Protective services officer demographics and statistics in the US
Protective services officer demographics research summary. Zippia estimates protective services officer demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our protective services officer estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about protective services officers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 5,693 protective services officers currently employed in the United States.
- 16.6% of all protective services officers are women, while 83.4% are men.
- The average protective services officer age is 43 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of protective services officers is White (54.0%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (17.2%), Black or African American (16.0%) and Asian (5.9%).
- In 2022, women earned 99% of what men earned.
- 6% of all protective services officers are LGBT.
- Protective services officers are 58% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to government companies.
On this page
Protective services officer demographics by:
Protective services officer gender statistics
16.6% of protective services officers are women and 83.4% of protective services officers are men.
- Male, 83.4%
- Female, 16.6%
Protective services officer gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 83.4% |
| Female | 16.6% |
Protective services officer gender pay gap
Women earn 99¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$50,259
Female income
$49,592
Protective services officer gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in protective services officer positions over time. Currently, 16.6% of protective services officers are female.
Protective services officer gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 85.27% | 14.73% |
| 2011 | 84.39% | 15.61% |
| 2012 | 85.25% | 14.75% |
| 2013 | 85.33% | 14.67% |
| 2014 | 84.74% | 15.26% |
| 2015 | 85.24% | 14.76% |
| 2016 | 84.97% | 15.03% |
| 2017 | 84.09% | 15.91% |
| 2018 | 84.70% | 15.30% |
| 2019 | 84.35% | 15.65% |
| 2020 | 82.81% | 17.19% |
| 2021 | 83.44% | 16.56% |
Protective services officer related jobs gender ratio
We compared protective services officers with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, rescue boat operator and bodyguard have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Playground Monitor | 18% | 82% |
| School Crossing Guard | 21% | 79% |
| Crossing Guard | 23% | 77% |
| Protective Services Officer | 83% | 17% |
| Bouncer | 94% | 6% |
| Bodyguard | 96% | 4% |
| Rescue Boat Operator | 98% | 2% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Protective services officer demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among protective services officers is White, which makes up 54.0% of all protective services officers. Comparatively, 17.2% of protective services officers are Hispanic or Latino and 16.0% of protective services officers are Black or African American.
- White, 54.0%
- Hispanic or Latino, 17.2%
- Black or African American, 16.0%
- Asian, 5.9%
- Unknown, 5.3%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6%
Protective services officer race
| Protective services officer race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 54.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 17.2% |
| Black or African American | 16.0% |
| Asian | 5.9% |
| Unknown | 5.3% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.6% |
Protective services officer race and ethnicity over time
See how protective services officer racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Protective services officer race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 63.54% | 16.32% | 4.69% | 12.03% |
| 2011 | 61.49% | 16.26% | 4.66% | 13.61% |
| 2012 | 61.15% | 16.54% | 4.59% | 13.71% |
| 2013 | 61.48% | 16.10% | 4.85% | 13.81% |
| 2014 | 60.17% | 16.94% | 4.55% | 14.14% |
| 2015 | 59.80% | 16.37% | 5.03% | 14.59% |
| 2016 | 59.43% | 16.14% | 4.82% | 15.47% |
| 2017 | 59.33% | 17.06% | 4.49% | 15.27% |
| 2018 | 59.58% | 15.94% | 4.69% | 15.28% |
| 2019 | 58.57% | 16.65% | 5.51% | 15.14% |
| 2020 | 53.90% | 17.21% | 5.56% | 16.53% |
| 2021 | 54.02% | 15.99% | 5.89% | 17.16% |
Protective services officer wage gap by race
According to our data, white protective services officers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Unknown protective services officers have the lowest average salary at $49,437.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $49,437 |
| White | $50,701 |
| Black or African American | $50,413 |
| Asian | $50,658 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $50,098 |
Average protective services officer age
See how the average age of protective services officers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Protective services officer age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 45 | 41 |
| Unknown | 37.5 | 39 |
| Asian | 45 | 44 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 36 | 36.5 |
| White | 45 | 47 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 38.5 | 37 |
Protective services officer age breakdown
The average age of protective services officers is 40+ years years old, representing 56% of the protective services officer population.
