Career Explorer Protective services
Human edge, steady
Protective service workers, all other
All protective service workers not listed separately.
More resilient than most: more resilient than 67% of the 831 careers we score. AI exposure is moderate (the Bureau of Labor Statistics rates it moderate), and US jobs are projected to change by +3.0% by 2035, slower than average. The work leans on ethical judgement and emotional intelligence.
AI struggles with much of this work. Hiring is expected to grow slower than average, or to shrink.
- Median pay (2025)
- $42,540
- Job growth to 2035
- +3.0%
- Openings a year
- 22,600
- People doing it (2025)
- 82,100
- Usual route in
- High school diploma, then short on-the-job training
Where people already use AI for this work
- Maintain safety or security
- Investigate criminal or legal matters
- Investigate individuals' background, behavior, or activities
From Microsoft Research, Working with AI (2025).
Work AI rarely helps with
- Monitor operations to ensure compliance with regulations or standards
- Notify others of emergencies or problems
- Inspect commercial, industrial, or production systems or equipment
What the work looks like
- Investigate known or suspected internal theft, external theft, or vendor fraud.
- Implement or monitor processes to reduce property or financial losses.
- Identify and report merchandise or stock shortages.
- Maintain documentation or reports on security-related incidents or investigations.
- Apprehend shoplifters in accordance with guidelines.
From O*NET 31.0, US Department of Labor.
Careers using similar strengths, with a stronger outlook
- Fire inspectors and investigatorsHuman edge, growing, Index 79, +4.2%
- Airfield operations specialistsGrows with AI, Index 70, +7.8%
- Forest fire inspectors and prevention specialistsHuman edge, growing, Index 99, +13.1%
- Animal control workersHuman edge, growing, Index 75, +4.0%
Also known as: Loss Prevention Agent, Loss Prevention Associate (LPA), Loss Prevention Detective, Loss Prevention Officer, Asset Protection Associate (APA), Loss Prevention Investigator, Loss Prevention Specialist, Retail Asset Protection Specialist.
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Sources: US Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2025 to 2035; O*NET 31.0; Microsoft Research (2025); Anthropic Economic Index (2026); Eloundou and colleagues (Science, 2024); Felten, Raj and Seamans (2023). How we score. Updated 12 October 2026.