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The differences between patrol officers and first officers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a first officer has an average salary of $82,510, which is higher than the $35,621 average annual salary of a patrol officer.
The top three skills for a patrol officer include patrol, customer service and public safety. The most important skills for a first officer are FAA, CFR, and ATP.
| Patrol Officer | First Officer | |
| Yearly salary | $35,621 | $82,510 |
| Hourly rate | $17.13 | $39.67 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 123,265 | 89,899 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 43% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
The job of patrol officers is to enforce ordinances, laws, prevent crime, control crowds, arrest violators, and regulate traffic. They also perform other duties that may include monitoring an assigned area for unauthorized or suspicious activity, responding to reports of emergencies and possible crime such as robberies, and building good relationships with community members. To be a successful patrol officer, you should have solid judgment, excellent communication skills, and decision-making skills in stressful situations.
A First Officer is focused on operating the aircraft in a safe and economical manner. They also are responsible for maintaining a high personal standard of discipline.
Patrol officers and first officers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Patrol Officer | First Officer | |
| Average salary | $35,621 | $82,510 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $46,000 | Between $56,000 And $119,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Buffalo, NY |
| Highest paying state | North Dakota | New York |
| Best paying company | Mount St. Mary's University | Lynden |
| Best paying industry | Government | Technology |
There are a few differences between a patrol officer and a first officer in terms of educational background:
| Patrol Officer | First Officer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 43% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Aviation |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | SUNY Farmingdale |
Here are the differences between patrol officers' and first officers' demographics:
| Patrol Officer | First Officer | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 82.9% Female, 17.1% | Male, 87.9% Female, 12.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.5% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 18.5% Asian, 3.5% White, 59.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% | Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.4% Asian, 3.5% White, 61.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |