Lawyers
These professionals represent clients in civil and criminal litigation. Many jurisdictions and states have made it mandatory for lawyers to obtain a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an accredited law school.
Annual Mean Salary, 2019
|
$145,300
|
Entry-Level Education
|
Doctoral or professional degree.
|
Job Outlook, 2018-28
|
6%
|
Top Paying State, 2019
|
District of Columbia
|
$192,180
|
Industry, 2019 Top Paying
|
Cable and Other Subscription Programming
|
$224,970
|
Judges and Hearing Officers: Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates
Judges and Hearing Officers oversee the legal proceedings in the court. It has been estimated that the employment growth in this sector will increase by 3%. These professionals typically require a law degree to join this field.
BLS has further categorized this broad segment into Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates. The employment data for this sub-section is mentioned below. Please note that the growth outlook figures for this sub-section are not available, hence the growth figure for the broad category of Judges and Hearing Officers have been mentioned above.
Annual Mean Salary, 2019
|
$128,550
|
Entry-Level Education
|
Doctoral or professional degree.
|
Job Outlook, 2018-28
|
3% (Judges and Hearing Officers)
|
Top Paying State, 2019
|
Illinois
|
$190,450
|
Industry, 2019 Top Paying
|
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation)
|
$155,090
|
Police and Detectives: Detectives and Criminal Investigators
Police Officers fight crime, while Detectives gather evidence to hunt down the suspects. It has been estimated that the number of employment opportunities in this sector will grow by 5% from 2018 to 2028.
BLS has further categorized this segment into Detectives and Criminal Investigators. These professionals are responsible for conducting investigations related to violations of the local, state, and federal laws to solve and prevent crimes. The employment statistics for Detectives and Criminal Investigators are mentioned below. Please note that the growth figures for this category have not been published by BLS, instead BLS has reported the growth figure of the broad category of ‘Police and Detectives’ which has already been mentioned above.
Annual Mean Salary, 2019
|
$86,030
|
Entry-Level Education
|
High School Diploma or Equivalent. A college degree may be required by some federal agencies.
|
Top Paying State, 2019
|
Alaska
|
$113,420
|
Industry, 2019 Top Paying
|
Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation)
|
$107,150
|
Fire Inspectors: Fire Inspectors and Investigators
Fire Inspectors are responsible for examining buildings in order to identify fire hazards. It has been predicted that the employment opportunities in this category will grow by 8% from 2018 to 2028. BLS has further categorized this segment into Fire Inspectors and Investigators. The employment statistics for this sub-category are mentioned below:
Annual Mean Salary, 2019
|
$64,730
|
Entry-Level Education
|
Should have completed a postsecondary educational program for emergency medical technicians (EMTs). Some employers might prefer candidates with an Associate’s or a Bachelor’s degree in fire science, chemistry, or engineering.
|
Job Outlook, 2018-28
|
8% (Fire Inspectors)
|
Top Paying State, 2019
|
California
|
$107,270
|
Industry, 2019 Top Paying
|
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services
|
$106,580
|
Forensic Science Technicians
These professionals gather, classify, and examine evidence related to criminal investigations. In order to join this profession, individuals usually need a bachelor’s degree in forensic science or natural science.
Annual Mean Salary, 2019
|
$63,170
|
Entry-Level Education
|
Bachelor’s Degree
|
Job Outlook, 2018-28
|
14%
|
Top Paying State, 2019
|
California
|
$87,200
|
Top Paying Industry, 2019
|
Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation)
|
$111,180
|
Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists
These professionals offer social services to assist in the rehabilitation of law breakers. In order to join this profession, individuals usually need to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in behavioral sciences, criminal justice, or a related field. Moreover, many employers require aspiring probation officers to clear psychological, written and oral exams.
Annual Mean Salary, 2019
|
$59,910
|
Entry-Level Education
|
Bachelor’s Degree
|
Job Outlook, 2018-28
|
3%
|
Top Paying State, 2019
|
California
|
$91,760
|
Top Paying Industry, 2019
|
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation)
|
$62,160
|
Private Detective and Investigators
These professionals collect, examine, and report information regarding organizations or individuals to clients, or identify occurrences of criminal activities in private establishments. In order to get into this field, individuals usually require a high school diploma. However, some candidates may be required to obtain a 2 or 4-year degree in a relevant discipline, such as criminal justice.
Annual Mean Salary, 2019
|
$57,000
|
Entry-Level Education
|
High School Diploma or Equivalent.
|
Job Outlook, 2018-28
|
8%
|
Top Paying State, 2019
|
District of Columbia
|
$69,790
|
Industry, 2019 Top Paying
|
Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution
|
$91,300
|
Paralegals and Legal Assistants
These professionals assist lawyers by researching legal precedents and investigating facts.
Annual Mean Salary, 2019
|
$55,020
|
Entry-Level Education
|
Associate’s Degree
|
Job Outlook, 2018-28
|
12%
|
Top Paying State, 2019
|
District of Columbia
|
$82,010
|
Industry, 2019 Top Paying
|
Grantmaking and Giving Services
|
$91,110
|
Correctional Officers and Bailiffs: Bailiffs
BLS has categorized Bailiffs as a sub-segment of Correctional Officers and Bailiffs. Bailiffs are professionals who maintain order in the court. The employment statistics for Bailiffs are mentioned below.
Please note that the job outlook figures for the broad category are available. It has been predicted that the employment opportunities for Correctional Officers and Bailiffs will decrease by 7% from 2018 to 2028.
Annual Mean Salary, 2019
|
$51,840
|
Entry-Level Education
|
High School Diploma or Equivalent.
|
Job Outlook, 2018-28
|
-7% (Correctional Officers and Bailiffs)
|
Top Paying State, 2019
|
New York
|
$69,650
|
Industry, 2019 Top Paying
|
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation)
|
$67,670
|
Security Guards and Gaming Surveillance Officers: Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators
Gaming surveillance officers and security guards are responsible for protecting property from illegal activity. It has been predicted that that employment opportunities in this sector will grow by 4% from 2018 to 2028. This category has been further categorized into Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators, whose employment data has been mentioned below:
Annual Mean Salary, 2019
|
$38,030
|
Entry-Level Education
|
High School Diploma or Equivalent.
|
Job Outlook, 2018-28
|
4% (Security Guards and Gaming Surveillance Officers)
|
Top Paying State, 2019
|
Illinois
|
$63,860
|
Industry, 2019 Top Paying
|
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation)
|
$65,060
|