Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
Tennessee employs 75,850 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 Tennessee, based on median salary data.
Complete breakdown of all occupations in the Protective Service industry in Tennessee, 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 Firefighting and Prevention Workers | $77,920 | $75,780 | 2,210 | $37/hr |
| 2 | Detectives and Criminal Investigators | $77,090 | $87,790 | 1,860 | $37/hr |
| 3 | Fish and Game Wardens | $75,930 | $76,160 | 220 | $36/hr |
| 4 | First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | $74,770 | $79,340 | 4,430 | $35/hr |
| 5 | First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers | $74,140 | $69,170 | 740 | $35/hr |
| 6 | Fire Inspectors and Investigators | $63,400 | $65,800 | 390 | $30/hr |
| 7 | Transportation Security Screeners | $61,110 | $59,860 | 840 | $29/hr |
| 8 | Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $59,280 | $61,830 | 15,630 | $28/hr |
| 9 | Correctional Officers and Jailers | $50,940 | $51,420 | 6,990 | $24/hr |
| 10 | First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers | $50,830 | $61,450 | 1,850 | $24/hr |
| 11 | Private Detectives and Investigators | $49,360 | $63,810 | 940 | $23/hr |
| 12 | Firefighters | $49,300 | $51,590 | 7,020 | $23/hr |
| 13 | Animal Control Workers | $42,970 | $41,710 | 280 | $20/hr |
| 14 | Security Guards | $36,000 | $38,500 | 27,690 | $17/hr |
| 15 | Bailiffs | $35,990 | $39,200 | 100 | $17/hr |
| 16 | Crossing Guards and Flaggers | $35,960 | $39,680 | 1,460 | $17/hr |
| 17 | Parking Enforcement Workers | $35,730 | $37,000 | 40 | $17/hr |
| 18 | Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers | $28,200 | $28,400 | 2,330 | $13/hr |
| 19 | School Bus Monitors | $27,250 | $30,170 | 830 | $13/hr |
Explore salary data and job opportunities in other industries across Tennessee:
Tennessee has 19 Protective Service occupations with 75,850 total employed workers (2025 BLS data).
The highest-paying Protective Service occupation in Tennessee is First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers with a median salary of $77,920/year.
The average median salary across 19 Protective Service occupations in Tennessee is $52,956/year.
Salaries in Protective Service in Tennessee range from $20,540 (entry-level) to $149,280 (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 Tennessee. Percentile ranges (P10–P90) reflect the lowest and highest earning 10% of workers. Our Methodology · Data Sources