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The differences between loss prevention specialists and correction officers 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 $39,369 average annual salary of a correction officer.
The top three skills for a loss prevention specialist include customer service, safety program and store management. The most important skills for a correction officer are public safety, correctional facility, and emergency situations.
| Loss Prevention Specialist | Correction Officer | |
| Yearly salary | $47,451 | $39,369 |
| Hourly rate | $22.81 | $18.93 |
| Growth rate | 6% | -10% |
| Number of jobs | 59,094 | 103,383 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 46% | High School Diploma, 30% |
| Average age | 49 | 40 |
| 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.
A correction officer is responsible for monitoring the daily activities of individuals serving time in prison, enforcing the standard rules and regulatory procedures to maintain safety and security within the premises. Correction officers' duties include searching for restricted items, inspecting the facilities' condition, observing unusual and suspicious behaviors, generating incident reports, and providing assistance during counseling and trial schedules. Correction officers must be highly knowledgeable of legal regulations. They must also cooperate with court procedures for any investigations within their place of work.
Loss prevention specialists and correction officers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Loss Prevention Specialist | Correction Officer | |
| Average salary | $47,451 | $39,369 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $87,000 | Between $28,000 And $54,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Urban Honolulu, HI |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Booz Allen Hamilton | Careerstaff Unlimited - A Genesis Healthcare Company |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Government |
There are a few differences between a loss prevention specialist and a correction officer in terms of educational background:
| Loss Prevention Specialist | Correction Officer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 46% | High School Diploma, 30% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | California State University - Bakersfield | - |
Here are the differences between loss prevention specialists' and correction officers' demographics:
| Loss Prevention Specialist | Correction Officer | |
| Average age | 49 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 72.0% Female, 28.0% | Male, 62.5% Female, 37.5% |
| 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, 16.0% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.4% Asian, 2.0% White, 57.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% |
| LGBT Percentage | 18% | 6% |