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The differences between operational security specialists and asset protection associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an operational security specialist has an average salary of $42,159, which is higher than the $41,564 average annual salary of an asset protection associate.
The top three skills for an operational security specialist include customer service, security operations and patrol. The most important skills for an asset protection associate are customer service, loss prevention, and store management.
| Operational Security Specialist | Asset Protection Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $42,159 | $41,564 |
| Hourly rate | $20.27 | $19.98 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 87,810 | 84,642 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 34% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
An operational security specialist performs administrative and clerical duties. You will be responsible for creating, implementing, and managing a security awareness program to address security issues. Other duties include providing support on security clearance and management, ensuring that test participants and visitors have security clearance integrity, and providing recommendations on critical security policy decisions. In addition, an operational security specialist is responsible for analyzing vulnerabilities and threats to the system and operational environments and ensuring compliance with regulatory standards and security procedures.
An asset protection associate is responsible for monitoring the operational activities to ensure the safety and security of the assets and enforcing strict regulations to avoid financial loss through theft instances and fraud activities. Asset protection associates' duties include reiterating safety regulations for everyone's compliance, observing and reporting suspicious movements inside the premises, utilizing surveillance cameras and security equipment to trace incidents, and performing necessary inspections for all employees as advised. An asset protection associate must be knowledgeable with the security systems and implement strategies that would contribute to the company's development.
Operational security specialists and asset protection associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Operational Security Specialist | Asset Protection Associate | |
| Average salary | $42,159 | $41,564 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $65,000 | Between $22,000 And $77,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Arlington, VA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Alaska |
| Best paying company | U.S. Bank | Ropes & Gray |
| Best paying industry | - | Retail |
There are a few differences between an operational security specialist and an asset protection associate in terms of educational background:
| Operational Security Specialist | Asset Protection Associate | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 34% |
| Most common major | Business | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between operational security specialists' and asset protection associates' demographics:
| Operational Security Specialist | Asset Protection Associate | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 70.7% Female, 29.3% | Male, 72.0% Female, 28.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 13.3% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.0% Asian, 5.9% White, 56.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6% | Black or African American, 11.8% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 20.3% Asian, 6.1% White, 54.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |