Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
High school diploma or equivalent
Less than 5 years
None
These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Based on skills, knowledge, and work activities, these occupations are the closest match to your current career.
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
Discover metro markets where compensation, hiring demand, and long-term momentum align.
Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
First-line supervisors of personal service workers oversee and coordinate the work of employees who provide personal services. This role combines day-to-day staff supervision with a strong focus on customer-facing service quality. Nationally, about 149,000 people work in this occupation, and projected employment growth of 6.7% suggests continued opportunities over time. With an estimated 16,000 annual openings, there is regular movement into and within this field. The national median annual salary is $47,080, with higher typical pay in several states and metro areas. People who succeed here tend to bring strong leadership, customer service, and interpersonal strengths, along with problem solving, adaptability, and the ability to communicate clearly. For those interested in supervisory roles within service-oriented environments, this career can be a pathway to greater responsibility. It can also be a stepping stone toward other supervisory or protective service occupations such as first-line supervisors of entertainment and recreation workers or first-line supervisors of protective service workers, all other.
The national median annual salary for first-line supervisors of personal service workers is $47,080, but pay varies by location. Several states stand out with higher median salaries, including Washington at $59,980, New York at $58,900, and California at $56,110. Massachusetts and Colorado also offer median salaries above the national level, at $53,740 and $54,530 respectively. Among metro areas, San Jose–Sunnyvale–Santa Clara, CA reports a median salary of $64,490, the highest in the listed metros, followed by San Francisco–Oakland–Fremont, CA at $60,510 and New York–Newark–Jersey City, NY–NJ at $58,720. These figures indicate that supervisors willing to work in specific states or metropolitan regions may see higher earning potential. When considering offers, job seekers can compare local salaries not only to the national median, but also to nearby states and metros to see where compensation aligns best with their goals.
First-line supervisors of personal service workers have a national employment base of about 149,000 positions, with projected growth of 6.7%. This growth projection suggests an expanding field rather than a declining one. The occupation is expected to generate about 16,000 annual openings. These openings can come from new positions created as employment grows and from turnover in existing jobs. For someone planning a career path, this combination of a sizable current workforce and ongoing openings may support both entry and advancement over time. The consistent 6.7% growth rate appears across the top states and metro areas highlighted, indicating a similar projected pace of expansion in those locations. People currently working in related protective or supervisory roles—such as first-line supervisors of entertainment and recreation workers, police and sheriff’s patrol officers, or detectives and criminal investigators—may see this occupation as one of several supervisory tracks with defined employment projections to compare.
Location makes a meaningful difference for first-line supervisors of personal service workers in terms of both pay and overall CareerGPS opportunity scores. Among states, California has the highest opportunity score at 67.38, with a median salary of $56,110 and employment of 9,390. New York and Massachusetts follow closely, with opportunity scores of 65.78 and 65.87 and median salaries of $58,900 and $53,740, respectively. Washington and Colorado round out the top five states, both offering median pay in the mid- to upper-$50,000s and solid opportunity scores above 56. At the metro level, San Jose–Sunnyvale–Santa Clara, CA leads with an opportunity score of 77.42 and a median salary of $64,490, while New York–Newark–Jersey City, NY–NJ scores 77.27 with a median of $58,720. San Francisco–Oakland–Fremont, CA, Washington–Arlington–Alexandria, DC–VA–MD–WV, and Boston–Cambridge–Newton, MA–NH also show strong opportunity scores, giving candidates multiple high-potential markets to consider.
Typical entry into first-line supervisor roles for personal service workers requires a high school diploma or equivalent. This makes it accessible to individuals who have completed secondary education and are ready to move into positions with leadership responsibility. While higher formal education is not listed as typical, success in this occupation relies heavily on a strong skill set. Key skills include leadership, adaptability, and customer service, all of which support supervising teams that work directly with the public. Interpersonal abilities, speaking and listening, and being detail oriented are also central to coordinating staff and maintaining service standards. Problem solving and decision making combine with critical and analytical thinking to address issues that arise in day-to-day operations. Creativity, innovation, and project management skills further strengthen a supervisor’s ability to improve processes and guide small initiatives. Together, these skills complement the basic educational requirement and help distinguish strong candidates for supervisory roles.
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