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Loss prevention officer vs criminal investigator

The differences between loss prevention officers and criminal investigators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a criminal investigator has an average salary of $54,520, which is higher than the $33,768 average annual salary of a loss prevention officer.

The top three skills for a loss prevention officer include patrol, loss prevention and good judgment. The most important skills for a criminal investigator are investigative reports, resourcefulness, and firearms.

Loss prevention officer vs criminal investigator overview

Loss Prevention OfficerCriminal Investigator
Yearly salary$33,768$54,520
Hourly rate$16.23$26.21
Growth rate6%3%
Number of jobs106,5125,131
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 31%Bachelor's Degree, 59%
Average age3344
Years of experience--

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.

What does a criminal investigator do?

A criminal investigator is a law enforcement professional who endeavors to solve felony crimes. Criminal investigators may work alone or as a member of an investigative team whose goal is to uncover the certainty of a case and potentially keep suspects to prevent the ensuing criminal activity. Their tasks and responsibilities depend on various job functions and specialties. They may specialize in the information and evidence of a crime scene, conduct interviews and searches, or perform surveillance.

Loss prevention officer vs criminal investigator salary

Loss prevention officers and criminal investigators have different pay scales, as shown below.

Loss Prevention OfficerCriminal Investigator
Average salary$33,768$54,520
Salary rangeBetween $22,000 And $51,000Between $34,000 And $85,000
Highest paying CityMiami, FLWashington, DC
Highest paying stateVirginiaCalifornia
Best paying companySouthern HealthcareNational Railroad Passenger Corporation
Best paying industryHospitalityGovernment

Differences between loss prevention officer and criminal investigator education

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

Loss Prevention OfficerCriminal Investigator
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 31%Bachelor's Degree, 59%
Most common majorCriminal JusticeCriminal Justice
Most common collegeCalifornia State University - Bakersfield-

Loss prevention officer vs criminal investigator demographics

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

Loss Prevention OfficerCriminal Investigator
Average age3344
Gender ratioMale, 74.6% Female, 25.4%Male, 79.7% Female, 20.3%
Race ratioBlack 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%Black or African American, 11.8% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 16.9% Asian, 2.8% White, 62.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage7%9%

Differences between loss prevention officer and criminal investigator duties and responsibilities

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.
    • Show more

Criminal investigator example responsibilities.

  • Conduct joint planning and manage AFOSI's criminal investigations and counterintelligence operations in northern Italy.
  • Close accounts and file SAR's with FinCEN as warranted.
  • Write suspicious activity reports (SAR).
  • Follow up on sub reviews and documentation require information for FinCEN reporting.
  • Coordinate and conduct firearms training.
  • Examine discovery, prepare subpoenas, and review pertinent documents.
    • Show more

Loss prevention officer vs criminal investigator skills

Common loss prevention officer skills
  • Patrol, 20%
  • Loss Prevention, 11%
  • Good Judgment, 9%
  • Emergency Situations, 7%
  • Relevant Parties, 6%
  • Incident Reports, 6%
Common criminal investigator skills
  • Investigative Reports, 13%
  • Resourcefulness, 11%
  • Firearms, 11%
  • Treasury, 9%
  • Investigative Techniques, 8%
  • IRS, 6%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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