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The differences between asset protection associates and protection specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a protection specialist has an average salary of $76,307, which is higher than the $41,564 average annual salary of an asset protection associate.
The top three skills for an asset protection associate include customer service, loss prevention and store management. The most important skills for a protection specialist are guest service, physical security, and safety issues.
| Asset Protection Associate | Protection Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $41,564 | $76,307 |
| Hourly rate | $19.98 | $36.69 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 84,642 | 83,627 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 34% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
An asset protection associate is responsible for monitoring the operational activities to ensure the safety and security of the assets and enforcing strict regulations to avoid financial loss through theft instances and fraud activities. Asset protection associates' duties include reiterating safety regulations for everyone's compliance, observing and reporting suspicious movements inside the premises, utilizing surveillance cameras and security equipment to trace incidents, and performing necessary inspections for all employees as advised. An asset protection associate must be knowledgeable with the security systems and implement strategies that would contribute to the company's development.
Protection specialists are security professionals who provide physical security and protection of the exterior and interior of their client companies' property. These specialists are required to utilize CCTV to detect and investigate fraudulent activities as well as provide security over the watch protection to prevent the loss of a company's assets. They must apprehend suspected thieves and detain them in a secure facility until the arrival of the local law enforcement officers. Protection specialists must also provide transportation and personal security for the CEO of the company, executive management, and designated other employees.
Asset protection associates and protection specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Asset Protection Associate | Protection Specialist | |
| Average salary | $41,564 | $76,307 |
| Salary range | Between $22,000 And $77,000 | Between $48,000 And $119,000 |
| Highest paying City | Arlington, VA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Ropes & Gray | eBay |
| Best paying industry | Retail | - |
There are a few differences between an asset protection associate and a protection specialist in terms of educational background:
| Asset Protection Associate | Protection Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 34% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between asset protection associates' and protection specialists' demographics:
| Asset Protection Associate | Protection Specialist | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 72.0% Female, 28.0% | Male, 77.2% Female, 22.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.8% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 20.3% Asian, 6.1% White, 54.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6% | Black or African American, 12.4% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 22.2% Asian, 5.3% White, 53.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |