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The differences between lieutenants and platoon sergeants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a platoon sergeant has an average salary of $95,863, which is higher than the $47,781 average annual salary of a lieutenant.
The top three skills for a lieutenant include public safety, patrol and direct supervision. The most important skills for a platoon sergeant are safety procedures, combat, and professional development.
| Lieutenant | Platoon Sergeant | |
| Yearly salary | $47,781 | $95,863 |
| Hourly rate | $22.97 | $46.09 |
| Growth rate | - | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 79,272 | 357 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 42% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A lieutenant is responsible for overseeing operations in police departments, evaluating departmental cases, cooperating in law enforcement investigations, monitoring internal activities, and ensuring the safety and security of the premises. Lieutenants also enforce rules and regulations for everyone's strict compliance, inspect police department facilities, and identify serious offenses. They also confiscate violating items, document any evidence for further investigation. A lieutenant must have excellent leadership skills, as well as extensive knowledge of the law regulations to maintain the credibility and integrity of the police operations.
A platoon sergeant is responsible for monitoring the platoon on its daily operations, including their training and activities, evaluating their performance, and enforcing disciplinary actions to maintain the order of the group. Platoon sergeants work closely with a platoon commander, advising high-end strategic procedures to support the troops, including defense training and weapon tactics. They also coordinate with different units, especially on deploying the platoon for assignments and security duties to maintain the peace of the vicinity.
Lieutenants and platoon sergeants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lieutenant | Platoon Sergeant | |
| Average salary | $47,781 | $95,863 |
| Salary range | Between $41,000 And $55,000 | Between $68,000 And $134,000 |
| Highest paying City | Denver, CO | - |
| Highest paying state | Colorado | - |
| Best paying company | Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory | - |
| Best paying industry | Technology | - |
There are a few differences between a lieutenant and a platoon sergeant in terms of educational background:
| Lieutenant | Platoon Sergeant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 42% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Business |
| Most common college | Pennsylvania State University | Pennsylvania State University |
Here are the differences between lieutenants' and platoon sergeants' demographics:
| Lieutenant | Platoon Sergeant | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.6% Female, 16.4% | Male, 93.6% Female, 6.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.2% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 15.0% Asian, 1.8% White, 66.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.4% | Black or African American, 11.2% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 15.6% Asian, 1.8% White, 66.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |