33 Series · SOC 33-9031

Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators Salary

National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).

$43,370
Median / year
$61,970
Top 10% earn
+0.3%
Growth '23–'33
9,520
US workers

Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators earn a median of $43,370 per year.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $43,370, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $32,730 (10th percentile) to $61,970 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 9,520 US workers. Massachusetts pays the most ($61,770), since pay varies by state and metro area.

33 Series · Source: BLS OEWS Compare with another job →
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The pay verdict

Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators earn a median of $43,370, putting them among the lower-paid US occupations and higher than 17% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Protective Service, it ranks #19 of 24 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 0.3% by 2033.

$43,370
Median annual wage
Top 83%
of 825 US occupations with published wages
#19 of 24
in Protective Service
1.9×
90th-to-10th pay spread

Highest-paying state: Massachusetts at $61,770. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.

Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators (SOC 33-9031) pays a national median of $43,370 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $32,730 at the 10th percentile to $61,970 at the 90th, with a mean of $45,630 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 9,520 Americans work in this occupation across 35 reporting states and 51 metro areas.

BLS Employment Projections forecast a +0.3% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as slower than average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 1,300 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is High school diploma or equivalent, with less than 5 years of prior experience generally required and moderate-term on-the-job training of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of B for this role, with a fatality rate of 7.3 per 100,000 and injury rate of 2.5 per 100.

Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Massachusetts pays the highest state median at $61,770, which is +42% above the national figure. The top metro is West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area at $60,310 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.

BLS OEWS May 2025 9,520 jobs Median $43,370/yr

Median Salary

$43,370

per year

Median Hourly

$20.85/hr

per hour

Mean Salary

$45,630

average

Employment

9,520

jobs nationwide

How does this pay compare nationally?

Where Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators pay sits nationally

Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median

$43,370 Bottom 17% higher than 17% of 825 US occupations

$0–$20,000: 0 US occupations (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 98 US occupations (12%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 298 US occupations (36%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 209 US occupations (25%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 82 US occupations (10%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 58 US occupations (7%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 32 US occupations (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 14 US occupations (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 9 US occupations (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 25 US occupations (3%). Above this entry. This job $0 $200,000 every BLS occupation, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Does this job pay well and grow?

Each dot is a 33-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).

Among 24 33-series occupations with growth data, Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators sits on the slower-growing side at +0.3% growth and $43,370 median pay.

Among 24 33-series occupations with growth data, Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators sits on the slower-growing side at +0.3% growth and $43,370 median pay. Scatter plot of 24 data points. $20000$40000$60000$80000$100000$120000 -10%-5%0%5%10%15%20% Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) Median annual wage
Among 24 33-series occupations with growth data, Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators sits on the slower-growing side at +0.3% growth and $43,370 median pay.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Projected Growth

+0.3%

Slower than average

Annual Openings

1,300

per year (projected)

Typical Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Work Experience

Less than 5 years

On-the-Job Training

Moderate-term on-the-job training

Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034

Workplace Safety

All safety ratings →
B

Safe

Safety Grade (BLS 2023)

Fatality Rate

7.3/100K

Injury Rate

2.5/100

Danger Index

13.7/100

Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023

Career Intelligence

Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.

Top Skills

Monitoring 4.1
Critical Thinking 3.8
Speaking 3.6
Judgment and Decision Making 3.4
Reading Comprehension 3.3
Active Listening 3.3
Writing 3.1
Active Learning 3.1
Social Perceptiveness 3.1
Instructing 3.0

Knowledge Areas

English Language 4.3
Public Safety and Security 4.0
Computers and Electronics 3.7
Mathematics 3.6
Administrative 3.6
Education and Training 3.4
Customer and Personal Service 3.3
Administration and Management 3.3
Telecommunications 2.9
Psychology 2.8

Key Tasks

  • ▸ Monitor establishment activities to ensure adherence to all state gaming regulations and company policies and procedures.
  • ▸ Observe casino or casino hotel operations for irregular activities, such as cheating or theft by employees or patrons, using audio and video equipment and one-way mirrors.
  • ▸ Report all violations and suspicious behaviors to supervisors, verbally or in writing.
  • ▸ Develop and maintain log of surveillance observations.
  • ▸ Inspect and monitor audio or video surveillance equipment to ensure it is working appropriately.
  • ▸ Review video surveillance footage.
  • ▸ Act as oversight or security agents for management or customers.
  • ▸ Supervise or train surveillance observers.

Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.

