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The differences between loss prevention specialists and loss prevention associates 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 $38,861 average annual salary of a loss prevention associate.
The top three skills for a loss prevention specialist include customer service, safety program and store management. The most important skills for a loss prevention associate are customer service, patrol, and safety standards.
| Loss Prevention Specialist | Loss Prevention Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $47,451 | $38,861 |
| Hourly rate | $22.81 | $18.68 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 59,094 | 82,313 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 46% | Bachelor's Degree, 36% |
| 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.
A loss prevention associate is responsible for monitoring the organization's daily operations, maintaining the safety and security of all network systems to avoid data theft. Loss prevention associates take immediate actions on all related suspicious activities that would compromise the company's reputation and financial status. They regularly check surveillance technologies to maintain asset protection and operational stability at all times. A loss prevention associate should have excellent communication skills, both written and oral, especially on writing incident reports and escalating unusual activities to the management for immediate resolution.
Loss prevention specialists and loss prevention associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Loss Prevention Specialist | Loss Prevention Associate | |
| Average salary | $47,451 | $38,861 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $87,000 | Between $21,000 And $69,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Salisbury, MD |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Virginia |
| Best paying company | Booz Allen Hamilton | AIG |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Utilities |
There are a few differences between a loss prevention specialist and a loss prevention associate in terms of educational background:
| Loss Prevention Specialist | Loss Prevention Associate | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 46% | Bachelor's Degree, 36% |
| 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 loss prevention associates' demographics:
| Loss Prevention Specialist | Loss Prevention Associate | |
| Average age | 49 | 33 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 72.0% Female, 28.0% | Male, 68.7% Female, 31.3% |
| 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, 8.5% Unknown, 7.2% Hispanic or Latino, 14.7% Asian, 4.2% White, 65.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 18% | 7% |