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Protective Services Officer salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a protective services officer is $75,400 per annum, before tax, up $15,600 since 2018.
Pay comes from the Victoria Police enterprise agreement, so it moves with negotiated increases rather than anything you agree yourself. Penalty rates and loadings for nights, weekends and public holidays make up a large share of take-home pay, because protective services officers work when the network is busiest. Location matters less than how many unsocial hours your roster carries.
Roles that pay more than protective services officer
The largest typical pay rise is $57,700 a year, moving into Police Officer.
- Police Officer+$57,700/yr
- Border Force Officer+$21,400/yr
- Sheriff's Officer+$15,600/yr
How to negotiate a higher protective services officer salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time protective services officer salary is $75,400; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Lead with what's scarce, not just tenure. Skills like Security operations and Regulatory compliance tend to command a premium over general protective services officer experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Police Officer pays a typical $57,700 a year more and draws on similar skills, even mentioning you're weighing it up is a legitimate data point in a pay conversation.
- Time it deliberately. Reviews, the end of a project you delivered, or taking on responsibility beyond your job description are stronger moments to ask than an arbitrary date on the calendar.
- Ask for a number, not a raise. "Based on the market rate and [specific contribution], I'd like to move to X" gets a clearer answer than "I think I deserve more."
Protective Services Officer salary questions
How much do protective services officers earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a protective services officer is $75,400 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is protective services officer pay rising or falling?
The median protective services officer salary is up $15,600 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than protective services officer?
Police Officer pays a typical $57,700 a year more and draws on similar skills to protective services officer.