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The differences between operational security specialists and protection security officers 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 $35,926 average annual salary of a protection security officer.
The top three skills for an operational security specialist include customer service, security operations and patrol. The most important skills for a protection security officer are patrol, safety hazards, and law enforcement.
| Operational Security Specialist | Protection Security Officer | |
| Yearly salary | $42,159 | $35,926 |
| Hourly rate | $20.27 | $17.27 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 87,810 | 122,427 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 37% |
| 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.
A protection security officer is responsible for maintaining the safety and security within the premises to protect the employees and company assets. Protection security officers inspect the facilities and patrol around the building to identify unusual activities and monitor suspicious people. They also check surveillance equipment and escalate incident reports to the security team for immediate actions to prevent potential hazards and operational delays. A protection security officer must have excellent communication and observational skills, especially in assisting and verifying the identity of guests and checking their luggage upon arrival.
Operational security specialists and protection security officers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Operational Security Specialist | Protection Security Officer | |
| Average salary | $42,159 | $35,926 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $65,000 | Between $26,000 And $49,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Washington |
| Best paying company | U.S. Bank | National Renewable Energy Laboratory |
| Best paying industry | - | Utilities |
There are a few differences between an operational security specialist and a protection security officer in terms of educational background:
| Operational Security Specialist | Protection Security Officer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 37% |
| Most common major | Business | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between operational security specialists' and protection security officers' demographics:
| Operational Security Specialist | Protection Security Officer | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 70.7% Female, 29.3% | Male, 83.1% Female, 16.9% |
| 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, 13.7% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 19.5% Asian, 6.6% White, 53.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |