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Law enforcement specialist demographics and statistics in the US

Law enforcement specialist demographics research summary. Zippia estimates law enforcement specialist demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our law enforcement specialist estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about law enforcement specialists after extensive research and analysis:

  • There are over 19,911 law enforcement specialists currently employed in the United States.
  • 23.7% of all law enforcement specialists are women, while 76.3% are men.
  • The average law enforcement specialist age is 39 years old.
  • The most common ethnicity of law enforcement specialists is White (61.0%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (16.9%), Black or African American (12.6%) and Unknown (4.7%).
  • Law enforcement specialists are most in-demand in Cedar Falls, IA.
  • New York, NY pays an annual average wage of $121,370, the highest in the US.
  • In 2022, women law enforcement specialists earned 86% of what men earned.
  • District of Columbia is the best state for law enforcement specialists to live.
  • Law enforcement specialists are 44% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to government companies.
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Law enforcement specialist demographics by:

Law enforcement specialist gender statistics

23.7% of law enforcement specialists are women and 76.3% of law enforcement specialists are men.
  • Male, 76.3%
  • Female, 23.7%

Law enforcement specialist gender ratio

GenderPercentages
Male76.3%
Female23.7%

Law enforcement specialist gender pay gap

Women earn 86¢ for every $1 earned by men

male-income
Male income
$81,812
female-income
Female income
$70,020

Law enforcement specialist gender ratio over time

This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in law enforcement specialist positions over time. Currently, 23.7% of law enforcement specialists are female.
Male
Female
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021

Law enforcement specialist gender ratio by year

YearMaleFemale
201077.59%22.41%
201177.55%22.45%
201277.30%22.70%
201378.12%21.88%
201477.96%22.04%
201578.54%21.46%
201678.94%21.06%
201778.55%21.45%
201876.92%23.08%
201976.15%23.85%
202078.78%21.22%
202176.34%23.66%

Law enforcement specialist related jobs gender ratio

We compared law enforcement specialists with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, deputy sheriff-k9 handler and fugitive investigator have the biggest gender ratio gaps.

Job titleMaleFemale
Matron8%92%
Deputy Treasurer19%81%
Unemployment Examiner29%71%
Law Enforcement Specialist76%24%
Town Marshal96%4%
Fugitive Investigator97%3%
Deputy Sheriff-K9 Handler98%2%

Law enforcement specialist demographics by race

The most common ethnicity among law enforcement specialists is White, which makes up 61.0% of all law enforcement specialists. Comparatively, 16.9% of law enforcement specialists are Hispanic or Latino and 12.6% of law enforcement specialists are Black or African American.
  • White, 61.0%
  • Hispanic or Latino, 16.9%
  • Black or African American, 12.6%
  • Unknown, 4.7%
  • Asian, 3.8%
  • American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%

Law enforcement specialist race

Law enforcement specialist racePercentages
White61.0%
Hispanic or Latino16.9%
Black or African American12.6%
Unknown4.7%
Asian3.8%
American Indian and Alaska Native1.0%

Law enforcement specialist race and ethnicity over time

See how law enforcement specialist racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.

Law enforcement specialist race and ethnicity by year

YearWhiteBlack or African AmericanAsianHispanic or Latino
201066.80%12.91%3.07%14.34%
201166.97%12.96%3.32%13.69%
201266.66%13.02%2.87%13.76%
201367.16%12.40%3.03%13.90%
201466.55%12.47%3.22%14.16%
201565.92%12.80%3.42%14.76%
201665.78%12.92%3.08%15.13%
201765.36%12.98%3.12%15.05%
201864.48%12.26%3.61%16.00%
201965.89%11.82%3.42%15.56%
202062.86%13.06%3.65%15.53%
202160.96%12.62%3.77%16.90%

Law enforcement specialist wage gap by race

According to our data, asian law enforcement specialists have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american law enforcement specialists have the lowest average salary at $71,930.
$92,000
$88,000
$84,000
$80,000
$76,000
$72,000
$68,000
Unknown
White
Black or African American
Asian
Hispanic or Latino
EthnicitySalary
Unknown$77,569
White$79,999
Black or African American$71,930
Asian$91,055
Hispanic or Latino$90,179

Average law enforcement specialist age

See how the average age of law enforcement specialists varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female

Law enforcement specialist age by race and gender

RaceMale ageFemale age
Black or African American4243
Unknown3837
Asian3843
Hispanic or Latino3936
White3939
American Indian and Alaska Native41.5

Law enforcement specialist age breakdown

The average age of law enforcement specialists is 40+ years years old, representing 50% of the law enforcement specialist population.

40+ years

30-40 years

20-30 years


Law enforcement specialist age breakdown

Law Enforcement Specialist YearsPercentages
40+ years50%
30-40 years34%
20-30 years16%

Law enforcement specialist educational attainment

The most common degree for law enforcement specialists is bachelor's degree, with 49% of law enforcement specialists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 25% and associate degree degree at 12%.
  • Bachelor's, 49%
  • Associate, 25%
  • High School Diploma, 12%
  • Master's, 7%
  • Other Degrees, 7%

Law enforcement specialists by degree level

Law enforcement specialist degreePercentages
Bachelor's49%
Associate25%
High School Diploma12%
Master's7%
Other Degrees7%

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Law enforcement specialist wage gap by degree level

According to the data, law enforcement specialists with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $108,312 annually. With a Doctorate degree, law enforcement specialists earn a median annual income of $102,998 compared to $93,471 for law enforcement specialists with an Bachelor's degree.
$110,000
$101,000
$92,000
$83,000
$74,000
$65,000
$56,000
Master's Degree
High School Diploma or Less
Bachelor's Degree
Doctorate Degree
Some College/ Associate Degree
EducationSalary
Master's Degree$108,312
High School Diploma or Less$64,900
Bachelor's Degree$93,471
Doctorate Degree$102,998
Some College/ Associate Degree$81,448

Law enforcement specialist employment statistics

Most law enforcement specialists work for a private in the government industry.

