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The differences between loss prevention specialists and assets protection specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a loss prevention specialist has an average salary of $47,451, which is higher than the $42,374 average annual salary of an assets protection specialist.
The top three skills for a loss prevention specialist include customer service, safety program and store management. The most important skills for an assets protection specialist are CCTV, physical security, and exception reports.
| Loss Prevention Specialist | Assets Protection Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $47,451 | $42,374 |
| Hourly rate | $22.81 | $20.37 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 59,094 | 83,267 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 46% | Bachelor's Degree, 42% |
| Average age | 49 | 33 |
| Years of experience | 4 | - |
A loss prevention specialist is responsible for maintaining the safety and security of the store premises from shoplifters and even from employees' suspicious activities. Loss prevention specialists manage the installation of surveillance devices, monitor the daily store operations, and track business and financial transactions from the database. They also coordinate with law enforcement personnel for investigation on theft cases and other related retail complications. A loss prevention specialist must have excellent communication and critical-thinking skills, especially on preparing incident reports and apprehending violators.
An assets protection specialist is an individual who is responsible for implementing safety and environmental programs to their assigned store or multiple stores as well as prevent financial loss caused by theft and fraud. Asset protection specialists are required to monitor the store's physical security and audit electronic article surveillance. They also prepare accurate and detailed case reports and interact with law enforcement as well as testify in criminal and civil court actions. Asset protection specialists must also report any hazardous or unsafe condition to the manager on duty.
Loss prevention specialists and assets protection specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Loss Prevention Specialist | Assets Protection Specialist | |
| Average salary | $47,451 | $42,374 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $87,000 | Between $22,000 And $78,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Arlington, VA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Booz Allen Hamilton | Credit Suisse |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Retail |
There are a few differences between a loss prevention specialist and an assets protection specialist in terms of educational background:
| Loss Prevention Specialist | Assets Protection Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 46% | Bachelor's Degree, 42% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | California State University - Bakersfield | California State University - Bakersfield |
Here are the differences between loss prevention specialists' and assets protection specialists' demographics:
| Loss Prevention Specialist | Assets Protection Specialist | |
| Average age | 49 | 33 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 72.0% Female, 28.0% | Male, 77.0% Female, 23.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.9% Unknown, 7.3% Hispanic or Latino, 11.9% Asian, 1.2% White, 71.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.8% | Black or African American, 8.3% Unknown, 7.2% Hispanic or Latino, 14.3% Asian, 4.2% White, 65.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 18% | 7% |