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The differences between patrol sergeants and law enforcement officers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a patrol sergeant has an average salary of $56,638, which is higher than the $39,219 average annual salary of a law enforcement officer.
The top three skills for a patrol sergeant include patrol, law enforcement agencies and public safety. The most important skills for a law enforcement officer are patrol, public safety, and emergency situations.
| Patrol Sergeant | Law Enforcement Officer | |
| Yearly salary | $56,638 | $39,219 |
| Hourly rate | $27.23 | $18.86 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 22,591 | 105,817 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 48% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A Patrol Sergeant oversees and performs security operations on an assigned shift. They conduct vehicular patrol of an assigned area, investigate the scenes of accidents, and make arrests, when required.
The duties of a law enforcement officer depend on their line of work or agency of employment. In general, they are responsible for enforcing laws and regulations, prioritizing the safety of citizens and the protection of the city. Typically, their responsibilities include patrolling their designated area, responding to distress, monitoring suspicious activities and characters, conducting investigations and inspections, and coordinating various services to assist citizens. Moreover, as a law enforcement officer, it is essential to serve as a role model for citizens and uphold the oath to serve and protect.
Patrol sergeants and law enforcement officers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Patrol Sergeant | Law Enforcement Officer | |
| Average salary | $56,638 | $39,219 |
| Salary range | Between $44,000 And $72,000 | Between $30,000 And $50,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | - | Washington |
| Best paying company | - | University of Nebraska System |
| Best paying industry | - | Government |
There are a few differences between a patrol sergeant and a law enforcement officer in terms of educational background:
| Patrol Sergeant | Law Enforcement Officer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 48% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | Pennsylvania State University | Pennsylvania State University |
Here are the differences between patrol sergeants' and law enforcement officers' demographics:
| Patrol Sergeant | Law Enforcement Officer | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.2% Female, 8.8% | Male, 80.3% Female, 19.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.4% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 17.4% Asian, 3.5% White, 61.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | Black or African American, 13.3% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 3.1% White, 59.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |