Gate guard vs security patrol officer

The differences between gate guards and security patrol officers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a gate guard has an average salary of $36,326, which is higher than the $31,673 average annual salary of a security patrol officer.

The top three skills for a gate guard include customer service, traffic flow and vehicle inspections. The most important skills for a security patrol officer are patrol, customer service, and security services.

Gate guard vs security patrol officer overview

	Gate Guard	Security Patrol Officer
Yearly salary	$36,326	$31,673
Hourly rate	$17.46	$15.23
Growth rate	3%	3%
Number of jobs	82,549	131,574
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 41%	High School Diploma, 37%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	-	-

Gate guard vs security patrol officer salary

Gate guards and security patrol officers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Gate Guard	Security Patrol Officer
Average salary	$36,326	$31,673
Salary range	Between $29,000 And $45,000	Between $25,000 And $39,000
Highest paying City	-	Seattle, WA
Highest paying state	-	Washington
Best paying company	-	University of California, Berkeley
Best paying industry	-	Utilities

Differences between gate guard and security patrol officer education

There are a few differences between a gate guard and a security patrol officer in terms of educational background:

	Gate Guard	Security Patrol Officer
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 41%	High School Diploma, 37%
Most common major	Criminal Justice	Criminal Justice
Most common college	-	-

Gate guard vs security patrol officer demographics

Here are the differences between gate guards' and security patrol officers' demographics:

	Gate Guard	Security Patrol Officer
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 64.2% Female, 35.8%	Male, 80.6% Female, 19.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 12.1% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 24.6% Asian, 5.0% White, 51.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6%	Black or African American, 11.5% Unknown, 5.8% Hispanic or Latino, 23.6% Asian, 5.3% White, 52.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.8%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between gate guard and security patrol officer duties and responsibilities

Gate guard example responsibilities.

Conduct roving patrol of assign sector whether interior or exterior of perimeter.
Ensure that no prohibit items are brought into the SCIF.
Coordinate and control all incoming maintenance personnel with the SCIF spaces.
Maintain all paperwork necessary while maintaining a level of alertness and responsibility necessary to ensure security of all areas of duty.

Security patrol officer example responsibilities.

Maintain alertness while on post.
Apply patient restraints as needed.
Certify CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and a (automate external defibrillator).
Remove stall vehicles from highway lanes to the side shoulder or a CHP designate safe area.
Respond to medical calls and provide basic first aid, CPR, or a use as needed.
Monitor CCTV operations, card access only doors and create identification badges for new employees/visitors at facility.

Gate guard vs security patrol officer skills

Common gate guard skills

Customer Service, 46%
Traffic Flow, 27%
Vehicle Inspections, 13%
Property Damage, 2%
Safety Procedures, 2%
Emergency Situations, 2%

Common security patrol officer skills

Patrol, 51%
Customer Service, 23%
Security Services, 6%
Alertness, 3%
Emergency Situations, 2%
Public Safety, 2%

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Protective Service Industry
Gate Guard
Gate Guard vs Security Patrol Officer

Updated January 8, 2025

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