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The differences between lieutenants and police sergeants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a police sergeant has an average salary of $65,562, 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 police sergeant are patrol, public safety, and emergency situations.
| Lieutenant | Police Sergeant | |
| Yearly salary | $47,781 | $65,562 |
| Hourly rate | $22.97 | $31.52 |
| Growth rate | - | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 79,272 | 81,493 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| 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 Police Sergeant is responsible for supervising patrol officers and agents, as assigned. They oversee and assess the performance of subordinates, such as disciplinary actions, continued training, and counseling.
Lieutenants and police sergeants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lieutenant | Police Sergeant | |
| Average salary | $47,781 | $65,562 |
| Salary range | Between $41,000 And $55,000 | Between $48,000 And $89,000 |
| Highest paying City | Denver, CO | Santa Cruz, CA |
| Highest paying state | Colorado | Washington |
| Best paying company | Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory | Loyola University Maryland |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Government |
There are a few differences between a lieutenant and a police sergeant in terms of educational background:
| Lieutenant | Police Sergeant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | Pennsylvania State University | Pennsylvania State University |
Here are the differences between lieutenants' and police sergeants' demographics:
| Lieutenant | Police Sergeant | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.6% Female, 16.4% | Male, 90.2% Female, 9.8% |
| 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, 11.0% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 15.6% Asian, 1.8% White, 66.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |