Corporal vs detention officer

The differences between corporals and detention officers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a corporal has an average salary of $51,741, which is higher than the $40,087 average annual salary of a detention officer.

The top three skills for a corporal include public safety, combat and non. The most important skills for a detention officer are detention facility, direct supervision, and booking.

Corporal vs detention officer overview

	Corporal	Detention Officer
Yearly salary	$51,741	$40,087
Hourly rate	$24.88	$19.27
Growth rate	-10%	-10%
Number of jobs	320	116,529
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 35%	Bachelor's Degree, 37%
Average age	40	40
Years of experience	-	-

What does a corporal do?

A police corporal is a person who leads a team or squad depending on how many corporals are there in a platoon. Police corporals supervise the performance of the police personnel assigned under their command. They are tasked to oversee, train, organize, and direct the activities of law enforcement personnel. It is their duty to take care of and observe the conduct of soldiers. Their leadership role is necessary and maintained on and off the battlefield.

What does a detention officer do?

The role of detention officers is to supervise inmates in state detention facilities. They are responsible for ensuring the safe imprisonment of detainees, managing conflict between detainees, and reporting inappropriate behavior to the warden. Other responsibilities include providing inmates the opportunity to call a lawyer or a relative, performing periodic patrol of the jail area, and supervising inmates during meals and related activities. They are also responsible for ensuring the cleanliness of personal and cell equipment and distributing medicines to inmates as directed.

Corporal vs detention officer salary

Corporals and detention officers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Corporal	Detention Officer
Average salary	$51,741	$40,087
Salary range	Between $30,000 And $89,000	Between $29,000 And $54,000
Highest paying City	New York, NY	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	New York	Hawaii
Best paying company	Vanderbilt University Medical Center	Bering Straits
Best paying industry	Government	Insurance

Differences between corporal and detention officer education

There are a few differences between a corporal and a detention officer in terms of educational background:

	Corporal	Detention Officer
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 35%	Bachelor's Degree, 37%
Most common major	Criminal Justice	Criminal Justice
Most common college	-	-

Corporal vs detention officer demographics

Here are the differences between corporals' and detention officers' demographics:

	Corporal	Detention Officer
Average age	40	40
Gender ratio	Male, 89.0% Female, 11.0%	Male, 61.0% Female, 39.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 15.8% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 19.1% Asian, 2.0% White, 56.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%	Black or African American, 15.8% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 19.4% Asian, 2.0% White, 56.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between corporal and detention officer duties and responsibilities

Corporal example responsibilities.

Manage transport of supplies/equipment and perform planning and execution functions to support movement in both training and combat environments.
Train in CPR and a use.
Supervise USAF military and contractors on base.
Receive a wealth of medical training knowledge including CPR and emergency care.
Tool room NCO in charge of inventory and checkout of tools and parts.
Work and utilize teamwork to complete complicate task in an effective and timely manner.

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Detention officer example responsibilities.

Train and manage officers of booking, procedures and computer knowledge skills and achieve significant improvements in their productivity.
Manage booking area and process all non-English speaking detainees; streamline process and reduce confrontational situations through effective communication and leadership.
Maintain certification in CPR, gun qualification, and any specialize training offer.
Ensure that all require KYC documentation is on file before accounts are open.
Review and analyze KYC information on potential clients, brokerage counterparties, etc.
Perform CPR when necessary, and provide the transportation of inmates to the medical facility.

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Corporal vs detention officer skills

Common corporal skills

Public Safety, 16%
Combat, 10%
Non, 8%
Vehicle Maintenance, 8%
Weapons Systems, 6%
Emergency Situations, 5%

Common detention officer skills

Detention Facility, 14%
Direct Supervision, 13%
Booking, 11%
Law Enforcement, 10%
CPR, 5%
Security Checks, 4%

Corporal vs. similar jobs

Corporal related careers

Corporal related jobs

What similar roles do

Updated January 8, 2025

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