How To Become A Loss Prevention Specialist: What It Is and Career Path

What is a loss prevention specialist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

5 min read

A loss prevention specialist is someone responsible for protecting a company's assets by identifying and preventing theft, fraud, and other forms of loss. They are employed by various businesses to develop and implement security measures that mitigate risks. A loss prevention specialist conducts investigations into suspicious activities, audits company procedures, and trains employees on loss prevention best practices.The ultimate goal of a loss prevention specialist is to minimize financial losses for the company.

ScoreLoss Prevention SpecialistUS Average

Salary

3.7

Avg. Salary $47,451

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

6.3

Growth rate 6%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

1.8

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.81%

Asian 1.20%

Black or African American 5.85%

Hispanic or Latino 11.94%

Unknown 7.26%

White 71.93%

Gender

female 28.04%

male 71.96%

Age - 49

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 49

Stress level

6.3

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

6.3

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance

7.3

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a loss prevention specialist?

Pros

Provides a sense of purpose in protecting company assets
Provides skills in surveillance and investigation
Potential for competitive pay and benefits
Collaborative work environment with other loss prevention professionals
Can lead to a career in law enforcement or security

Cons

May require working overnight or irregular hours
Can be emotionally taxing when dealing with difficult situations or employees
Requires physical fitness and ability to pursue suspects on foot if necessary
May encounter resistance or hostility from employees or customers
Can involve repetitive tasks, such as watching surveillance footage for extended periods of time

Key steps to become a loss prevention specialist

Explore loss prevention specialist education requirements

Most common loss prevention specialist degrees

Bachelor's

46.4 %

Associate

26.0 %

High School Diploma

16.5 %

Start to develop specific loss prevention specialist skills

Skills	Percentages
Customer Service	48.18%
Safety Program	15.02%
Store Management	12.32%
CCTV	2.85%
Criminal Justice	2.62%

Complete relevant loss prevention specialist training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-2 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New loss prevention specialists learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a loss prevention specialist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real loss prevention specialist resumes.

Gain additional loss prevention specialist certifications

Loss prevention specialist certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific loss prevention specialist certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for loss prevention specialists include Certified Criminal Justice Specialist (CCJS) and Certified Billing and Coding Specialist (CBCS).

More About Certifications

Research loss prevention specialist duties and responsibilities

Manage foreclosure and bankruptcy from inception to completion and mitigate all potential losses within an acceptable range.
Maintain all aspects of store security, including motion cameras and EAS security systems.
Maintain a working knowledge of the store's alarm system and EAS system.
Conduct internal investigations base on POS exceptions reports, known shortages or confidential tips/leads.

Prepare your loss prevention specialist resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your loss prevention specialist resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a loss prevention specialist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable loss prevention specialist resume templates

Build a professional loss prevention specialist resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your loss prevention specialist resume.