Armed guard vs commissioned security officer

The differences between armed guards and commissioned security officers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an armed guard has an average salary of $43,189, which is higher than the $32,152 average annual salary of a commissioned security officer.

The top three skills for an armed guard include patrol, medical emergencies and national security. The most important skills for a commissioned security officer are patrol, safety hazards, and property damage.

Armed guard vs commissioned security officer overview

	Armed Guard	Commissioned Security Officer
Yearly salary	$43,189	$32,152
Hourly rate	$20.76	$15.46
Growth rate	3%	3%
Number of jobs	74,257	109,975
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 36%	High School Diploma, 33%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	-	-

Armed guard vs commissioned security officer salary

Armed guards and commissioned security officers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Armed Guard	Commissioned Security Officer
Average salary	$43,189	$32,152
Salary range	Between $31,000 And $59,000	Between $24,000 And $42,000
Highest paying City	Anchorage, AK	-
Highest paying state	Alaska	-
Best paying company	Inter-Con Security Systems	-
Best paying industry	Non Profits	-

Differences between armed guard and commissioned security officer education

There are a few differences between an armed guard and a commissioned security officer in terms of educational background:

	Armed Guard	Commissioned Security Officer
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 36%	High School Diploma, 33%
Most common major	Criminal Justice	Criminal Justice
Most common college	-	-

Armed guard vs commissioned security officer demographics

Here are the differences between armed guards' and commissioned security officers' demographics:

	Armed Guard	Commissioned Security Officer
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 84.5% Female, 15.5%	Male, 74.0% Female, 26.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.7% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 21.2% Asian, 6.1% White, 54.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6%	Black or African American, 18.5% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 26.6% Asian, 5.1% White, 42.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between armed guard and commissioned security officer duties and responsibilities

Armed guard example responsibilities.

Check for safety violations such as proper PPE and H2S monitors.
Certify cpr and a first aid, enforce rest area rules, conduct incident reports and crime.
Allow customers and deliveries in and out of Menards' yard.
Receive, inventory, and issuing of ammunition to bases and unit throughout the country.
Provide foot patrols, and CCTV monitoring of medical facilities, as well as lock up and access control.
Verify that everyone has the required PPE, such as hard hat, safety glasses, and steel toe boots.

Commissioned security officer example responsibilities.

Arm foot patrol residential sites providing personal security to residents and property.
Provide first responder first aid & CPR.
Utilize and monitor security equipment: CCTV, radios, intercom systems, alarm systems, computers, and fire panels.
Monitor CCTV surveillance system at designate facilities.
Conduct security, mobile patrol, and supervisory services for various accounts/clients/company.
Maintain a standard of punctuality and dependability of attendance and retain myself cleanliness, tidiness, neatness and appropriately attire.

Armed guard vs commissioned security officer skills

Common armed guard skills

Patrol, 22%
Medical Emergencies, 11%
National Security, 8%
Emergency Situations, 7%
Law Enforcement, 7%
Traffic Control, 7%

Common commissioned security officer skills

Patrol, 24%
Safety Hazards, 12%
Property Damage, 8%
Emergency Situations, 7%
Fire Hazards, 6%
Vehicle Patrols, 4%

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Armed Guard
Armed Guard vs Commissioned Security Officer

Updated January 8, 2025

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