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The differences between loss prevention specialists and loss prevention managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a loss prevention specialist, becoming a loss prevention manager takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a loss prevention manager has an average salary of $83,613, 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 loss prevention manager are safety program, safety procedures, and CCTV.
| Loss Prevention Specialist | Loss Prevention Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $47,451 | $83,613 |
| Hourly rate | $22.81 | $40.20 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 59,094 | 4,393 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 46% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Average age | 49 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
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.
Loss prevention managers, as what their name implies, are primarily responsible for the protection of the company's assets from losses like theft, fraud, and inaccurate inventory reporting. They plan, manage, and regularly evaluate procedures to ensure losses are prevented. Also, they identify potential risks and develop the risk control system to help eliminate it. Another task they do is to train the loss prevention staff, store employees, and retail managers on loss control and preventative measures. Additionally, they conduct internal investigations on issues like employee theft as well as breaches of corporate policies on loss prevention.
Loss prevention specialists and loss prevention managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Loss Prevention Specialist | Loss Prevention Manager | |
| Average salary | $47,451 | $83,613 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $87,000 | Between $56,000 And $124,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Fairbanks, AK |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Booz Allen Hamilton | Amazon |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Hospitality |
There are a few differences between a loss prevention specialist and a loss prevention manager in terms of educational background:
| Loss Prevention Specialist | Loss Prevention Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 46% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| 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 managers' demographics:
| Loss Prevention Specialist | Loss Prevention Manager | |
| Average age | 49 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 72.0% Female, 28.0% | Male, 77.3% Female, 22.7% |
| 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, 7.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 13.3% Asian, 7.4% White, 66.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 18% | 10% |