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The differences between operational security specialists and protection specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a protection specialist has an average salary of $76,307, which is higher than the $42,159 average annual salary of an operational security specialist.
The top three skills for an operational security specialist include customer service, security operations and patrol. The most important skills for a protection specialist are guest service, physical security, and safety issues.
| Operational Security Specialist | Protection Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $42,159 | $76,307 |
| Hourly rate | $20.27 | $36.69 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 87,810 | 83,627 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| 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.
Protection specialists are security professionals who provide physical security and protection of the exterior and interior of their client companies' property. These specialists are required to utilize CCTV to detect and investigate fraudulent activities as well as provide security over the watch protection to prevent the loss of a company's assets. They must apprehend suspected thieves and detain them in a secure facility until the arrival of the local law enforcement officers. Protection specialists must also provide transportation and personal security for the CEO of the company, executive management, and designated other employees.
Operational security specialists and protection specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Operational Security Specialist | Protection Specialist | |
| Average salary | $42,159 | $76,307 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $65,000 | Between $48,000 And $119,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Alaska |
| Best paying company | U.S. Bank | eBay |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between an operational security specialist and a protection specialist in terms of educational background:
| Operational Security Specialist | Protection Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Most common major | Business | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between operational security specialists' and protection specialists' demographics:
| Operational Security Specialist | Protection Specialist | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 70.7% Female, 29.3% | Male, 77.2% Female, 22.8% |
| 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, 12.4% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 22.2% Asian, 5.3% White, 53.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |