Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
North Carolina employs 114,390 Protective Service professionals across 19 occupations. Explore salary ranges, top paying jobs, and career opportunities within the Protective Service industry.
The best-compensated occupations within Protective Service in North Carolina, based on median salary data.
Complete breakdown of all occupations in the Protective Service industry in North Carolina, sorted by median salary (highest to lowest). Click any job title for state-specific salary details.
| # | Job Title | Median Salary | Mean Salary | Employment | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | $91,100 | $91,280 | 4,820 | $43/hr |
| 2 | First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers | $67,270 | $70,200 | 1,090 | $32/hr |
| 3 | Fire Inspectors and Investigators | $66,820 | $65,570 | 870 | $32/hr |
| 4 | Transportation Security Screeners | $64,540 | $61,940 | 1,300 | $31/hr |
| 5 | Detectives and Criminal Investigators | $63,280 | $76,020 | 3,360 | $30/hr |
| 6 | Fish and Game Wardens | $61,430 | $62,280 | 190 | $29/hr |
| 7 | First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers | $59,560 | $69,510 | 5,050 | $28/hr |
| 8 | Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $59,300 | $61,390 | 22,370 | $28/hr |
| 9 | First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers | $57,390 | $58,000 | 2,730 | $27/hr |
| 10 | Bailiffs | $56,100 | $55,170 | 250 | $26/hr |
| 11 | Private Detectives and Investigators | $52,890 | $61,350 | 1,710 | $25/hr |
| 12 | Correctional Officers and Jailers | $50,550 | $51,390 | 11,900 | $24/hr |
| 13 | Animal Control Workers | $43,940 | $44,160 | 460 | $21/hr |
| 14 | Parking Enforcement Workers | $42,410 | $42,870 | 80 | $20/hr |
| 15 | Firefighters | $37,940 | $43,060 | 19,410 | $18/hr |
| 16 | Security Guards | $35,010 | $39,090 | 29,830 | $16/hr |
| 17 | Crossing Guards and Flaggers | $33,730 | $33,940 | 2,760 | $16/hr |
| 18 | School Bus Monitors | $32,970 | $33,220 | 1,360 | $15/hr |
| 19 | Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers | $27,310 | $29,100 | 4,850 | $13/hr |
Explore salary data and job opportunities in other industries across North Carolina:
North Carolina has 19 Protective Service occupations with 114,390 total employed workers (2025 BLS data).
The highest-paying Protective Service occupation in North Carolina is First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives with a median salary of $91,100/year.
The average median salary across 19 Protective Service occupations in North Carolina is $52,818/year.
Salaries in Protective Service in North Carolina range from $21,830 (entry-level) to $137,550 (senior) across all occupations.
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) codes organize jobs into groups. Protective Service occupations use SOC prefix 33. Data comes from BLS OEWS.
Data: BLS OEWS 2025. Salary figures represent May 2025 compensation for occupations classified under SOC code 33* in North Carolina. Percentile ranges (P10–P90) reflect the lowest and highest earning 10% of workers. Our Methodology · Data Sources