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The differences between protective officers and detention officers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a protective officer has an average salary of $40,529, which is higher than the $40,087 average annual salary of a detention officer.
The top three skills for a protective officer include customer service, emergency situations and patrol. The most important skills for a detention officer are detention facility, direct supervision, and booking.
| Protective Officer | Detention Officer | |
| Yearly salary | $40,529 | $40,087 |
| Hourly rate | $19.49 | $19.27 |
| Growth rate | 3% | -10% |
| Number of jobs | 103,885 | 116,529 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 37% |
| Average age | 43 | 40 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A protective officer is in charge of preventing theft and damages in stores and other establishments. Among their responsibilities include monitoring alarm systems and surveillance cameras, patrolling areas, keeping an eye on suspicious activities and behavior, developing strategies to enforce security protocols, and responding to distress. There are also instances where they must conduct inspections and produce reports. Furthermore, as a protective officer, it is essential to coordinate with law enforcement should the situation require.
The role of detention officers is to supervise inmates in state detention facilities. They are responsible for ensuring the safe imprisonment of detainees, managing conflict between detainees, and reporting inappropriate behavior to the warden. Other responsibilities include providing inmates the opportunity to call a lawyer or a relative, performing periodic patrol of the jail area, and supervising inmates during meals and related activities. They are also responsible for ensuring the cleanliness of personal and cell equipment and distributing medicines to inmates as directed.
Protective officers and detention officers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Protective Officer | Detention Officer | |
| Average salary | $40,529 | $40,087 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $58,000 | Between $29,000 And $54,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | National Security | Bering Straits |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Insurance |
There are a few differences between a protective officer and a detention officer in terms of educational background:
| Protective Officer | Detention Officer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 37% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between protective officers' and detention officers' demographics:
| Protective Officer | Detention Officer | |
| Average age | 43 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 81.0% Female, 19.0% | Male, 61.0% Female, 39.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 14.5% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 19.6% Asian, 5.6% White, 53.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6% | Black or African American, 15.8% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 19.4% Asian, 2.0% White, 56.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |