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Job outlook for special officers in the United States
Special officer job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected special officer job growth rate is 3% from 2018-2028.
About 38,000 new jobs for special officers are projected over the next decade.
Special officer salaries have increased 20% for special officers in the last 5 years.
There are over 16,998 special officers currently employed in the United States.
There are 81,058 active special officer job openings in the US.
The average special officer salary is $37,839.
Are special officer jobs in demand?
Yes, special officer jobs are in demand. Special officer demand is projected to grow 3% from 2018 to 2028.
Special officer job and salary trends over time
Compare the number of special officer jobs and the average special officer salary over time.
Special officer jobs over time
Special officer job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 16,998 | 0.01% |
| 2020 | 16,748 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 17,082 | 0.01% |
| 2018 | 16,974 | 0.01% |
| 2017 | 16,988 | 0.01% |
Average special officer salary over time
Special officer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $37,839 | $18.19 | +4.6% |
| 2024 | $36,170 | $17.39 | +4.2% |
| 2023 | $34,720 | $16.69 | +5.9% |
| 2022 | $32,782 | $15.76 | +4.4% |
| 2021 | $31,405 | $15.10 | +4.6% |
Special officer jobs by state
The map below shows you the number of special officer job openings in each state. The darker areas on the map show where special officers earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.
Average salary: Job openings:
Most common states for special officers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 229 | 33% |
| 2 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,947 | 28% |
| 3 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 490 | 26% |
| 4 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 350 | 26% |
| 5 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,404 | 25% |
| 6 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 266 | 25% |
| 7 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 399 | 23% |
| 8 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 172 | 23% |
| 9 | Vermont | 623,657 | 146 | 23% |
| 10 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 1,313 | 22% |
| 11 | Delaware | 961,939 | 208 | 22% |
| 12 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 1,159 | 21% |
| 13 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 2,543 | 20% |
| 14 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 1,695 | 20% |
| 15 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 1,245 | 20% |
| 16 | Kentucky | 4,454,189 | 910 | 20% |
| 17 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 1,359 | 19% |
| 18 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 393 | 19% |
| 19 | Alaska | 739,795 | 142 | 19% |
| 20 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 747 | 18% |
Most common cities for special officers
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | La Mesa | 1 | 2% | $43,627 |
| 2 | Olympia | 1 | 2% | $49,502 |
| 3 | Fort Lauderdale | 2 | 1% | $36,670 |
| 4 | Brockton | 1 | 1% | $43,142 |
| 5 | Chattanooga | 1 | 1% | $33,677 |
| 6 | Chino | 1 | 1% | $43,986 |
| 7 | Mountain View | 1 | 1% | $46,177 |
| 8 | Springfield | 1 | 1% | $38,232 |
| 9 | Tallahassee | 1 | 1% | $36,483 |
| 10 | San Diego | 2 | 0% | $43,657 |
| 11 | Bakersfield | 1 | 0% | $44,856 |
| 12 | Irvine | 1 | 0% | $43,942 |
| 13 | Jacksonville | 1 | 0% | $36,465 |
| 14 | Los Angeles | 1 | 0% | $44,210 |
| 15 | New York | 1 | 0% | $41,731 |
| 16 | Saint Paul | 1 | 0% | $44,786 |