Salary Range

Annual Salary Distribution

$32,730$36,270$43,370$49,210$61,970
10th pct25thMedian75th90th pct

Hourly Rate Distribution

$15.74$17.44$20.85$23.66$29.79
10th pct25thMedian75th90th pct

10th Percentile

$32,730

25th Percentile

$36,270

Median

$43,370

75th Percentile

$49,210

90th Percentile

$61,970

Salary by State

Highest Paying States

1. Massachusetts $61,770 2. Connecticut $56,300 3. Oregon $50,120 4. Arizona $50,010 5. New York $49,110

Lowest Paying States

31. Puerto Rico $22,950 32. South Dakota $33,820 33. Louisiana $33,910 34. West Virginia $35,150 35. Mississippi $35,360
View all 35 states →
# State Median Salary vs National
1 Massachusetts $61,770 +42% above national
2 Connecticut $56,300 +30% above national
3 Oregon $50,120 +16% above national
4 Arizona $50,010 +15% above national
5 New York $49,110 +13% above national
6 New Jersey $48,620 +12% above national
7 Maryland $47,950 +11% above national
8 Indiana $46,910 +8% above national
9 North Dakota $46,740 +8% above national
10 Michigan $46,620 +7% above national
11 Nevada $46,570 +7% above national
12 Ohio $45,880 +6% above national
13 Washington $45,740 +5% above national
14 California $44,740 +3% above national
15 Colorado $44,340 +2% above national
16 Minnesota $44,080 +2% above national
17 Illinois $42,760 1% below national
18 Wisconsin $42,150 3% below national
19 Virginia $41,980 3% below national
20 Florida $39,060 10% below national
21 Pennsylvania $38,930 10% below national
22 Delaware $38,910 10% below national
23 Missouri $38,860 10% below national
24 Idaho $38,850 10% below national
25 Alabama $36,970 15% below national
26 New Mexico $36,930 15% below national
27 Kansas $36,830 15% below national
28 Kentucky $36,330 16% below national
29 Oklahoma $36,000 17% below national
30 Iowa $35,750 18% below national
31 Mississippi $35,360 18% below national
32 West Virginia $35,150 19% below national
33 Louisiana $33,910 22% below national
34 South Dakota $33,820 22% below national
35 Puerto Rico $22,950 47% below national

Salary by Metro Area

Highest Paying Metros

1. West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area $60,310 2. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $57,890 3. Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN $57,580 4. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $55,910 5. South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI $52,990

Lowest Paying Metros

47. San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR $23,000 48. Ponce, PR $23,830 49. Shreveport-Bossier City, LA $28,860 50. Lower West Mississippi nonmetropolitan area $29,830 51. Northwest Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area $31,540
View all 51 metro areas →
# Metro Area Median Salary vs National
1 West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area $60,310 +39% above national
2 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $57,890 +33% above national
3 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN $57,580 +33% above national
4 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $55,910 +29% above national
5 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI $52,990 +22% above national
6 Cleveland, OH $52,780 +22% above national
7 Tucson, AZ $50,320 +16% above national
8 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $48,070 +11% above national
9 Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ $47,710 +10% above national
10 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $47,570 +10% above national
11 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV $47,420 +9% above national
12 Western Washington nonmetropolitan area $47,410 +9% above national
13 Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area $46,970 +8% above national
14 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $46,630 +8% above national
15 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $46,100 +6% above national
16 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $45,880 +6% above national
17 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $45,610 +5% above national
18 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $45,570 +5% above national
19 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $45,490 +5% above national
20 Upper Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area $45,340 +5% above national
21 Northern Michigan nonmetropolitan area $45,340 +5% above national
22 Reno, NV $45,150 +4% above national
23 East North Dakota nonmetropolitan area $44,860 +3% above national
24 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $44,810 +3% above national
25 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $44,660 +3% above national
26 North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area $43,660 +1% above national
27 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN $43,600 +1% above national
28 Arizona nonmetropolitan area $43,080 1% below national
29 Memphis, TN-MS-AR $41,930 3% below national
30 Southeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area $40,890 6% below national
31 Balance of Nevada nonmetropolitan area $40,630 6% below national
32 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL $39,060 10% below national
33 St. Louis, MO-IL $39,020 10% below national
34 Northwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area $38,830 10% below national
35 Pittsburgh, PA $38,030 12% below national
36 Southwest Alabama nonmetropolitan area $36,970 15% below national
37 Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area $36,210 17% below national
38 New Orleans-Metairie, LA $36,130 17% below national
39 Southwest Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area $36,090 17% below national
40 Kansas City, MO-KS $35,980 17% below national
41 Gulfport-Biloxi, MS $35,360 18% below national
42 Northeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area $34,980 19% below national
43 Tulsa, OK $34,590 20% below national
44 Oklahoma City, OK $32,490 25% below national
45 Lawton, OK $32,080 26% below national
46 West South Dakota nonmetropolitan area $31,600 27% below national
47 Northwest Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area $31,540 27% below national
48 Lower West Mississippi nonmetropolitan area $29,830 31% below national
49 Shreveport-Bossier City, LA $28,860 33% below national
50 Ponce, PR $23,830 45% below national
51 San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR $23,000 47% below national

Similar Occupations in the Same Category

Other roles in SOC major group 33 (protective service) with comparable pay and career paths.

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Compare Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators side-by-side with another occupation →

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators make? ▼
The median annual salary for Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators is $43,370 ($20.85/hour). The salary range spans from $32,730 at the 10th percentile to $61,970 at the 90th percentile.
What state pays Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators the most? ▼
Massachusetts pays the highest median salary for Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators at $61,770/year, which is +42% above the national median.
What education do you need to become a Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators? ▼
The typical entry-level education for Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators is High school diploma or equivalent. Less than 5 years of related work experience is also typically required. On-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training.
How dangerous is being a Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators? ▼
Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators has a safety grade of B (Safe) based on BLS data. The fatality rate is 7.3 per 100,000 workers and the injury rate is 2.5 per 100 workers.
Is Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators a good career? ▼
Employment for Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators is projected to grow 0.3% from 2024 to 2034, which is slower than average. About 1,300 openings are projected each year.
How does Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators pay vary by state? ▼
Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is Massachusetts at $61,770/year, while Mississippi pays the least at $35,360/year. BLS data covers 35 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators? ▼
The highest-paying metro area for Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators is West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area at $60,310/year. BLS reports wage data for 51 metro areas for this occupation, with pay varying based on local demand and cost of living.

What to do with this data

How to use Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators pay figures in a real decision

  • For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $49,210/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
  • Location moves pay significantly: Massachusetts leads at $61,770/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
  • Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs

These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.

Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 annual release. Employment projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034. Data reflects cross-industry estimates for all ownership types.

These are survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. See how to use them.

Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.