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The differences between deputy sheriffs and detectives can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a detective has an average salary of $57,984, which is higher than the $50,143 average annual salary of a deputy sheriff.
The top three skills for a deputy sheriff include patrol, public safety and transport inmates. The most important skills for a detective are physical evidence, patrol, and law enforcement agencies.
| Deputy Sheriff | Detective | |
| Yearly salary | $50,143 | $57,984 |
| Hourly rate | $24.11 | $27.88 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 65,303 | 56,521 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 42% | Bachelor's Degree, 54% |
| Average age | 40 | 44 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A deputy sheriff is a law enforcement officer who serves the public by preventing and intervening crimes at a particular county, including multiple small towns and several larger cities. Deputy Sheriffs are first responders to emergencies such as criminal activities, vehicle accidents, weather incidents, and medical emergencies. They are present in courthouses to guard courtrooms and inmates who are transported from prisons. As law enforcers, they are also required to have an understanding of the laws of their jurisdiction.
A detective is responsible for conducting in-depth investigations for criminal activities, potential threats, and other law-violating incidents, coordinating closely with law-enforcement agencies and crime intelligence analysts. Detectives often work on the field, gathering data and related evidence to support claims and connect the timeline of events. They keep an organized record of their findings for further validation before reporting it to the authority. A detective must have excellent investigative and critical-thinking skills, especially on solving puzzles and security solutions.
Deputy sheriffs and detectives have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Deputy Sheriff | Detective | |
| Average salary | $50,143 | $57,984 |
| Salary range | Between $35,000 And $70,000 | Between $35,000 And $95,000 |
| Highest paying City | Santa Rosa, CA | - |
| Highest paying state | California | - |
| Best paying company | Moody's | - |
| Best paying industry | Government | - |
There are a few differences between a deputy sheriff and a detective in terms of educational background:
| Deputy Sheriff | Detective | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 42% | Bachelor's Degree, 54% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | Pennsylvania State University | University of Arizona |
Here are the differences between deputy sheriffs' and detectives' demographics:
| Deputy Sheriff | Detective | |
| Average age | 40 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 82.8% Female, 17.2% | Male, 82.7% Female, 17.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 13.7% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 15.7% Asian, 3.3% White, 61.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | Black or African American, 11.8% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 16.7% Asian, 2.8% White, 63.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 9% |