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Best states for a protective service specialist
Quoted expert
Lorrie Greenhouse Gardella
- Rank 1 - 10
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Protective service specialist opportunities vary in different parts of the country. In order to help you determine the best states for protective service specialists, we ranked all fifty states from best to worst for protective service specialists.In order to help you decide which state is the best for protective service specialists, we ranked all 50 states and the District of Columbia from best to worst for protective service specialist jobs.
To do that, we looked at the most recent data we have available for the following criteria -- average annual wages, and availability of jobs for protective service specialists.We found that the South is best for protective service specialists, and the Northeast is the worst. Baltimore, MD is the best city in the country for protective service specialist jobs, where as Maryland is the best state in the country.
10 best states for protective service specialists in 2025
1. Maryland
Total protective service specialist jobs: 1,374 Average annual salary: $69,958 Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $110,000 Location Quotient: 1.28
2. New Jersey
Total protective service specialist jobs: 1,297 Average annual salary: $87,273 Lowest 10 percent earn: $55,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $137,000 Location Quotient: 0.96
3. Minnesota
Total protective service specialist jobs: 1,158 Average annual salary: $65,242 Lowest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $91,000 Location Quotient: 1.03
4. Nevada
Total protective service specialist jobs: 364 Average annual salary: $64,156 Lowest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $99,000 Location Quotient: 1.03
5. New York
Total protective service specialist jobs: 2,498 Average annual salary: $62,559 Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $98,000 Location Quotient: 1.15
6. Massachusetts
Total protective service specialist jobs: 2,848 Average annual salary: $58,036 Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $89,000 Location Quotient: 1.83
7. New Mexico
Total protective service specialist jobs: 367 Average annual salary: $55,091 Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $86,000 Location Quotient: 1.1
8. Washington
Total protective service specialist jobs: 1,389 Average annual salary: $58,323 Lowest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $78,000 Location Quotient: 1.12
9. North Dakota
Total protective service specialist jobs: 151 Average annual salary: $59,650 Lowest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $78,000 Location Quotient: 0.96
10. Alaska
Total protective service specialist jobs: 188 Average annual salary: $59,378 Lowest 10 percent earn: $52,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $66,000 Location Quotient: 1.33
Protective service specialist jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a protective service specialist
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a protective service specialist
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maryland | $69,958 | $44,000 | 6,052,177 | 1,374 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $87,273 | $55,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,297 |
| 3 | Minnesota | $65,242 | $46,000 | 5,576,606 | 1,158 |
| 4 | Nevada | $64,156 | $41,000 | 2,998,039 | 364 |
| 5 | New York | $62,559 | $39,000 | 19,849,399 | 2,498 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $58,036 | $37,000 | 6,859,819 | 2,848 |
| 7 | New Mexico | $55,091 | $35,000 | 2,088,070 | 367 |
| 8 | Washington | $58,323 | $43,000 | 7,405,743 | 1,389 |
| 9 | North Dakota | $59,650 | $45,000 | 755,393 | 151 |
| 10 | Alaska | $59,378 | $52,000 | 739,795 | 188 |
| 11 | Texas | $62,030 | $37,000 | 28,304,596 | 2,975 |
| 12 | California | $62,442 | $39,000 | 39,536,653 | 4,980 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $59,300 | $38,000 | 1,342,795 | 273 |
| 14 | Oregon | $56,347 | $39,000 | 4,142,776 | 739 |
| 15 | Colorado | $59,045 | $40,000 | 5,607,154 | 949 |
| 16 | Hawaii | $59,418 | $46,000 | 1,427,538 | 194 |
| 17 | District of Columbia | $68,853 | $43,000 | 693,972 | 193 |
| 18 | Maine | $52,127 | $34,000 | 1,335,907 | 352 |
