Loss prevention specialist vs loss prevention officer

The differences between loss prevention specialists and loss prevention 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 $33,768 average annual salary of a loss prevention officer.

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 officer are patrol, loss prevention, and good judgment.

Loss prevention specialist vs loss prevention officer overview

	Loss Prevention Specialist	Loss Prevention Officer
Yearly salary	$47,451	$33,768
Hourly rate	$22.81	$16.23
Growth rate	6%	6%
Number of jobs	59,094	106,512
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 46%	High School Diploma, 31%
Average age	49	33
Years of experience	4	-

What does a loss prevention specialist do?

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.

What does a loss prevention officer do?

A loss prevention officer is a part of a security team who tends to the security of a retail store. Loss prevention officers prevent theft in the store and assist the establishment with theft prevention plans and policies. Typically, they monitor the store's surveillance cameras then walk around for security. They are expected to have a strong will to place themselves in dangerous situations to maintain public safety. It is also their responsibility to determine stock shortages and report missing merchandise.

Loss prevention specialist vs loss prevention officer salary

Loss prevention specialists and loss prevention officers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Loss Prevention Specialist	Loss Prevention Officer
Average salary	$47,451	$33,768
Salary range	Between $25,000 And $87,000	Between $22,000 And $51,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	Miami, FL
Highest paying state	Hawaii	Virginia
Best paying company	Booz Allen Hamilton	Southern Healthcare
Best paying industry	Automotive	Hospitality

Differences between loss prevention specialist and loss prevention officer education

There are a few differences between a loss prevention specialist and a loss prevention officer in terms of educational background:

	Loss Prevention Specialist	Loss Prevention Officer
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 46%	High School Diploma, 31%
Most common major	Criminal Justice	Criminal Justice
Most common college	California State University - Bakersfield	California State University - Bakersfield

Loss prevention specialist vs loss prevention officer demographics

Here are the differences between loss prevention specialists' and loss prevention officers' demographics:

	Loss Prevention Specialist	Loss Prevention Officer
Average age	49	33
Gender ratio	Male, 72.0% Female, 28.0%	Male, 74.6% Female, 25.4%
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, 8.4% Unknown, 7.2% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 4.2% White, 65.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage	18%	7%

Differences between loss prevention specialist and loss prevention officer duties and responsibilities

Loss prevention specialist example responsibilities.

Manage foreclosure and bankruptcy from inception to completion and mitigate all potential losses within an acceptable range.
Maintain all aspects of store security, including motion cameras and EAS security systems.
Maintain a working knowledge of the store's alarm system and EAS system.
Conduct internal investigations base on POS exceptions reports, known shortages or confidential tips/leads.
Review surveillance footage, POS data, and video of clients operations for theft and operational deficiencies.
Patrol areas need by management to watch out and see if there is any attempting to steal within the store.

Loss prevention officer example responsibilities.

Manage foreclosure and bankruptcy from inception to completion and mitigate all potential losses within an acceptable range.
Certify in CPR as well as self-defense training including the use of pepper spray.
Review surveillance footage, POS data, and audio of clients operations for theft and operational deficiencies.
Conduct weekly audits in order to ensure merchandise of a certain dollar amount is properly tag EAS tags.
Conduct store, maintenance, safety, and electronic article surveillance (EAS) audits, and 801E audits.
Prepare documentation and analyze data through exception reporting, POS systems, GL, and various other resources and systems.

Loss prevention specialist vs loss prevention officer skills

Common loss prevention specialist skills

Customer Service, 48%
Safety Program, 15%
Store Management, 12%
CCTV, 3%
Criminal Justice, 3%
Emergency Situations, 2%

Common loss prevention officer skills

Patrol, 20%
Loss Prevention, 11%
Good Judgment, 9%
Emergency Situations, 7%
Relevant Parties, 6%
Incident Reports, 6%

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Loss Prevention Specialist
Loss Prevention Specialist vs Loss Prevention Officer

Updated January 8, 2025

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