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The differences between deputy sheriffs and sergeants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a deputy sheriff has an average salary of $50,143, which is higher than the $48,557 average annual salary of a sergeant.
The top three skills for a deputy sheriff include patrol, public safety and transport inmates. The most important skills for a sergeant are safety procedures, patrol, and direct supervision.
| Deputy Sheriff | Sergeant | |
| Yearly salary | $50,143 | $48,557 |
| Hourly rate | $24.11 | $23.34 |
| Growth rate | 3% | -10% |
| Number of jobs | 65,303 | 79,335 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 42% | Bachelor's Degree, 44% |
| Average age | 40 | 46 |
| 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 Sergeant is responsible for supervising a group of five or more Soldiers. Sergeants must oversee their daily activities, ensuring they are in proper disposition and are living under the conditions that adhere to the laws and regulations and training them according to the standards of the military. Furthermore, it is a Sergeant's responsibility to serve the public and report to the higher-ups, instill discipline to oneself, and serve as a role model to lower-ranked soldiers.
Deputy sheriffs and sergeants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Deputy Sheriff | Sergeant | |
| Average salary | $50,143 | $48,557 |
| Salary range | Between $35,000 And $70,000 | Between $35,000 And $66,000 |
| Highest paying City | Santa Rosa, CA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | California | New York |
| Best paying company | Moody's | Columbia University in the City of New York |
| Best paying industry | Government | Government |
There are a few differences between a deputy sheriff and a sergeant in terms of educational background:
| Deputy Sheriff | Sergeant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 42% | Bachelor's Degree, 44% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | Pennsylvania State University | Pennsylvania State University |
Here are the differences between deputy sheriffs' and sergeants' demographics:
| Deputy Sheriff | Sergeant | |
| Average age | 40 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 82.8% Female, 17.2% | Male, 85.0% Female, 15.0% |
| 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, 10.7% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 15.7% Asian, 1.8% White, 66.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 11% |