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The differences between loss prevention specialists and prevention specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a loss prevention specialist and a prevention specialist. Additionally, a prevention specialist has an average salary of $49,353, 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 prevention specialist are social work, patients, and mental health.
| Loss Prevention Specialist | Prevention Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $47,451 | $49,353 |
| Hourly rate | $22.81 | $23.73 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 59,094 | 21,954 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 46% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 49 | 49 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 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.
Prevention specialists are professionals who are work with at-risk youth by conducting education about substance abuse and other high-risk activities. These specialists must plan and implement programs in schools or communities to encourage young adults to have a drug and alcohol-free lifestyle. They are required to work with families who are involved with child abuse and domestic violence while facilitating training for rape crisis workers. Prevention specialists must also provide education on mental health promotion by conducting assessments to individuals and families.
Loss prevention specialists and prevention specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Loss Prevention Specialist | Prevention Specialist | |
| Average salary | $47,451 | $49,353 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $87,000 | Between $33,000 And $73,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Mentor, OH |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Maine |
| Best paying company | Booz Allen Hamilton | AbbVie |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Finance |
There are a few differences between a loss prevention specialist and a prevention specialist in terms of educational background:
| Loss Prevention Specialist | Prevention Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 46% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Psychology |
| Most common college | California State University - Bakersfield | California State University - Bakersfield |
Here are the differences between loss prevention specialists' and prevention specialists' demographics:
| Loss Prevention Specialist | Prevention Specialist | |
| Average age | 49 | 49 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 72.0% Female, 28.0% | Male, 33.1% Female, 66.9% |
| 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, 5.8% Unknown, 7.3% Hispanic or Latino, 11.7% Asian, 1.2% White, 72.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 18% | 18% |