# First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives

> Directly supervise and coordinate activities of members of police force.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/first-line-supervisors-of-police-and-detectives
- SOC code: 33-1012.00
- Career family: Protective service
- Median annual pay: $106,040 (10th percentile $63,350, 90th percentile $165,110)
- Projected growth: As fast as average, +3.3%
- Openings a year: 10,600
- Typical entry education: High school diploma
- Bright outlook: no
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code ECS)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 41 |
| Investigative (I) | 22 |
| Artistic (A) | 0 |
| Social (S) | 46 |
| Enterprising (E) | 98 |
| Conventional (C) | 68 |

## What you'd do

- Getting Information (importance 93/100)
- Documenting/Recording Information (importance 87/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 85/100)
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 84/100)
- Performing for or Working Directly with the Public (importance 83/100)
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships (importance 81/100)
- Assisting and Caring for Others (importance 80/100)
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events (importance 80/100)
- Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates (importance 80/100)
- Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment (importance 80/100)

## Skills

Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Management of Personnel Resources, Monitoring, Reading Comprehension, Social Perceptiveness, Speaking, Active Learning, Coordination, Instructing

## Knowledge

Public Safety and Security, Law and Government, Customer and Personal Service, Administration and Management, English Language, Psychology, Sociology and Anthropology, Therapy and Counseling, Education and Training, Personnel and Human Resources

## Also called

Captain, Chief Deputy, Community Relations Police Lieutenant, Deputy Chief Sheriff, Deputy Sheriff, Desk Sergeant, Detective Chief, Detective Lieutenant, Detective Sergeant, Detective Supervisor

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Criminal Justice and Corrections](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/4301) (CIP 4301, 1,742 colleges)
- [Security Science and Technology](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/4304) (CIP 4304, 513 colleges)
- [Homeland Security](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/4303) (CIP 4303, 337 colleges)
- [Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/0302) (CIP 0302, 204 colleges)
- [Intelligence, Command Control and Information Operations](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/2902) (CIP 2902, 85 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [George Mason University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/george-mason-university-1065) | Homeland Security | $91,928 | $143,972 | $20,250 |
| [Calumet College of Saint Joseph](https://www.collegesref.com/college/calumet-college-of-saint-joseph-380) | Criminal Justice and Corrections | $54,078 | $106,465 | $20,417 |
| [Champlain College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/champlain-college-508) | Security Science and Technology | $68,425 | $101,401 | $28,520 |
| [Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott](https://www.collegesref.com/college/embry-riddle-aeronautical-university-prescott-909) | Security Science and Technology | $58,252 | $98,996 | $20,500 |
| [Florida State University-Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/florida-state-university-main-campus-985) | Security Science and Technology | $60,178 | $93,841 | $15,125 |
| [Robert Morris University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/robert-morris-university-2246) | Security Science and Technology | $64,104 | $90,206 | $26,000 |
| [Mercyhurst University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/mercyhurst-university-1646) | Intelligence, Command Control and Information Operations | $52,770 | $86,597 | $25,000 |
| [Norwich University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/norwich-university-1970) | Intelligence, Command Control and Information Operations | $77,627 | $85,184 | not reported |

## Related careers

- [Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/police-and-sheriffs-patrol-officers): $76,210 median pay
- [Detectives and Criminal Investigators](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/detectives-and-criminal-investigators): $93,790 median pay
- [First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/first-line-supervisors-of-correctional-officers): $77,970 median pay
- [First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/first-line-supervisors-of-security-workers): $55,940 median pay
- [Transit and Railroad Police](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/transit-and-railroad-police): $90,230 median pay
- [First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/first-line-supervisors-of-firefighting-and-prevention-workers): $93,530 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

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. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.