Company size where law enforcement specialists work

Below, you can see the size of companies where law enforcement specialists work.

< 50 employees

50 - 100 employees

100 - 500 employees

500 - 1,000 employees

1,000 - 10,000 employees

> 10,000

Law enforcement specialist jobs by employer size

Company sizePercentages
< 50 employees3%
50 - 100 employees17%
100 - 500 employees22%
500 - 1,000 employees9%
1,000 - 10,000 employees30%
> 10,000 employees19%

Law enforcement specialist jobs by company type

Employees with the law enforcement specialist job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most law enforcement specialists prefer to work at private companies over government companies.

Education

Public

Private

Government

Law enforcement specialist jobs by sector

Company typePercentages
Education10%
Public11%
Private44%
Government35%

Law enforcement specialist jobs by industry

The most common industries for law enforcement specialists are government, professional and technology.

Government

Professional

Technology

Education

Finance

Law enforcement specialist turnover and employment statistics

Law enforcement specialist unemployment rate over time

The unemployment rate for law enforcement specialists between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Law enforcement specialist unemployment rate by year

YearLaw enforcement specialist unemployment rate
20102.07%
20112.19%
20121.94%
20131.72%
20141.41%
20151.11%
20161.02%
20171.12%
20180.98%
20191.03%
20201.37%
20211.40%

Average law enforcement specialist tenure

The average law enforcement specialist stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 1,571 law enforcement specialists resumes in Zippia's database.

Less than one year

1-2 years

3-4 years

5-7 years

8-10 years

11+ years

Law enforcement specialist tenure statistics

Number of yearsPercentages
Less than 1 year8%
1-2 years24%
3-4 years28%
5-7 years14%
8-10 years8%
11+ years18%

Law enforcement specialist LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs

Review the percent of law enforcement specialists that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
Job titleLGBTJob openings
Detention Enforcement Officer5.55%56,489
Law Enforcement Specialist7.15%-
FBI Investigator8.65%23,975
Bailiff11.11%130

Similar law enforcement specialist jobs LGBT demographics

ProfessionPercentages of LGBT Job openings
Detention Enforcement Officer5.55%56,489
FBI Investigator8.65%23,975
Bailiff11.11%130

Foreign languages spoken by law enforcement specialists

The most common foreign language among law enforcement specialists is Spanish at 46.4%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Italian at 8.9% and Mandarin is the third-most popular at 5.4%.
  • Spanish, 46.4%
  • Italian, 8.9%
  • Mandarin, 5.4%
  • Arabic, 5.4%
  • German, 3.6%
  • Other, 30.3%

Law enforcement specialist languages spoken

Foreign languagePercentages
Spanish46.4%
Italian8.9%
Mandarin5.4%
Arabic5.4%
German3.6%
Other30.3%

Law enforcement specialist jobs

Law enforcement specialist location demographics

The amount you can make as a law enforcement specialist can depend on where you live. For example, the highest salary of law enforcement specialists is $95,830. Use our chart to find out where that salary is located.

Where do law enforcement specialists earn the most?

Law enforcement specialists earn the most in New York, where the average law enforcement specialist salary is $119,633. The map here shows where law enforcement specialists earn the highest salaries in the U.S. The darker areas across the 50 states highlight the highest salaries.
Average salary

Which city has the most Law Enforcement Specialists?

By looking through more than 1,571 resumes, we found that the most popular places for law enforcement specialists are Alexandria, VA and San Antonio, TX.
Number of Law Enforcement Specialists

Law enforcement specialist jobs by state

RankStateNumber of jobsAverage salary
1California1,386$71,514
2Florida894$67,534
3Texas804$80,616
4New York546$119,633
5Pennsylvania508$101,682
6Illinois476$95,476
7Virginia452$66,886
8Georgia446$62,509
9North Carolina435$66,275
10Ohio411$93,330
11Massachusetts385$98,368
12Michigan344$79,100
13Maryland322$96,447
14Arizona305$70,875
15Washington290$94,003
16Indiana286$77,006
17Minnesota262$65,513
18Colorado262$59,456
19New Jersey259$100,166
20Missouri252$61,501
21Wisconsin247$58,472
22Iowa244$70,597
23Tennessee220$54,811
24Alabama182$64,864
25Oregon176$77,225
26South Carolina165$62,243
27Kentucky157$60,925
28Louisiana151$58,587
29Utah143$61,254
30Kansas138$51,011
31Nebraska127$59,100
32Arkansas127$54,667
33District of Columbia125$110,882
34Oklahoma124$56,409
35Connecticut119$117,227
36Nevada93$72,764
37Hawaii82$55,376
38Delaware74$90,143
39Idaho74$52,821
40New Mexico74$59,785
41West Virginia64$89,413
42Mississippi58$86,576
43Montana58$52,726
44New Hampshire55$100,852
45Alaska48$86,725
46Wyoming46$51,179
47Maine42$84,669
48South Dakota42$48,863
49Rhode Island39$99,006
50North Dakota37$72,642
51Vermont33$90,913

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