Armed guard vs security patrol officer

The differences between armed guards and security patrol 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 $31,673 average annual salary of a security patrol officer.

The top three skills for an armed guard include patrol, medical emergencies and national security. The most important skills for a security patrol officer are patrol, customer service, and security services.

Armed guard vs security patrol officer overview

	Armed Guard	Security Patrol Officer
Yearly salary	$43,189	$31,673
Hourly rate	$20.76	$15.23
Growth rate	3%	3%
Number of jobs	74,257	131,574
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 36%	High School Diploma, 37%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	-	-

Armed guard vs security patrol officer salary

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

	Armed Guard	Security Patrol Officer
Average salary	$43,189	$31,673
Salary range	Between $31,000 And $59,000	Between $25,000 And $39,000
Highest paying City	Anchorage, AK	Seattle, WA
Highest paying state	Alaska	Washington
Best paying company	Inter-Con Security Systems	University of California, Berkeley
Best paying industry	Non Profits	Utilities

Differences between armed guard and security patrol officer education

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

	Armed Guard	Security Patrol Officer
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 36%	High School Diploma, 37%
Most common major	Criminal Justice	Criminal Justice
Most common college	-	-

Armed guard vs security patrol officer demographics

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

	Armed Guard	Security Patrol Officer
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 84.5% Female, 15.5%	Male, 80.6% Female, 19.4%
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, 11.5% Unknown, 5.8% Hispanic or Latino, 23.6% Asian, 5.3% White, 52.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.8%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between armed guard and security patrol 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.

Security patrol officer example responsibilities.

Maintain alertness while on post.
Apply patient restraints as needed.
Certify CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and a (automate external defibrillator).
Remove stall vehicles from highway lanes to the side shoulder or a CHP designate safe area.
Respond to medical calls and provide basic first aid, CPR, or a use as needed.
Monitor CCTV operations, card access only doors and create identification badges for new employees/visitors at facility.

Armed guard vs security patrol officer skills

Common armed guard skills

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

Common security patrol officer skills

Patrol, 51%
Customer Service, 23%
Security Services, 6%
Alertness, 3%
Emergency Situations, 2%
Public Safety, 2%

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Protective Service Industry
Armed Guard
Armed Guard vs Security Patrol Officer

Updated January 8, 2025

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