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The differences between security agents and protection security officers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a protection security officer has an average salary of $35,926, which is higher than the $35,179 average annual salary of a security agent.
The top three skills for a security agent include customer service, patrol and emergency situations. The most important skills for a protection security officer are patrol, safety hazards, and law enforcement.
| Security Agent | Protection Security Officer | |
| Yearly salary | $35,179 | $35,926 |
| Hourly rate | $16.91 | $17.27 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 125,019 | 122,427 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 34% | Bachelor's Degree, 37% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
Security Agents guard the entrance and exit of a building, watching CCTV footage for unusual activities, and holding trespassers until authorities arrive. Being a security agent is usually a shift-based job and can sometimes last overnight. Security Agents must have first aid knowledge and basic skills with self-defense.
A protection security officer is responsible for maintaining the safety and security within the premises to protect the employees and company assets. Protection security officers inspect the facilities and patrol around the building to identify unusual activities and monitor suspicious people. They also check surveillance equipment and escalate incident reports to the security team for immediate actions to prevent potential hazards and operational delays. A protection security officer must have excellent communication and observational skills, especially in assisting and verifying the identity of guests and checking their luggage upon arrival.
Security agents and protection security officers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Security Agent | Protection Security Officer | |
| Average salary | $35,179 | $35,926 |
| Salary range | Between $23,000 And $52,000 | Between $26,000 And $49,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Washington |
| Best paying company | Inter-Con Security Systems | National Renewable Energy Laboratory |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Utilities |
There are a few differences between a security agent and a protection security officer in terms of educational background:
| Security Agent | Protection Security Officer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 34% | Bachelor's Degree, 37% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between security agents' and protection security officers' demographics:
| Security Agent | Protection Security Officer | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 77.0% Female, 23.0% | Male, 83.1% Female, 16.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.7% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 23.7% Asian, 5.7% White, 52.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6% | Black or African American, 13.7% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 19.5% Asian, 6.6% White, 53.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |