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The differences between security agents and security officers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a security agent has an average salary of $35,179, which is higher than the $31,101 average annual salary of a security officer.
The top three skills for a security agent include customer service, patrol and emergency situations. The most important skills for a security officer are customer service, ladders, and patrol.
| Security Agent | Security Officer | |
| Yearly salary | $35,179 | $31,101 |
| Hourly rate | $16.91 | $14.95 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 125,019 | 125,879 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 34% | High School Diploma, 36% |
| 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 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.
Security agents and security officers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Security Agent | Security Officer | |
| Average salary | $35,179 | $31,101 |
| Salary range | Between $23,000 And $52,000 | Between $24,000 And $39,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Washington |
| Best paying company | Inter-Con Security Systems | Battelle |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Utilities |
There are a few differences between a security agent and a security officer in terms of educational background:
| Security Agent | Security Officer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 34% | High School Diploma, 36% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between security agents' and security officers' demographics:
| Security Agent | Security Officer | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 77.0% Female, 23.0% | Male, 71.6% Female, 28.4% |
| 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, 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% |