Loss prevention agent vs loss prevention officer

The differences between loss prevention agents and loss prevention officers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a loss prevention agent has an average salary of $36,455, which is higher than the $33,768 average annual salary of a loss prevention officer.

The top three skills for a loss prevention agent include loss prevention, store management and sales floor. The most important skills for a loss prevention officer are patrol, loss prevention, and good judgment.

Loss prevention agent vs loss prevention officer overview

	Loss Prevention Agent	Loss Prevention Officer
Yearly salary	$36,455	$33,768
Hourly rate	$17.53	$16.23
Growth rate	6%	6%
Number of jobs	103,534	106,512
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 39%	High School Diploma, 31%
Average age	33	33
Years of experience	-	-

What does a loss prevention agent do?

A loss prevention agent is responsible for averting theft and securing a retail store or similar establishment. They are primarily in charge of monitoring surveillance cameras and roaming around the premises while dressed in civilian clothing, all to observe the surroundings and spot any suspicious behavior. Furthermore, a loss prevention agent must adhere to the policies and standards of the establishment, implement safety and security measures, and coordinate with the police should there be any person caught stealing.

What does a loss prevention officer do?

A loss prevention officer is a part of a security team who tends to the security of a retail store. Loss prevention officers prevent theft in the store and assist the establishment with theft prevention plans and policies. Typically, they monitor the store's surveillance cameras then walk around for security. They are expected to have a strong will to place themselves in dangerous situations to maintain public safety. It is also their responsibility to determine stock shortages and report missing merchandise.

Loss prevention agent vs loss prevention officer salary

Loss prevention agents and loss prevention officers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Loss Prevention Agent	Loss Prevention Officer
Average salary	$36,455	$33,768
Salary range	Between $21,000 And $62,000	Between $22,000 And $51,000
Highest paying City	Urban Honolulu, HI	Miami, FL
Highest paying state	Virginia	Virginia
Best paying company	Compliance	Southern Healthcare
Best paying industry	Retail	Hospitality

Differences between loss prevention agent and loss prevention officer education

There are a few differences between a loss prevention agent and a loss prevention officer in terms of educational background:

	Loss Prevention Agent	Loss Prevention Officer
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 39%	High School Diploma, 31%
Most common major	Criminal Justice	Criminal Justice
Most common college	California State University - Bakersfield	California State University - Bakersfield

Loss prevention agent vs loss prevention officer demographics

Here are the differences between loss prevention agents' and loss prevention officers' demographics:

	Loss Prevention Agent	Loss Prevention Officer
Average age	33	33
Gender ratio	Male, 72.8% Female, 27.2%	Male, 74.6% Female, 25.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 8.4% Unknown, 7.4% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 4.2% White, 65.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%	Black or African American, 8.4% Unknown, 7.2% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 4.2% White, 65.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between loss prevention agent and loss prevention officer duties and responsibilities

Loss prevention agent example responsibilities.

Manage foreclosure and bankruptcy from inception to completion and mitigate all potential losses within an acceptable range.
Perform camera surveillance and patrol the assigned store and assign location while ensuring to maintain a safe and secure store environment.
Conduct surveillance and counter-surveillance to detect and apprehend shoplifters, and other criminal activity utilizing CCTV.
Patrol assign facility areas to enforce rules and regulations.
Operate and monitor security control and access control devices using CCTV, life/safety alarms and systems alerting the necessary authority.
Protect company's assets by utilizing state-of-the-art detection and investigation surveillance system, which identify shoplifters and prevent loss of merchandise.

Loss prevention officer example responsibilities.

Manage foreclosure and bankruptcy from inception to completion and mitigate all potential losses within an acceptable range.
Certify in CPR as well as self-defense training including the use of pepper spray.
Review surveillance footage, POS data, and audio of clients operations for theft and operational deficiencies.
Conduct weekly audits in order to ensure merchandise of a certain dollar amount is properly tag EAS tags.
Conduct store, maintenance, safety, and electronic article surveillance (EAS) audits, and 801E audits.
Prepare documentation and analyze data through exception reporting, POS systems, GL, and various other resources and systems.

Loss prevention agent vs loss prevention officer skills

Common loss prevention agent skills

Loss Prevention, 14%
Store Management, 12%
Sales Floor, 10%
CCTV, 10%
Customer Service, 9%
Internal Investigations, 5%

Common loss prevention officer skills

Patrol, 20%
Loss Prevention, 11%
Good Judgment, 9%
Emergency Situations, 7%
Relevant Parties, 6%
Incident Reports, 6%

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Loss Prevention Agent
Loss Prevention Agent vs Loss Prevention Officer

Updated January 8, 2025

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