| 19 | North Carolina | $58,643 | $36,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,295 |
| 20 | Iowa | $51,441 | $35,000 | 3,145,711 | 690 |
| 21 | West Virginia | $56,566 | $36,000 | 1,815,857 | 202 |
| 22 | Pennsylvania | $50,539 | $32,000 | 12,805,537 | 2,239 |
| 23 | Virginia | $59,480 | $37,000 | 8,470,020 | 1,284 |
| 24 | Illinois | $55,815 | $37,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,887 |
| 25 | Idaho | $55,259 | $39,000 | 1,716,943 | 250 |
| 26 | Connecticut | $55,035 | $35,000 | 3,588,184 | 557 |
| 27 | Kansas | $54,822 | $36,000 | 2,913,123 | 393 |
| 28 | Ohio | $50,977 | $33,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,548 |
| 29 | Montana | $48,541 | $36,000 | 1,050,493 | 266 |
| 30 | South Dakota | $49,502 | $35,000 | 869,666 | 177 |
| 31 | South Carolina | $48,815 | $30,000 | 5,024,369 | 757 |
| 32 | Delaware | $49,725 | $31,000 | 961,939 | 214 |
| 33 | Wisconsin | $51,419 | $35,000 | 5,795,483 | 756 |
| 34 | Rhode Island | $50,213 | $32,000 | 1,059,639 | 202 |
| 35 | Vermont | $50,726 | $33,000 | 623,657 | 126 |
| 36 | Michigan | $46,075 | $30,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,385 |
| 37 | Nebraska | $46,213 | $31,000 | 1,920,076 | 410 |
| 38 | Arizona | $43,959 | $27,000 | 7,016,270 | 1,180 |
| 39 | Tennessee | $47,801 | $30,000 | 6,715,984 | 908 |
| 40 | Florida | $44,749 | $26,000 | 20,984,400 | 2,822 |
| 41 | Utah | $46,556 | $32,000 | 3,101,833 | 530 |
| 42 | Wyoming | $48,618 | $34,000 | 579,315 | 85 |
| 43 | Louisiana | $41,660 | $25,000 | 4,684,333 | 536 |
| 44 | Arkansas | $40,939 | $26,000 | 3,004,279 | 442 |
| 45 | Indiana | $42,165 | $27,000 | 6,666,818 | 1,001 |
| 46 | Missouri | $44,363 | $29,000 | 6,113,532 | 779 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $38,744 | $25,000 | 3,930,864 | 506 |
| 48 | Alabama | $41,959 | $25,000 | 4,874,747 | 508 |
| 49 | Kentucky | $41,453 | $26,000 | 4,454,189 | 469 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $35,224 | $21,000 | 2,984,100 | 318 |
| 51 | Georgia | $36,002 | $22,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,495 |
Highest paying states for protective service specialists
| Rank | State | Avg. Protective Service Specialist Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maryland | $69,958 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $87,273 |
| 3 | Minnesota | $65,242 |
| 4 | Nevada | $64,156 |
| 5 | New York | $62,559 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $58,036 |
| 7 | New Mexico | $55,091 |
| 8 | Washington | $58,323 |
| 9 | North Dakota | $59,650 |
| 10 | Alaska | $59,378 |
| 11 | Texas | $62,030 |
| 12 | California | $62,442 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $59,300 |
| 14 | Oregon | $56,347 |
| 15 | Colorado | $59,045 |
| 16 | Hawaii | $59,418 |
| 17 | District of Columbia | $68,853 |
| 18 | Maine | $52,127 |
| 19 | North Carolina | $58,643 |
| 20 | Iowa | $51,441 |
| 21 | West Virginia | $56,566 |
| 22 | Pennsylvania | $50,539 |
| 23 | Virginia | $59,480 |
| 24 | Illinois | $55,815 |
| 25 | Idaho | $55,259 |
| 26 | Connecticut | $55,035 |
| 27 | Kansas | $54,822 |
| 28 | Ohio | $50,977 |
| 29 | Montana | $48,541 |
| 30 | South Dakota | $49,502 |
| 31 | South Carolina | $48,815 |
| 32 | Delaware | $49,725 |
| 33 | Wisconsin | $51,419 |
| 34 | Rhode Island | $50,213 |
| 35 | Vermont | $50,726 |
| 36 | Michigan | $46,075 |
| 37 | Nebraska | $46,213 |
| 38 | Arizona | $43,959 |
| 39 | Tennessee | $47,801 |
| 40 | Florida | $44,749 |
| 41 | Utah | $46,556 |
| 42 | Wyoming | $48,618 |
| 43 | Louisiana | $41,660 |
| 44 | Arkansas | $40,939 |
| 45 | Indiana | $42,165 |
| 46 | Missouri | $44,363 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $38,744 |
| 48 | Alabama | $41,959 |
| 49 | Kentucky | $41,453 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $35,224 |
| 51 | Georgia | $36,002 |
Expert opinions on the best states for protective service specialists
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for protective service specialists to find work opportunities?
Lorrie Greenhouse Gardella
Professor, MSW Program Coordinator, Southern Connecticut State University
Social workers are needed everywhere -- from rural settings to small towns, to large cities. Social work is one of the fastest-growing professions in the U.S.
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Updated January 8, 2025