Special officer demographics and statistics in the US
Special officer demographics research summary. Zippia estimates special officer demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our special 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 special officers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 16,998 special officers currently employed in the United States.
- 30.7% of all special officers are women, while 69.3% are men.
- The average special officer age is 43 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of special officers is White (52.4%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (20.3%), Black or African American (14.6%) and Asian (5.7%).
- Special officers are most in-demand in Nashville, TN.
- The government industry is the highest-paying for special officers.
- 6% of all special officers are LGBT.
On this page
Special officer demographics by:
Special officer gender statistics
30.7% of special officers are women and 69.3% of special officers are men.
- Male, 69.3%
- Female, 30.7%
Special officer gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 69.3% |
| Female | 30.7% |
Special officer gender pay gap
Women earn 99¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$38,941
Female income
$38,485
Special officer gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in special officer positions over time. Currently, 30.7% of special officers are female.
Special officer gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 72.17% | 27.83% |
| 2011 | 70.78% | 29.22% |
| 2012 | 72.14% | 27.86% |
| 2013 | 72.27% | 27.73% |
| 2014 | 71.33% | 28.67% |
| 2015 | 72.12% | 27.88% |
| 2016 | 71.70% | 28.30% |
| 2017 | 70.31% | 29.69% |
| 2018 | 71.26% | 28.74% |
| 2019 | 70.71% | 29.29% |
| 2020 | 68.34% | 31.66% |
| 2021 | 69.30% | 30.70% |
Special officer related jobs gender ratio
We compared special 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% |
| Special Officer | 69% | 31% |
| Bouncer | 94% | 6% |
| Bodyguard | 96% | 4% |
| Rescue Boat Operator | 98% | 2% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Special officer demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among special officers is White, which makes up 52.4% of all special officers. Comparatively, 20.3% of special officers are Hispanic or Latino and 14.6% of special officers are Black or African American.
- White, 52.4%
- Hispanic or Latino, 20.3%
- Black or African American, 14.6%
- Asian, 5.7%
- Unknown, 5.3%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.7%
Special officer race
| Special officer race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 52.4% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 20.3% |
| Black or African American | 14.6% |
| Asian | 5.7% |
| Unknown | 5.3% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.7% |
Special officer race and ethnicity over time
See how special officer racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Special officer race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 61.92% | 14.98% | 4.55% | 15.15% |
| 2011 | 59.86% | 14.92% | 4.52% | 16.73% |
| 2012 | 59.53% | 15.20% | 4.45% | 16.84% |
| 2013 | 59.86% | 14.76% | 4.71% | 16.94% |
| 2014 | 58.54% | 15.60% | 4.41% | 17.26% |
| 2015 | 58.18% | 15.03% | 4.89% | 17.72% |
| 2016 | 57.81% | 14.80% | 4.68% | 18.59% |
| 2017 | 57.70% | 15.72% | 4.35% | 18.40% |
| 2018 | 57.95% | 14.60% | 4.55% | 18.41% |
| 2019 | 56.94% | 15.31% | 5.37% | 18.27% |
| 2020 | 52.28% | 15.87% | 5.42% | 19.66% |
| 2021 | 52.39% | 14.65% | 5.75% | 20.29% |
Special officer wage gap by race
According to our data, white special officers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Unknown special officers have the lowest average salary at $38,379.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $38,379 |
| White | $39,243 |
| Black or African American | $39,046 |
| Asian | $39,214 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $38,831 |
Average special officer age
See how the average age of special officers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Special 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 |
Special officer age breakdown
The average age of special officers is 40+ years years old, representing 56% of the special officer population.
Special officer age breakdown
| Special Officer Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 56% |
| 30-40 years | 21% |
| 20-30 years | 22% |
Special officer educational attainment
The most common degree for special officers is bachelor's degree, with 54% of special officers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 18% and associate degree degree at 12%.
- Bachelor's, 54%
- Associate, 18%
- High School Diploma, 12%
- Master's, 7%
- Other Degrees, 9%
Special officers by degree level
| Special officer degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 54% |
| Associate | 18% |
| High School Diploma | 12% |
| Master's | 7% |
| Other Degrees | 9% |
Special officer jobs you might like
Special officer wage gap by degree level
According to the data, special officers with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $44,233 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, special officers earn a median annual income of $40,748 compared to $38,273 for special officers with an Associate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $44,233 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $36,857 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $40,748 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $38,273 |
Special officer employment statistics
Most special officers work for a private in the finance industry.
Company size where special officers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where special officers work.
Special officer jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 5% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 12% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 26% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 11% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 26% |
| > 10,000 employees | 21% |
Special officer jobs by company type
Employees with the special officer job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most special officers prefer to work at private companies over government companies.
Special officer jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 8% |
| Public | 21% |
| Private | 50% |
| Government | 22% |
Special officer jobs by industry
The most common industries for special officers are finance, government and professional.
Special officer industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Finance | 21% |
| Government | 19% |
| Professional | 10% |
| Utilities | 8% |
| Health Care | 7% |
| Education | 7% |
| Fortune 500 | 5% |
| Non Profits | 4% |
| Hospitality | 3% |
| Manufacturing | 3% |
| Technology | 3% |
| Retail | 2% |
| Media | 2% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
Special officer turnover and employment statistics
Special officer unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for special officers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Special officer unemployment rate by year
| Year | Special 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 special officer tenure
The average special officer stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 1,025 special officers resumes in Zippia's database.
Special officer tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 19% |
| 1-2 years | 33% |
| 3-4 years | 18% |
| 5-7 years | 14% |
| 8-10 years | 6% |
| 11+ years | 10% |
Special officer LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of special 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 |
|---|---|---|
| School Patrol | 3.84% | 39,950 |
| Special Officer | 6.29% | - |
| Loss Prevention Analyst | 7.17% | 62,658 |
| Counselor/Lifeguard | 7.20% | 30,256 |
| Skip Tracer | 8.27% | 1,464 |
| Passenger Screener | 15.51% | 1,776 |
Similar special officer jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| School Patrol | 3.84% | 39,950 |
| Loss Prevention Analyst | 7.17% | 62,658 |
| Counselor/Lifeguard | 7.20% | 30,256 |
| Skip Tracer | 8.27% | 1,464 |
| Passenger Screener | 15.51% | 1,776 |
Foreign languages spoken by special officers
The most common foreign language among special officers is Spanish at 55.0%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Korean at 7.5% and Chinese is the third-most popular at 5.0%.
- Spanish, 55.0%
- Korean, 7.5%
- Chinese, 5.0%
- French, 5.0%
- Samoan, 2.5%
- Other, 25.0%
Special officer languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 55.0% |
| Korean | 7.5% |
| Chinese | 5.0% |
| French | 5.0% |
| Samoan | 2.5% |
| Other | 25.0% |
