30. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  31. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  32. BLS Employment Projections, factor affecting employment of Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators: Productivity change - share decreases as technological advances in remote surveillance allow each worker to observe more activity. BLS Employment Projections
  33. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators: 4.5% of workers leave the labor force each year and 7.4% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  34. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers. The Occupational Outlook Handbook text covers a wider group of occupations than this page.

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.