Nuclear security officer vs security guard

The differences between nuclear security officers and security guards can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a nuclear security officer has an average salary of $37,784, which is higher than the $31,983 average annual salary of a security guard.

The top three skills for a nuclear security officer include safety violations, patrol and emergency situations. The most important skills for a security guard are customer service, patrol, and ladders.

Nuclear security officer vs security guard overview

	Nuclear Security Officer	Security Guard
Yearly salary	$37,784	$31,983
Hourly rate	$18.17	$15.38
Growth rate	3%	3%
Number of jobs	124,879	101,728
Job satisfaction	-	4
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 48%	High School Diploma, 42%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	-	-

Nuclear security officer vs security guard salary

Nuclear security officers and security guards have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Nuclear Security Officer	Security Guard
Average salary	$37,784	$31,983
Salary range	Between $29,000 And $48,000	Between $25,000 And $40,000
Highest paying City	San Clemente, CA	Lakewood, WA
Highest paying state	Alaska	Hawaii
Best paying company	Constellation Energy Partners	Basin Electric Power Cooperative
Best paying industry	Energy	Utilities

Differences between nuclear security officer and security guard education

There are a few differences between a nuclear security officer and a security guard in terms of educational background:

	Nuclear Security Officer	Security Guard
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 48%	High School Diploma, 42%
Most common major	Criminal Justice	Criminal Justice
Most common college	-	-

Nuclear security officer vs security guard demographics

Here are the differences between nuclear security officers' and security guards' demographics:

	Nuclear Security Officer	Security Guard
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 85.9% Female, 14.1%	Male, 72.0% Female, 28.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 12.9% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 16.1% Asian, 6.4% White, 57.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6%	Black or African American, 12.7% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 21.0% Asian, 5.3% White, 54.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between nuclear security officer and security guard duties and responsibilities

Nuclear security officer example responsibilities.

Train to be a first responder and train in CPR.
Enforce laws as directed under 10 CFR 73.55
Compose reports, perform other duties as specified in U.S. 10 CFR and post orders.
Process employees and visitors through metal, and explosive detectors, and attend CCTV where require.
Perform the duties of an arm responder (NSO) pertaining to plant protection and public safety.
Monitor CCTV for unusual or unauthorize activity.

Security guard example responsibilities.

Assist employees with any and all concerns regarding payroll issues, insurance and requesting time off.
Certify in fire safety, adult/child CPR with mask and choking, adult/child a, infant CPR w/ mask and choking.
Distribute payroll checks to security officers.
Administer CPR and transport injured personnel to local medical facilities.
Monitor CCTV and other various intrusion detection security equipment for security issues.
Provide relief to other security officers while maintaining punctuality and building moral support.

Nuclear security officer vs security guard skills

Common nuclear security officer skills

Safety Violations, 15%
Patrol, 14%
Emergency Situations, 6%
NRC, 6%
Nuclear Regulatory, 5%
Nuclear Facility, 4%

Common security guard skills

Customer Service, 25%
Patrol, 17%
Ladders, 16%
Security Services, 6%
Emergency Situations, 4%
CPR, 3%

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Protective Service Industry
Nuclear Security Officer
Nuclear Security Officer vs Security Guard

Updated January 8, 2025

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