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Public Safety

The public safety and government sector offers a broad range of career paths for those inspired to make the North Far North region a safer and more equitable place to live, work, and raise a family.

In addition to the public safety and administrative needs related to the criminal justice system, California also has needs related to the increasingly severe effects of climate change. For example, each year, wildfires threaten the lives and livelihoods of Californians statewide. The state has recently invested heavily in wildfire response and prevention programs. Implementing these initiatives will require a workforce trained in forest and wildlife management, horticulture, and fire science and technology, to name a few.

Other high-demand public safety and government occupations include social workers, EMTs and paramedics, bookkeepers and accountants, correctional officers, and administrative assistants. Whether your interest lies in the administration of justice or helping to manage our natural resources, a valuable career in public service is waiting for you.

Browse Programs

View data from the:

Region
30,256
2020 Jobs
+11%
2020–2025 Projected Change
33.27/hr.
2020 Avg. Median Wage

Top jobs that Require Community College Credentials

How much will I make per hour?

What can I train for? Job openings per year Entry-level Median Experienced Programs
Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers 609 $37.68 $47.18 $59.86 View programs
Correctional Officers and Jailers 237 $29.19 $36.87 $47.52 View programs
Firefighters 181 $30.10 $38.51 $46.43 View programs
Detectives and Criminal Investigators 124 $37.85 $48.28 $60.36 View programs
First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives 90 $59.29 $64.05 $80.01 View programs
Public Safety Telecommunicators 70 $27.90 $35.01 $38.20 View programs
First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers 53 $48.21 $48.76 $61.06 View programs
First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers 43 $39.89 $48.81 $62.06 View programs
Fish and Game Wardens 42 $35.71 $40.06 $43.60
Private Detectives and Investigators 32 $18.73 $24.71 $32.92 View programs
Transit and Railroad Police 29 $18.90 $26.53 $35.38

Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers

Job openings per year:

609

How much will I make?

  • Entry-level: $37.68/hr.
  • Median: $47.18/hr.
  • Experienced: $59.86/hr.

View programs

Correctional Officers and Jailers

Job openings per year:

237

How much will I make?

  • Entry-level: $29.19/hr.
  • Median: $36.87/hr.
  • Experienced: $47.52/hr.

View programs

Firefighters

Job openings per year:

181

How much will I make?

  • Entry-level: $30.10/hr.
  • Median: $38.51/hr.
  • Experienced: $46.43/hr.

View programs

Detectives and Criminal Investigators

Job openings per year:

124

How much will I make?

  • Entry-level: $37.85/hr.
  • Median: $48.28/hr.
  • Experienced: $60.36/hr.

View programs

First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives

Job openings per year:

90

How much will I make?

  • Entry-level: $59.29/hr.
  • Median: $64.05/hr.
  • Experienced: $80.01/hr.

View programs

Public Safety Telecommunicators

Job openings per year:

70

How much will I make?

  • Entry-level: $27.90/hr.
  • Median: $35.01/hr.
  • Experienced: $38.20/hr.

View programs

First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers

Job openings per year:

53

How much will I make?

  • Entry-level: $48.21/hr.
  • Median: $48.76/hr.
  • Experienced: $61.06/hr.

View programs

First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers

Job openings per year:

43

How much will I make?

  • Entry-level: $39.89/hr.
  • Median: $48.81/hr.
  • Experienced: $62.06/hr.

View programs

Fish and Game Wardens

Job openings per year:

42

How much will I make?

  • Entry-level: $35.71/hr.
  • Median: $40.06/hr.
  • Experienced: $43.60/hr.

Private Detectives and Investigators

Job openings per year:

32

How much will I make?

  • Entry-level: $18.73/hr.
  • Median: $24.71/hr.
  • Experienced: $32.92/hr.

View programs

Transit and Railroad Police

Job openings per year:

29

How much will I make?

  • Entry-level: $18.90/hr.
  • Median: $26.53/hr.
  • Experienced: $35.38/hr.

Top Employers & Skills

Employers

  • U.S. Customs And Border Protection
  • City of Sacramento
  • County of El Dorado
  • State of California
  • Digistream Investigations
  • Wildfire Defense Systems
  • Los Rios Community College District
  • Sacramento Superior Court
  • City Of Elk Grove
  • City Of Roseville
  • California State University, Sacramento
  • Sacramento Sheriff's Department Foundation
  • Placer County
  • City Of West Sacramento
  • University of California, Davis
  • Deloitte
  • Anthem Blue Cross
  • City Of South Lake Tahoe
  • California Public Utilities Commission
  • General Dynamics

Specialized skills

  • Law Enforcement
  • Office Equipment
  • Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
  • Crime Prevention
  • Firefighting
  • Punctuation And Capitalization
  • Law Enforcement Practices
  • Emergency Medical Services
  • Interrogations
  • Fire Service

Technology & software skills

  • Microsoft Office
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Microsoft Word
  • Operating Systems
  • Global Positioning Systems (GPS)
  • SQL (Programming Language)
  • Microsoft Access
  • Database Software

Employability skills

  • Valid Driver's License
  • Communications
  • Investigation
  • Operations
  • Management
  • Customer Service
  • First Aid
  • Writing
  • Report Writing
  • Tactfulness

Source: Lightcast 2022.3; QCEW, non-QCEW, Self-Employed. Compiled by the North/Far North Center of Excellence for Labor Market Research.

The North region encompasses seven counties (El Dorado, Nevada, Placer, Sacramento, Sutter, Yolo, Yuba).

The Far North region encompasses 15 counties (Butte, Colusa, Del Norte, Glenn, Humboldt, Lake, Lassen, Mendocino, Modoc, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Tehama, Trinity).

Specialized skills are specific to the occupation, or group of occupations, and represent job-specific competencies.

Technical skills refer to the specific software and technology regularly encountered on the job.

Employability skills (sometimes referred to as “common skills”) are foundational skills that cross occupations and industries. Many common skills, like, communication and team work, are also considered soft skills.

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Industries

  • Advanced Manufacturing
  • Advanced Transportation and Logistics
  • Agriculture, Water and Environmental Technologies
  • Business and Entrepreneurship
  • Education and Human Development
  • Energy, Construction and Utilities
  • Health
  • Information and Communication Technologies – Digital Media
  • Life Sciences – Biotechnology
  • Public Safety
  • Retail, Hospitality and Tourism
  • Programs
  • About
  • Contact
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This website is funded fully or in part by a Carl D. Perkins Title I, Part B State Leadership Grant,# 18-150-001, awarded by the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office.