Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Job outlook for loss prevention officers in the United States
Loss prevention officer job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected loss prevention officer job growth rate is 6% from 2018-2028.
About 1,000 new jobs for loss prevention officers are projected over the next decade.
Loss prevention officer salaries have increased 17% for loss prevention officers in the last 5 years.
There are over 71,365 loss prevention officers currently employed in the United States.
There are 106,512 active loss prevention officer job openings in the US.
The average loss prevention officer salary is $33,768.
Are loss prevention officer jobs in demand?
Loss prevention officer job and salary trends over time
Loss prevention officer jobs over time
Loss prevention officer job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 71,365 | 0.02% |
| 2020 | 113,947 | 0.03% |
| 2019 | 123,045 | 0.04% |
| 2018 | 98,515 | 0.03% |
| 2017 | 94,066 | 0.03% |
Average loss prevention officer salary over time
Loss prevention officer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $33,768 | $16.23 | +4.9% |
| 2025 | $32,190 | $15.48 | +4.1% |
| 2024 | $30,935 | $14.87 | +1.6% |
| 2023 | $30,452 | $14.64 | +5.3% |
| 2022 | $28,921 | $13.90 | +0.2% |
Loss prevention officer jobs by state
Most common states for loss prevention officers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 179 | 26% |
| 2 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,665 | 24% |
| 3 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 239 | 23% |
| 4 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,230 | 22% |
| 5 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 427 | 22% |
| 6 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 358 | 21% |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 2,377 | 19% |
| 8 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 1,160 | 19% |
| 9 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 1,159 | 19% |
| 10 | Delaware | 961,939 | 183 | 19% |
| 11 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 141 | 19% |
| 12 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 1,033 | 18% |
| 13 | Kentucky | 4,454,189 | 820 | 18% |
| 14 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 244 | 18% |
| 15 | Ohio | 11,658,609 | 1,968 | 17% |
| 16 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 518 | 17% |
| 17 | Vermont | 623,657 | 103 | 17% |
| 18 | California | 39,536,653 | 6,490 | 16% |
| 19 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 1,472 | 16% |
| 20 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 335 | 16% |
Most common cities for loss prevention officers
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Danvers | 2 | 8% | $34,329 |
| 2 | Miami Beach | 4 | 4% | $40,537 |
| 3 | Auburn | 2 | 3% | $35,758 |
| 4 | Bethesda | 2 | 3% | $37,091 |
| 5 | New Orleans | 7 | 2% | $36,392 |
| 6 | Scottsdale | 4 | 2% | $32,305 |
| 7 | Atlanta | 5 | 1% | $32,697 |
| 8 | Boston | 5 | 1% | $34,544 |
| 9 | Miami | 4 | 1% | $40,546 |
| 10 | Orlando | 4 | 1% | $37,674 |
| 11 | Anaheim | 3 | 1% | $39,714 |
| 12 | Des Moines | 3 | 1% | $31,674 |
| 13 | Aurora | 2 | 1% | $33,733 |
| 14 | Los Angeles | 5 | 0% | $39,697 |
| 15 | Chicago | 4 | 0% | $32,202 |
| 16 | Houston | 4 | 0% | $36,393 |
| 17 | San Francisco | 4 | 0% | $38,920 |
| 18 | San Diego | 3 | 0% | $40,072 |
Loss Prevention Officer job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of loss prevention officer experts
Curry College
What will help Loss Prevention Officers increase their earning potential?
James Gibbens: Mr. Johnson, Good Morning, Our Law Enforcement/Corrections instructors are, for the most part, active law enforcement officers working in the field or recently retired from the industry. We have no full-time instructors/professors teaching in the Law Enforcement Academies. Most of our students are sponsored and employed when the Academy starts so there is little to no recruitment, everyone is paid to attend class. Brevard County has a number of Law Enforcement agencies. My suggestion is to contact one of the agencies and speak with their Human Resource Department. Locally, in today's employment climate there are many employment opportunities in the Public Safety Sectors.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Loss Prevention Officers?
Jennifer Balboni: Yes! Without question, over the last year, the pandemic has impacted nearly every occupation around the globe. These effects were felt most keenly in the medical field, but the impact in the criminal justice field has been incredibly steep as well, and the changes for police, courts, and corrections promise to be around even once this pandemic is more under control. First, it's important to note that police professionals are currently managing twin crises: the pandemic and public tumult stemming from a series of well-publicized needless deaths of young African Americans at the hands of police. It's nearly impossible to disentangle the impact of the pandemic from the impact of the crisis of legitimacy in policing, as these are happening simultaneously. This means that, in addition to the stressors of the job related to the pandemic, policing right now is fundamentally more stressful. As the public demands reform, organizations are shifting their priorities in response. New graduates who wish to pursue law enforcement would be wise to identify agencies that share their value system and commitment to justice so that they are part of this field's positive evolution.
In the fields of corrections and the courts, the implications of the pandemic are equally important-- although much less discussed in the media. Courts are currently facing significant backlogs (few juries have been convened during the last year-leaving a logjam of many open criminal cases). Correctional institutions have used the pandemic as the impetus to de-carcerate, which shifts responsibilities from institutional to community corrections, as those released are often in need of support services in order to be successful. Analysts predict that the reduction in the incarcerated population could bring some savings to local and state budgets, and this may provide some pressure to make the efforts to de-carcerate more permanent. Both of these fields are adapting and it is likely that the pandemic's impact will be long-lasting.
While new graduates certainly will be facing unprecedented challenges in their new professional roles, it's important to consider that this stress can also bring significant opportunity. If necessity is the mother of invention, then creative and energetic graduates may have more opportunity to implement innovative responses they've learned about in college in these fields in the near future.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Loss Prevention Officers?
Jennifer Balboni: For those interested in law enforcement, coursework in community policing is critical for new graduates to have as a foundational background. Recognizing the importance of working with the community is absolutely vital to agencies establishing legitimacy within communities. In addition, coursework and/or certifications in (white collar) fraud examination, emergency management, and cybercrime investigations are an excellent background for new grads who are interested in law enforcement and investigations; each of these fields has increasingly been recognized as integral to successful planning and investigations in the criminal justice realm. In addition, fluency in a different language is always an asset in the criminal justice job market.