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The differences between cadets and officers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an officer has an average salary of $52,506, which is higher than the $41,427 average annual salary of a cadet.
The top three skills for a cadet include patrol, veterans and public safety. The most important skills for an officer are patrol, customer service, and public safety.
| Cadet | Officer | |
| Yearly salary | $41,427 | $52,506 |
| Hourly rate | $19.92 | $25.24 |
| Growth rate | 1% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 2,651 | 114,267 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 56% |
| Average age | 33 | 43 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A cadet is responsible for assisting police officers on their duties to keep the peace and order within the society. Cadets undergo training programs covering police officer disciplines and law enforcement procedures. They support various activities under the supervision of police officers, including road and traffic control, patrolling a designated area, securing special occasions, and helping with the investigation of criminal activities. A cadet may also perform administrative tasks in the station, such as filing documents, responding to visitors' inquiries and concerns, and updating records in the database.
An officer is responsible for managing the daily operations of the assigned area, ensuring its peace and security by monitoring and reporting unusual and suspicious activities. Officers are the ones enforcing strict safety protocols and procedures to maintain the order within the premises. They also coordinate with law enforcement agencies in conducting appropriate investigations for any violating cases. An officer must be highly-knowledgeable of the law policies, as well as possessing excellent leadership skills to manage the members under the officer's patrol.
Cadets and officers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Cadet | Officer | |
| Average salary | $41,427 | $52,506 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $64,000 | Between $26,000 And $103,000 |
| Highest paying City | Baltimore, MD | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | New York |
| Best paying company | University of Houston-Clear Lake | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Government | - |
There are a few differences between a cadet and an officer in terms of educational background:
| Cadet | Officer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 56% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between cadets' and officers' demographics:
| Cadet | Officer | |
| Average age | 33 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 72.6% Female, 27.4% | Male, 63.9% Female, 36.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 14.6% Unknown, 9.4% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 5.2% White, 54.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.7% | Black or African American, 15.2% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 18.6% Asian, 6.6% White, 51.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 3% | 6% |