Protective services officer age breakdown
| Protective Services Officer Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 56% |
| 30-40 years | 21% |
| 20-30 years | 22% |
Protective services officer educational attainment
The most common degree for protective services officers is bachelor's degree, with 35% of protective services officers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 26% and associate degree degree at 23%.
- Bachelor's, 35%
- Associate, 26%
- High School Diploma, 23%
- Master's, 5%
- Other Degrees, 11%
Protective services officers by degree level
| Protective services officer degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 35% |
| Associate | 26% |
| High School Diploma | 23% |
| Master's | 5% |
| Other Degrees | 11% |
Protective services officer jobs you might like
Protective services officer wage gap by degree level
According to the data, protective services officers with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $58,065 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, protective services officers earn a median annual income of $52,909 compared to $49,282 for protective services officers with an Associate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $58,065 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $47,222 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $52,909 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $49,282 |
Protective services officer employment statistics
Most protective services officers work for a private in the government industry.
Company size where protective services officers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where protective services officers work.
Protective services officer jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 4% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 16% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 20% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 9% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 30% |
| > 10,000 employees | 21% |
Protective services officer jobs by company type
Employees with the protective services officer job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most protective services officers prefer to work at private companies over government companies.
Protective services officer jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 10% |
| Public | 15% |
| Private | 58% |
| Government | 18% |
Protective services officer jobs by industry
The most common industries for protective services officers are government, health care and utilities.
Protective services officer industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Government | 14% |
| Health Care | 14% |
| Utilities | 9% |
| Professional | 9% |
| Technology | 9% |
| Education | 8% |
| Fortune 500 | 7% |
| Manufacturing | 6% |
| Non Profits | 6% |
| Finance | 5% |
| Retail | 3% |
| Media | 1% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
Protective services officer turnover and employment statistics
Protective services officer unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for protective services officers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Protective services officer unemployment rate by year
| Year | Protective services officer unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 12.24% |
| 2011 | 11.62% |
| 2012 | 10.40% |
| 2013 | 9.08% |
| 2014 | 8.18% |
| 2015 | 7.21% |
| 2016 | 6.47% |
| 2017 | 5.77% |
| 2018 | 5.47% |
| 2019 | 4.75% |
| 2020 | 6.85% |
| 2021 | 7.46% |
Average protective services officer tenure
The average protective services officer stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 1,163 protective services officers resumes in Zippia's database.
Protective services officer tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 16% |
| 1-2 years | 30% |
| 3-4 years | 15% |
| 5-7 years | 19% |
| 8-10 years | 8% |
| 11+ years | 12% |
Protective services officer LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of protective services officers that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Rail Signal Worker | 3.84% | 22,904 |
| Protective Services Officer | 6.29% | - |
| Loss Prevention Leader | 7.17% | 34,066 |
| Water Safety Instructor | 7.20% | 44,102 |
| Alarm Investigator | 8.27% | 5,311 |
| Transportation Security Screener | 15.51% | 52,947 |
Similar protective services officer jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Rail Signal Worker | 3.84% | 22,904 |
| Loss Prevention Leader | 7.17% | 34,066 |
| Water Safety Instructor | 7.20% | 44,102 |
| Alarm Investigator | 8.27% | 5,311 |
| Transportation Security Screener | 15.51% | 52,947 |
Foreign languages spoken by protective services officers
The most common foreign language among protective services officers is Spanish at 73.5%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 14.7% and German is the third-most popular at 2.9%.
- Spanish, 73.5%
- French, 14.7%
- German, 2.9%
- Japanese, 2.9%
- Hebrew, 2.9%
- Other, 3.1%
Protective services officer languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 73.5% |
| French | 14.7% |
| German | 2.9% |
| Japanese | 2.9% |
| Hebrew | 2.9% |
| Other | 3.1% |
