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The differences between loss prevention specialists and deputies can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a deputy has an average salary of $53,682, which is higher than the $47,451 average annual salary of a loss prevention specialist.
The top three skills for a loss prevention specialist include customer service, safety program and store management. The most important skills for a deputy are patrol, public safety, and transport inmates.
| Loss Prevention Specialist | Deputy | |
| Yearly salary | $47,451 | $53,682 |
| Hourly rate | $22.81 | $25.81 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 59,094 | 56,150 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 46% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| 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.
The duties of a deputy vary on their line of work or place of employment. In law enforcement, a deputy is primarily in charge of conducting investigations on crimes and arresting criminals, performing regular patrols on streets, responding to calls of distress, and assisting citizens in calamities, disasters, accidents, or any forms of threat. There are also instances when a deputy must serve court documents, transport detainees or suspected criminals, and monitor courtrooms. Furthermore, a deputy reports to higher-ranking officers such as a sheriff.
Loss prevention specialists and deputies have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Loss Prevention Specialist | Deputy | |
| Average salary | $47,451 | $53,682 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $87,000 | Between $31,000 And $90,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | New York |
| Best paying company | Booz Allen Hamilton | Barclays |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a loss prevention specialist and a deputy in terms of educational background:
| Loss Prevention Specialist | Deputy | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 46% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| 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 deputies' demographics:
| Loss Prevention Specialist | Deputy | |
| Average age | 49 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 72.0% Female, 28.0% | Male, 65.1% Female, 34.9% |
| 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, 13.2% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.7% Asian, 3.5% White, 60.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 18% | 7% |