Private security officer vs head of security

The differences between private security officers and heads of security can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a head of security has an average salary of $154,257, which is higher than the $31,059 average annual salary of a private security officer.

The top three skills for a private security officer include patrol, emergency situations and foot patrol. The most important skills for a head of security are cloud security, security procedures, and emergency situations.

Private security officer vs head of security overview

	Private Security Officer	Head Of Security
Yearly salary	$31,059	$154,257
Hourly rate	$14.93	$74.16
Growth rate	3%	3%
Number of jobs	114,851	92,369
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 31%	Bachelor's Degree, 38%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	-	-

Private security officer vs head of security salary

Private security officers and heads of security have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Private Security Officer	Head Of Security
Average salary	$31,059	$154,257
Salary range	Between $23,000 And $40,000	Between $86,000 And $276,000
Highest paying City	-	Washington, DC
Highest paying state	-	Connecticut
Best paying company	-	BitGo
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between private security officer and head of security education

There are a few differences between a private security officer and a head of security in terms of educational background:

	Private Security Officer	Head Of Security
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 31%	Bachelor's Degree, 38%
Most common major	Criminal Justice	Criminal Justice
Most common college	-	-

Private security officer vs head of security demographics

Here are the differences between private security officers' and heads of security' demographics:

	Private Security Officer	Head Of Security
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 77.9% Female, 22.1%	Male, 93.6% Female, 6.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.2% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 21.4% Asian, 5.4% White, 55.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6%	Black or African American, 12.0% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 19.3% Asian, 6.1% White, 55.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between private security officer and head of security duties and responsibilities

Private security officer example responsibilities.

Certify security officer and CPR, a.
Provide emergency procedures, such as first aid, CPR, etc.
Monitor CCTV cameras to provide a safe and secure environment for all residents and guests.
Used CCTV monitoring to reinforce authorize personnel access, rotating camera shots as necessary for complete surveillance of the area.
Patrol assign area looking for suspicious activity and showing presence.
Maintain a standard of punctuality and dependability of attendance and retain myself cleanliness, tidiness, neatness and appropriately attire.

Head of security example responsibilities.

Monitor CCTV systems, tracking software, and patrols for potential security risks.
Monitor campus building activity via CCTV, key control access systems and officer patrol.
Supervise the escort and security (to and from the establishment) of celebrity, high-profile and VIP clientele.
Provide personnel VIP security and professional athlete
Dispatch patrol officers, monitor security system, fill out daily security reports, supervise a small group of security officers.
Provide security guidance to internal and external customers utilizing DOD and IC regulations.

Private security officer vs head of security skills

Common private security officer skills

Patrol, 22%
Emergency Situations, 8%
Foot Patrol, 8%
Security Services, 7%
Surveillance Equipment, 6%
Vehicle Patrols, 5%

Common head of security skills

Cloud Security, 34%
Security Procedures, 12%
Emergency Situations, 6%
IDS, 4%
Security Operations, 4%
Local Law Enforcement, 3%

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Private Security Officer
Private Security Officer vs Head Of Security

Updated January 8, 2025

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