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The differences between detectives and loss prevention analysts 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 $38,684 average annual salary of a loss prevention analyst.
The top three skills for a detective include physical evidence, patrol and law enforcement agencies. The most important skills for a loss prevention analyst are loss prevention, customer service, and camera surveillance.
| Detective | Loss Prevention Analyst | |
| Yearly salary | $57,984 | $38,684 |
| Hourly rate | $27.88 | $18.60 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 56,521 | 62,658 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 39% |
| Average age | 44 | 33 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
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.
A loss prevention analyst designs and develops loss prevention programs, typically for retail establishments. They are in charge of providing analytical services primarily to avoid or resolve cases of theft and fraud. Among their responsibilities include gathering and analyzing financial and inventory data, inspecting alarm systems and protocols, performing research and analysis to identify the best practices, determining the strengths and weaknesses of current loss prevention techniques, and implementing solutions against vulnerable areas. Furthermore, a loss prevention analyst must maintain an active communication line with managers and loss prevention officers for a smooth and efficient workflow.
Detectives and loss prevention analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Detective | Loss Prevention Analyst | |
| Average salary | $57,984 | $38,684 |
| Salary range | Between $35,000 And $95,000 | Between $21,000 And $68,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Urban Honolulu, HI |
| Highest paying state | - | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | - | Barclays |
| Best paying industry | - | Finance |
There are a few differences between a detective and a loss prevention analyst in terms of educational background:
| Detective | Loss Prevention Analyst | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 39% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | University of Arizona | California State University - Bakersfield |
Here are the differences between detectives' and loss prevention analysts' demographics:
| Detective | Loss Prevention Analyst | |
| Average age | 44 | 33 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 82.7% Female, 17.3% | Male, 67.7% Female, 32.3% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 8.3% Unknown, 7.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.3% Asian, 4.2% White, 65.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 7% |