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The differences between petty officers and security guards can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a petty officer has an average salary of $39,336, which is higher than the $31,983 average annual salary of a security guard.
The top three skills for a petty officer include preventative maintenance, law enforcement and logistics. The most important skills for a security guard are customer service, patrol, and ladders.
| Petty Officer | Security Guard | |
| Yearly salary | $39,336 | $31,983 |
| Hourly rate | $18.91 | $15.38 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 69,776 | 101,728 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 40% | High School Diploma, 42% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A petty officer is a non-commissioned navy officer who is responsible for supervising the day-to-day activities of junior sailors and making sure that they have a productive day. Petty officers with more experience are expected to provide training in basic skills to their junior petty officers. Once a petty officer is reprimanded, first-class petty officers may conduct discipline by ordering those reprimanded to do extra military instruction or extra work within the division. Petty officers are also required to meet all the requirements for surface warfare qualification.
Security guards are responsible for maintaining and ensuring the peace and safety of the building they are assigned to. They ensure that everyone who enters the building has official business to be done in the building. They are also in charge of patrolling and monitoring activities within the area. Security guards are also tasked to immobilize anyone who seems to pose a threat to the peace and safety of the building. They are also responsible for preventing any untoward incidences or crimes that may happen in the area. Security guards must be observant and alert to be able to succeed in their roles.
Petty officers and security guards have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Petty Officer | Security Guard | |
| Average salary | $39,336 | $31,983 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $62,000 | Between $25,000 And $40,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Lakewood, WA |
| Highest paying state | - | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | - | Basin Electric Power Cooperative |
| Best paying industry | - | Utilities |
There are a few differences between a petty officer and a security guard in terms of educational background:
| Petty Officer | Security Guard | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 40% | High School Diploma, 42% |
| Most common major | Business | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between petty officers' and security guards' demographics:
| Petty Officer | Security Guard | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 82.6% Female, 17.4% | Male, 72.0% Female, 28.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.4% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.8% Asian, 5.6% White, 56.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6% | Black or African American, 12.7% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 21.0% Asian, 5.3% White, 54.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |