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The differences between protective officers and security 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 $31,101 average annual salary of a security officer.
The top three skills for a protective officer include customer service, emergency situations and patrol. The most important skills for a security officer are customer service, ladders, and patrol.
| Protective Officer | Security Officer | |
| Yearly salary | $40,529 | $31,101 |
| Hourly rate | $19.49 | $14.95 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 103,885 | 125,879 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 38% | High School Diploma, 36% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| 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.
A security officer is responsible for maintaining the peace and safety of everyone by regularly patrolling and monitoring surveillance equipment within the assigned premises. Security officers' duties also include reporting suspicious behaviors, restricting trespassers and unauthorized personnel from entering the establishment, providing incident reports for policy violations, and adhering to the standard protocols and legal requirements set by the management. Security offers must also have excellent decision-making and critical-thinking skills and extensive knowledge of emergency drills in case any unfortunate circumstances arise.
Protective officers and security officers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Protective Officer | Security Officer | |
| Average salary | $40,529 | $31,101 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $58,000 | Between $24,000 And $39,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Washington |
| Best paying company | National Security | Battelle |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Utilities |
There are a few differences between a protective officer and a security officer in terms of educational background:
| Protective Officer | Security Officer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 38% | High School Diploma, 36% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between protective officers' and security officers' demographics:
| Protective Officer | Security Officer | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 81.0% Female, 19.0% | Male, 71.6% Female, 28.4% |
| 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, 12.7% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 19.6% Asian, 6.3% White, 54.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |