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The differences between detention officers and deputies can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a deputy has an average salary of $53,682, which is higher than the $40,087 average annual salary of a detention officer.
The top three skills for a detention officer include detention facility, direct supervision and booking. The most important skills for a deputy are patrol, public safety, and transport inmates.
| Detention Officer | Deputy | |
| Yearly salary | $40,087 | $53,682 |
| Hourly rate | $19.27 | $25.81 |
| Growth rate | -10% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 116,529 | 56,150 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 37% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
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.
The duties of a deputy vary on their line of work or place of employment. In law enforcement, a deputy is primarily in charge of conducting investigations on crimes and arresting criminals, performing regular patrols on streets, responding to calls of distress, and assisting citizens in calamities, disasters, accidents, or any forms of threat. There are also instances when a deputy must serve court documents, transport detainees or suspected criminals, and monitor courtrooms. Furthermore, a deputy reports to higher-ranking officers such as a sheriff.
Detention officers and deputies have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Detention Officer | Deputy | |
| Average salary | $40,087 | $53,682 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $54,000 | Between $31,000 And $90,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | New York |
| Best paying company | Bering Straits | Barclays |
| Best paying industry | Insurance | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a detention officer and a deputy in terms of educational background:
| Detention Officer | Deputy | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 37% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | - | California State University - Bakersfield |
Here are the differences between detention officers' and deputies' demographics:
| Detention Officer | Deputy | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 61.0% Female, 39.0% | Male, 65.1% Female, 34.9% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 13.2% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.7% Asian, 3.5% White, 60.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 7% |