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The differences between campus safety officers and security guards can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a campus safety officer has an average salary of $35,875, which is higher than the $31,983 average annual salary of a security guard.
The top three skills for a campus safety officer include patrol, CPR and criminal justice. The most important skills for a security guard are customer service, patrol, and ladders.
| Campus Safety Officer | Security Guard | |
| Yearly salary | $35,875 | $31,983 |
| Hourly rate | $17.25 | $15.38 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 114,874 | 101,728 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 48% | High School Diploma, 42% |
| Average age | 40 | 43 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A campus safety officer ensures the safety and security of individuals and facilities within campus premises. They patrol their assigned areas to look out for any suspicious behavior or activities and secure properties by locking or unlocking doors, arming security systems, and monitoring surveillance cameras and other alarms. They are also responsible for enforcing rules and regulations, conducting regular inspections, warning violators, and confronting or detaining violators when the situation requires. Moreover, a campus safety officer is often the first to respond to distress or emergencies, and they must contact emergency responders right away.
Security guards are responsible for maintaining and ensuring the peace and safety of the building they are assigned to. They ensure that everyone who enters the building has official business to be done in the building. They are also in charge of patrolling and monitoring activities within the area. Security guards are also tasked to immobilize anyone who seems to pose a threat to the peace and safety of the building. They are also responsible for preventing any untoward incidences or crimes that may happen in the area. Security guards must be observant and alert to be able to succeed in their roles.
Campus safety officers and security guards have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Campus Safety Officer | Security Guard | |
| Average salary | $35,875 | $31,983 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $45,000 | Between $25,000 And $40,000 |
| Highest paying City | Tacoma, WA | Lakewood, WA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | University of California, Berkeley | Basin Electric Power Cooperative |
| Best paying industry | Education | Utilities |
There are a few differences between a campus safety officer and a security guard in terms of educational background:
| Campus Safety Officer | Security Guard | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 48% | High School Diploma, 42% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | California State University - Bakersfield | - |
Here are the differences between campus safety officers' and security guards' demographics:
| Campus Safety Officer | Security Guard | |
| Average age | 40 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 77.6% Female, 22.4% | Male, 72.0% Female, 28.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 20.1% Asian, 3.4% White, 60.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | Black or African American, 12.7% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 21.0% Asian, 5.3% White, 54.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 6% |