Best states for a protective officer

Q: What is the best state for protective officers?

The best state to be a protective officer is New York based on protective officer salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for protective officers?

The highest paying state for protective officers is Mississippi based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for protective officers?

The worst state for protective officers is West Virginia, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

Rank 1 - 10
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Are you thinking of becoming a protective officer and really want to work at G4s Secure Solutions International? Turns out, your chances to become a protective officer are better in some states than others.Our research shows that New York is the best state in the country for protective officers.

In order to get you the best states for protective officers, we looked at our data on jobs and wages -- specifically the average annual wage and the number of available jobs per capita.New York is the best state, and Fairbanks is the city with the highest pay for protective officers.

10 best states for protective officers in 2025

1. New York
Total protective officer jobs: 2,559
Average annual salary: $55,054
Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $77,000
Location Quotient:
1.27
Protective officer jobs in New York
2. Massachusetts
Total protective officer jobs: 1,703
Average annual salary: $49,560
Lowest 10 percent earn: $38,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $64,000
Location Quotient:
1.18
Protective officer jobs in Massachusetts
3. Nevada
Total protective officer jobs: 409
Average annual salary: $45,751
Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $64,000
Location Quotient:
1.24
Protective officer jobs in Nevada
4. North Dakota
Total protective officer jobs: 142
Average annual salary: $50,150
Lowest 10 percent earn: $40,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $61,000
Location Quotient:
0.97
Protective officer jobs in North Dakota
5. California
Total protective officer jobs: 6,129
Average annual salary: $49,765
Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $70,000
Location Quotient:
1.33
Protective officer jobs in California
6. Rhode Island
Total protective officer jobs: 238
Average annual salary: $44,154
Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $58,000
Location Quotient:
1.24
Protective officer jobs in Rhode Island
7. Alaska
Total protective officer jobs: 113
Average annual salary: $63,014
Lowest 10 percent earn: $54,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $72,000
Location Quotient:
0.86
Protective officer jobs in Alaska
8. Washington
Total protective officer jobs: 1,061
Average annual salary: $48,721
Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $63,000
Location Quotient:
0.92
Protective officer jobs in Washington
9. Minnesota
Total protective officer jobs: 1,235
Average annual salary: $43,076
Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $53,000
Location Quotient:
1.18
Protective officer jobs in Minnesota
10. Hawaii
Total protective officer jobs: 163
Average annual salary: $47,324
Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $57,000
Location Quotient:
1.23
Protective officer jobs in Hawaii

Protective officer jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a protective officer

You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.

Detailed list of the best states for a protective officer

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	New York	$55,054	$39,000	19,849,399	2,559
2	Massachusetts	$49,560	$38,000	6,859,819	1,703
3	Nevada	$45,751	$32,000	2,998,039	409
4	North Dakota	$50,150	$40,000	755,393	142
5	California	$49,765	$34,000	39,536,653	6,129
6	Rhode Island	$44,154	$33,000	1,059,639	238
7	Alaska	$63,014	$54,000	739,795	113
8	Washington	$48,721	$37,000	7,405,743	1,061
9	Minnesota	$43,076	$34,000	5,576,606	1,235
10	Hawaii	$47,324	$39,000	1,427,538	163
11	Arizona	$42,057	$30,000	7,016,270	1,032
12	Oregon	$45,700	$33,000	4,142,776	551
13	Pennsylvania	$40,582	$28,000	12,805,537	1,894
14	New Jersey	$42,633	$30,000	9,005,644	1,413
15	Michigan	$42,288	$32,000	9,962,311	1,011
16	Connecticut	$42,325	$30,000	3,588,184	494
17	Oklahoma	$39,269	$31,000	3,930,864	434
18	District of Columbia	$50,258	$35,000	693,972	185
19	Virginia	$45,235	$31,000	8,470,020	1,110
20	Maryland	$42,273	$29,000	6,052,177	1,141
21	Idaho	$37,093	$28,000	1,716,943	356
22	New Hampshire	$39,912	$31,000	1,342,795	244
23	Wyoming	$40,743	$32,000	579,315	44
24	Utah	$40,492	$30,000	3,101,833	420
25	Delaware	$41,377	$28,000	961,939	174
26	South Dakota	$39,179	$31,000	869,666	135
27	Maine	$38,126	$30,000	1,335,907	197
28	Nebraska	$38,320	$30,000	1,920,076	314
29	Wisconsin	$38,270	$30,000	5,795,483	751
30	Vermont	$39,530	$31,000	623,657	105
31	Missouri	$38,642	$30,000	6,113,532	811
32	Ohio	$36,562	$27,000	11,658,609	1,491
33	New Mexico	$36,158	$27,000	2,088,070	309
34	Colorado	$37,648	$29,000	5,607,154	1,009
35	Illinois	$35,878	$28,000	12,802,023	1,801
36	Montana	$36,156	$28,000	1,050,493	154
37	South Carolina	$34,749	$26,000	5,024,369	614
38	Kansas	$35,957	$28,000	2,913,123	331
39	Georgia	$33,195	$25,000	10,429,379	1,566
40	North Carolina	$33,521	$25,000	10,273,419	1,338
41	Florida	$31,499	$22,000	20,984,400	2,451
42	Tennessee	$31,784	$25,000	6,715,984	833
43	Indiana	$34,337	$26,000	6,666,818	847
44	Mississippi	$28,021	$21,000	2,984,100	411
45	Texas	$32,975	$23,000	28,304,596	2,771
46	Louisiana	$32,012	$23,000	4,684,333	444
47	Iowa	$33,281	$26,000	3,145,711	474
48	Arkansas	$32,728	$26,000	3,004,279	320
49	Alabama	$30,236	$23,000	4,874,747	638
50	Kentucky	$32,357	$25,000	4,454,189	470
51	West Virginia	$30,986	$22,000	1,815,857	184

Highest paying states for protective officers

Rank	State	Avg. Protective Officer Salary
1	New York	$55,054
2	Massachusetts	$49,560
3	Nevada	$45,751
4	North Dakota	$50,150
5	California	$49,765
6	Rhode Island	$44,154
7	Alaska	$63,014
8	Washington	$48,721
9	Minnesota	$43,076
10	Hawaii	$47,324
11	Arizona	$42,057
12	Oregon	$45,700
13	Pennsylvania	$40,582
14	New Jersey	$42,633
15	Michigan	$42,288
16	Connecticut	$42,325
17	Oklahoma	$39,269
18	District of Columbia	$50,258
19	Virginia	$45,235
20	Maryland	$42,273
21	Idaho	$37,093
22	New Hampshire	$39,912
23	Wyoming	$40,743
24	Utah	$40,492
25	Delaware	$41,377
26	South Dakota	$39,179
27	Maine	$38,126
28	Nebraska	$38,320
29	Wisconsin	$38,270
30	Vermont	$39,530
31	Missouri	$38,642
32	Ohio	$36,562
33	New Mexico	$36,158
34	Colorado	$37,648
35	Illinois	$35,878
36	Montana	$36,156
37	South Carolina	$34,749
38	Kansas	$35,957
39	Georgia	$33,195
40	North Carolina	$33,521
41	Florida	$31,499
42	Tennessee	$31,784
43	Indiana	$34,337
44	Mississippi	$28,021
45	Texas	$32,975
46	Louisiana	$32,012
47	Iowa	$33,281
48	Arkansas	$32,728
49	Alabama	$30,236
50	Kentucky	$32,357
51	West Virginia	$30,986

Best states for a protective officer

10 best states for protective officers in 2025

1. New York

2. Massachusetts

3. Nevada

4. North Dakota

5. California

6. Rhode Island

7. Alaska

8. Washington

9. Minnesota

10. Hawaii

Protective officer jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a protective officer

Detailed list of the best states for a protective officer

Highest paying states for protective officers

Protective officer best states FAQs

What is the best state for protective officers?

What is the highest paying state for protective officers?

What is the worst state for protective officers?

Search for protective officer jobs

Total protective officer jobs:	2,559
Average annual salary:	$55,054
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$39,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$77,000
Location Quotient:	1.27