Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between loss prevention specialists and loss prevention supervisors 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 supervisor takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a loss prevention supervisor has an average salary of $76,747, 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 supervisor are customer service, store management, and operational audits.
| Loss Prevention Specialist | Loss Prevention Supervisor | |
| Yearly salary | $47,451 | $76,747 |
| Hourly rate | $22.81 | $36.90 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 59,094 | 4,508 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 46% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| 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.
A loss prevention supervisor develops and oversees loss prevention programs in business establishments, aiming to prevent theft and protect store assets. Their responsibilities include establishing goals and guidelines, managing loss prevention officers and staff, training new members of the unit, and supervising the store's security alarms and systems, including the surveillance cameras. Moreover, they must regularly monitor the performance of staff, gather and analyze data, conduct inspections, and implement safety and security policies and regulations, creating new ones when necessary.
Loss prevention specialists and loss prevention supervisors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Loss Prevention Specialist | Loss Prevention Supervisor | |
| Average salary | $47,451 | $76,747 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $87,000 | Between $48,000 And $120,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | - |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | - |
| Best paying company | Booz Allen Hamilton | - |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | - |
There are a few differences between a loss prevention specialist and a loss prevention supervisor in terms of educational background:
| Loss Prevention Specialist | Loss Prevention Supervisor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 46% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| 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 supervisors' demographics:
| Loss Prevention Specialist | Loss Prevention Supervisor | |
| Average age | 49 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 72.0% Female, 28.0% | Male, 74.7% Female, 25.3% |
| 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, 7.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 13.3% Asian, 7.1% White, 66.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 18% | 10% |