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Job outlook for law enforcement specialists in the United States
Law enforcement specialist job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected law enforcement specialist job growth rate is 3% from 2018-2028.
About 20,600 new jobs for law enforcement specialists are projected over the next decade.
Law enforcement specialist salaries have increased 10% for law enforcement specialists in the last 5 years.
There are over 19,911 law enforcement specialists currently employed in the United States.
There are 8,021 active law enforcement specialist job openings in the US.
The average law enforcement specialist salary is $75,567.
Are law enforcement specialist jobs in demand?
Law enforcement specialist job and salary trends over time
Law enforcement specialist jobs over time
Law enforcement specialist job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 19,911 | 0.01% |
| 2020 | 19,597 | 0.01% |
| 2019 | 19,908 | 0.01% |
| 2018 | 19,789 | 0.01% |
| 2017 | 19,821 | 0.01% |
Average law enforcement specialist salary over time
Law enforcement specialist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $75,567 | $36.33 | +3.8% |
| 2025 | $72,811 | $35.01 | +2.9% |
| 2024 | $70,770 | $34.02 | +0.5% |
| 2023 | $70,390 | $33.84 | +2.3% |
| 2022 | $68,810 | $33.08 | +2.3% |
Law enforcement specialist jobs by state
Most common states for law enforcement specialists
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 125 | 18% |
| 2 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 244 | 8% |
| 3 | Delaware | 961,939 | 74 | 8% |
| 4 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 46 | 8% |
| 5 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 127 | 7% |
| 6 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 385 | 6% |
| 7 | Hawaii | 1,427,538 | 82 | 6% |
| 8 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 58 | 6% |
| 9 | Alaska | 739,795 | 48 | 6% |
| 10 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 452 | 5% |
| 11 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 322 | 5% |
| 12 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 262 | 5% |
| 13 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 262 | 5% |
| 14 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 143 | 5% |
| 15 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 138 | 5% |
| 16 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 42 | 5% |
| 17 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 37 | 5% |
| 18 | Vermont | 623,657 | 33 | 5% |
| 19 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 508 | 4% |
| 20 | Ohio | 11,658,609 | 411 | 4% |
Law Enforcement Specialist job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of law enforcement specialist experts
University of Georgia
Governors State University
Murray State University
Georgia Southern University
Georgia Southern University
Dr. Latarcia Barnes PhD
Chair of the Department of Criminal Justice and Sociology, Associate ProfessorWhat general advice would you give to a Law Enforcement Specialist?
Dr. Latarcia Barnes PhD: Federal law enforcement is a great profession to enter. There is retirement after 20 years, great career advancement, and great benefits
What Law Enforcement Specialist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Latarcia Barnes PhD: This question is difficult to answer because in federal law enforcement, there are different jobs a person can have. The underlying theme is to enforce the laws that the federal government has and to enforce the judgement of a federal judge.
What will help Law Enforcement Specialists increase their earning potential?
Dr. Latarcia Barnes PhD: All skills can be beneficial in the criminal justice field because agencies are expanding job skills and qualifications to meet the changing needs of the world in relation to criminal justice. Many employed in this field hold degrees other than criminal justice. Federal criminal justice agencies are recruiting other majors because of those skill sets they possess. For example, accountants are being recruited for forensic accounting. Therefore with criminal justice majors, it is beneficial to make oneself more marketable by having a minor in another discipline.
What general advice would you give to a Law Enforcement Specialist?
Todd Krohn: I think internship experience prior to applying maximizes your salary potential, as well as compiling a list of relevant volunteer experiences, and keeping a clean record. Every agency is going to run background checks, and increasingly many are running credit checks as well. A clean record going in definitely makes you a more marketable candidate.
What Law Enforcement Specialist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Todd Krohn: Critical thinking skills, without a doubt. The ability to think critically and exercise discretion and awareness in this field are immeasurable, no matter whether you're in law enforcement, the courts, or corrections. With so many job openings currently, particularly in the correctional world, smart students with critical thinking skills are going be snapped up and promoted quickly. As well, work on your writing skills. The ability to communicate in writing is probably one of the most overlooked skills necessary to be successful in CJ.
What will help Law Enforcement Specialists increase their earning potential?
Todd Krohn: I would definitely think about doing an internship before you graduate. For many students going into law enforcement or probation and parole, getting an internship while still in school could potentially lead to your first job offer. For those going into the legal world of prosecution or defense, internships in those worlds before law school will help you confirm those are the areas you want to study. Basically, any CJ graduate would benefit from doing an internship, dependent upon the area of the CJ system they are thinking about working in. While most of these are going to be unpaid in the CJ system, the benefits they carry later more than pay off the experience.
Dr. Janet Brewer
Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice & SociologyGovernors State University
Criminal Justice And Corrections
What general advice would you give to a Law Enforcement Specialist?
Dr. Janet Brewer: Market yourself as someone who can increase revenue or decrease workload for that entity. Use your school's alumni network to its fullest.
What Law Enforcement Specialist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Janet Brewer: In law enforcement, leadership, critical thinking and novel problem-solving skills are going to be of paramount importance. This is because the world is becoming increasingly complex, as we learned during the pandemic, demanding that people are able to think outside the box, and quickly. Within the court system, I think interdisciplinary skill sets will be important as therapeutic and restorative justice interventions continue to flourish. For example, increasingly, diversion programs and specialty courts are calling for skill sets in mental health, law, and public policy simultaneously.
What will help Law Enforcement Specialists increase their earning potential?
Dr. Janet Brewer: Think about skill sets and transferrable skills rather than traditional job labels. For example, I am someone who can advocate, critically analyze, and communicate persuasively rather than I am a lawyer.
What general advice would you give to a Law Enforcement Specialist?
Dr. Alaina Steele: In many criminal justice positions, salaries and benefits are fixed or graded on state or federal pay scales. There's often little room for negotiation in terms of compensation for each role, so the best way to maximize salary potential is to move up the ranks into positions at a higher pay grade. Look into the criteria for promotion early on in your career, read through job descriptions for higher-level roles you want, and use the role you play in your current position to build the knowledge, skills, and abilities you will need to meet the requirements for that role and to succeed in the promotion process.
What Law Enforcement Specialist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Alaina Steele: People go into the criminal justice field for many different reasons, so be proactive in making sure your employer will provide a suitable work environment and the right kinds of support/development for you to be the type of criminal justice professional you want to be. When applying for jobs, remember that you are interviewing agencies at the same time they are interviewing you. Ask questions that provide you with insight on the things you're looking for in an employer. If possible, talk to people who work or have worked there to find out what they love(d) about their job and colleagues and what they would change. Search online for what an agency's clients or the people who live in the communities they serve have to say about their experiences and recent encounters with the criminal justice professionals at that agency. Take the time to consider if what you find in your research is something that aligns with your personal values and career goals.
What will help Law Enforcement Specialists increase their earning potential?
Dr. Alaina Steele: Emotionally intelligent communication skills are vital in the criminal justice field. Roles in law enforcement, courts, and corrections all require the ability to successfully interact with community members in their most vulnerable and challenging moments. "Strong oral and written communication skills" has long been an essential job requirement in postings for CJ positions, but the ways in which people communicate-and how conflicts arise-are constantly changing. Tools for de-escalation and problem solving must evolve alongside them, requiring criminal justice professionals to be lifelong students of human behavior. Adaptability in communication style is especially crucial when working with members of marginalized populations that may have cultural, intellectual, or neurodevelopmental differences in the ways they give and receive information. The other thing is the ability to navigate technology. With the rapid expansion of AI across all sectors of society and unprecedented questions of privacy, legality, and the potential for malicious use following close behind, new challenges will require attention from legal professionals. Criminal justice actors will also need to be able to ethically evaluate and responsibly use the new and changing tools available to them in their own day-to-day work.
Logan Somers Ph.D.
Assistant ProfessorGeorgia Southern University
Criminal Justice and Criminology Department
What skills stand out on Law Enforcement Specialist resumes?
