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The differences between heads of security and security officers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a head of security has an average salary of $154,257, which is higher than the $31,101 average annual salary of a security officer.
The top three skills for a head of security include cloud security, security procedures and emergency situations. The most important skills for a security officer are customer service, ladders, and patrol.
| Head Of Security | Security Officer | |
| Yearly salary | $154,257 | $31,101 |
| Hourly rate | $74.16 | $14.95 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 92,369 | 125,879 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 38% | High School Diploma, 36% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
The head of security performs overall company security responsibilities, obligations, and duties, such as maintenance responsibilities, performance responsibilities, strategic development responsibilities, and direction responsibilities. They create protocols and policies needed to secure and protect sensitive information. Besides developing and implementing security procedures and protocols, the head of security also makes logistics to secure and protect copyrights, intellectual property, and many other related risks. Moreover, the head of security hires and recruits a professional talent that can build up the security.
A security officer is responsible for maintaining the peace and safety of everyone by regularly patrolling and monitoring surveillance equipment within the assigned premises. Security officers' duties also include reporting suspicious behaviors, restricting trespassers and unauthorized personnel from entering the establishment, providing incident reports for policy violations, and adhering to the standard protocols and legal requirements set by the management. Security offers must also have excellent decision-making and critical-thinking skills and extensive knowledge of emergency drills in case any unfortunate circumstances arise.
Heads of security and security officers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Head Of Security | Security Officer | |
| Average salary | $154,257 | $31,101 |
| Salary range | Between $86,000 And $276,000 | Between $24,000 And $39,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | Washington |
| Best paying company | BitGo | Battelle |
| Best paying industry | - | Utilities |
There are a few differences between a head of security and a security officer in terms of educational background:
| Head Of Security | Security Officer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 38% | High School Diploma, 36% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between heads of security' and security officers' demographics:
| Head Of Security | Security Officer | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 93.6% Female, 6.4% | Male, 71.6% Female, 28.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.0% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 19.3% Asian, 6.1% White, 55.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6% | Black or African American, 12.7% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 19.6% Asian, 6.3% White, 54.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |