Directly supervise and coordinate activities of members of police force.
National median · BLS
$106,040
▲ +0.06%YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$112,190
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
154,610
Jobs (BLS)
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Enter your pay and a location to see where you stand against BLS and H-1B pay, your estimated take-home pay, and your purchasing power.
Pay range for First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives
Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Percentile
All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay
$63,350
25th
$81,860
Median (50th)
$106,040
75th
$132,620
90th — top pay
$165,110
Hourly ⇄ annual pay
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Monthly—
Every 2 weeks—
Weekly—
Daily—
Based on
hrs/week ×
weeks/year
= 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035
Job outlook for First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives
BLS projects employment of first-line supervisors of police and detectives to grow 3.3% from 2025 to 2035, about the same as the 3.5% average for all occupations.
About 10,600 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.
Jobs 2025 → 2035
160,200 → 165,400
+5,200 jobs
Projected change
+3.3%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
10,600
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
Plus less than 5 years experience
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 2)
Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035
First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives salaries by state
BLS state medians, plus the same figure adjusted for local prices (BEA Regional Price Parities). Tap a state for its full range and H-1B pay.
State
Median
Jobs
Cost-adjusted
Profile
First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives salaries by metro area
Search by city, ZIP code or metro name. Tap a metro for its full range.
Metro area
Median
Jobs
Cost-adjusted
Profile
Skills & tools
Skills needed for First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives
How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.
Top skills
Active Listening4.0
Critical Thinking4.0
Management of Personnel Resources4.0
Monitoring4.0
Reading Comprehension4.0
Social Perceptiveness4.0
Speaking4.0
Active Learning3.9
Coordination3.9
Instructing3.9
Top knowledge areas
Public Safety and Security4.7
Law and Government4.5
Customer and Personal Service4.4
Administration and Management4.0
English Language3.8
Psychology3.8
Sociology and Anthropology3.3
Therapy and Counseling3.2
Software and technology used
Microsoft Office softwareMicrosoft AccessMicrosoft Active Server Pages ASPMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft VisioMicrosoft WordComputer aided composite drawing softwareComputer aided dispatch softwareCorel WordPerfect Office SuiteCrime mapping softwareDesignWare 3D EyeWitnessEmail softwareIntegrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System IAFISLaw enforcement information databasesMicrosoft Internet ExplorerNational Crime Information Center (NCIC) database
Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
About the job
What first-line supervisors of police and detectives do
Supervise and coordinate the investigation of criminal cases, offering guidance and expertise to investigators, and ensuring that procedures are conducted in accordance with laws and regulations.
Prepare work schedules and assign duties to subordinates.
Direct collection, preparation, and handling of evidence and personal property of prisoners.
Investigate and resolve personnel problems within organization and charges of misconduct against staff.
Explain police operations to subordinates to assist them in performing their job duties.
Maintain logs, prepare reports, and direct the preparation, handling, and maintenance of departmental records.
Inform personnel of changes in regulations and policies, implications of new or amended laws, and new techniques of police work.
Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.
Similar jobs and how they pay
Occupations O*NET lists as closely related to First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives, with BLS national medians compared with this occupation's $106,040.