Logan Somers Ph.D.: Skills and experiences that stand out on Law Enforcement Officer resumes are not too dissimilar from desirable qualities in other industries. First, even though the vast majority of police departments do not have an education requirement beyond high school, most recruits entering the academy do have at least some college experience. Therefore, having an associate's or bachelor's degree will make you competitive. Further, policing in today's society requires officers to be elite communicators, critical thinkers, and problem-solvers. Any prior work experience that can be used to demonstrate how you performed those skills under pressure should be highlighted. Lastly, any prior community service and or mentoring should be included. Having these experiences displays your commitment to improving your community and bettering the lives of those around you.
What soft skills should all Law Enforcement Specialists possess?
Logan Somers Ph.D.: Officers are tasked with handling a wide range of service-oriented (e.g., providing directions, conducting wellness checks, assisting a citizen whose car has broken down) and order maintenance (e.g., attending to noise complaints, settling domestic disputes, directing traffic) duties that go beyond just crime enforcement. This necessitates that an officer must possess numerous intangible skills. These include the ability to communicate effectively and treat citizens in a respectful and courteous manner. Doing this will go a long way towards keeping situations from escalating and building positive community relationships. Officers also have a great deal of discretion, meaning that in most citizen interactions, they have numerous actions and inactions that they can choose from. For example, officers conducting traffic enforcement typically have the discretion to decide who to stop, where to stop them, and whether to give a citation or a warning. Given this great deal of power, having the ability to think critically and ethically are paramount.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Law Enforcement Specialists?
Logan Somers Ph.D.: A significant portion of an officer's day can often be spent filling out paperwork. Every stop, citation, warrant, arrest, or use of force incident typically requires forms that need to be filled out and sent to supervisors for review. This makes the ability to write proficiently and provide a descriptive narrative of events crucial for day-to-day police work.
What skills will help Law Enforcement Specialists earn the most?
Logan Somers Ph.D.: Most police organizations follow a bureaucratic, hierarchical model that has many layers of management and specialized units. Though the complexity of this hierarchy varies slightly from department to department, it is nearly universal that all sworn officers begin their careers on patrol. From there, departments often have Civil Service procedures that dictate the minimum requirements necessary for an officer to advance within the department. This usually entails a mandate that an officer must spend between 2 and 5 years on patrol before they are eligible to apply to a supervisory rank or specialized unit. A few ways in which officers can build skills during that time that will help them be competitive when seeking promotions is to continue both their formal education and take increased in-service training. Also, obtaining good performance evaluations is typically vital for advancement.
Amanda Graham Ph.D.
Assistant ProfessorGeorgia Southern University
Criminal Justice & Criminology
What skills stand out on Law Enforcement Specialist resumes?
Amanda Graham Ph.D.: Completed Degree - Although not required for most departments around the country, the completion of a higher-ed degree in any subject signals to hiring committees that the applicant is (1) seeking to improve themselves, (2) open to learning new things, and (3) capable of finishing a goal that they set out to reach.
A second language - Particularly for candidates that speak Spanish fluently, the ability to speak a second language is of increasing importance as communities around the country continue to diversify.
What soft skills should all Law Enforcement Specialists possess?
Amanda Graham Ph.D.: Verbal Communication - The ability to talk to/hold a conversation with a stranger is essential in the human enterprise of policing. It is one of the best tools and officer has with them to address any situation.
Ethical Decision-Making (Using Discretion Appropriately) - The ability to make the best decision in a given situation is absolutely critical in policing. Not only do officers need to have sound and logical judgment, but also the capacity to make ethically sound decisions helps to prevent the introduction of bias into the criminal justice system.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Law Enforcement Specialists?
Amanda Graham Ph.D.: Written Communication/Writing/English - Policing heavily involves being able to articulate your ideas in writing, especially for writing reports and warrants. These documents demand officers provide their probable cause for a case; without this capacity, cases can be dropped and warrant applications unsuccessful.
What skills will help Law Enforcement Specialists earn the most?
Amanda Graham Ph.D.: Although pay is often determined through Civil Service Boards/Commissions and Police Unions, earning potential can be increased through the completion of higher-ed degrees (e.g., Bachelors, Masters), the ability to speak a second language, and the willingness/ability to work during less-conventional hours (i.e., overnight shifts often receive additional pay/shift differential) or additional hours (i.e., overtime).