Security forces member vs petty officer

The differences between security forces members and petty officers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a petty officer has an average salary of $39,336, which is higher than the $35,789 average annual salary of a security forces member.

The top three skills for a security forces member include patrol, metal detectors and public safety. The most important skills for a petty officer are preventative maintenance, law enforcement, and logistics.

Security forces member vs petty officer overview

	Security Forces Member	Petty Officer
Yearly salary	$35,789	$39,336
Hourly rate	$17.21	$18.91
Growth rate	3%	3%
Number of jobs	83,714	69,776
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 41%	Bachelor's Degree, 40%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	-	-

Security forces member vs petty officer salary

Security forces members and petty officers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Security Forces Member	Petty Officer
Average salary	$35,789	$39,336
Salary range	Between $28,000 And $44,000	Between $24,000 And $62,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between security forces member and petty officer education

There are a few differences between a security forces member and a petty officer in terms of educational background:

	Security Forces Member	Petty Officer
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 41%	Bachelor's Degree, 40%
Most common major	Criminal Justice	Business
Most common college	-	-

Security forces member vs petty officer demographics

Here are the differences between security forces members' and petty officers' demographics:

	Security Forces Member	Petty Officer
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 72.2% Female, 27.8%	Male, 82.6% Female, 17.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 12.1% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.7% Asian, 5.5% White, 56.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6%	Black or African American, 12.4% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.8% Asian, 5.6% White, 56.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between security forces member and petty officer duties and responsibilities

Security forces member example responsibilities.

Equip and knowledgeable about self-aid care, lifesaving procedures, cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
Obtain multiple weapons certifications to include the M16, M4, M203, M249, and M240B.
Provide security for the USAF.
Ensure the security of DoD and U.S.A.F.
Execute operation plans and orders to support security of DOD resources.
Provide first aid and CPR to victims and secure scenes being investigate.

Petty officer example responsibilities.

Lead three CPO's and 50 maintenance personnel in target maintenance planning on two C-2A aircraft.
Manage CPR and first aid program that involve directing quarterly CPR and first aid classes while tracking employee s certifications.
Manage the day to day operations of USS Olympia's EKMS account to include support and compliance for EKMS Visits/inspection.
Manage 13 ready-service-lockers containing all shipboard ordinances while personally keeping duty gunner's mate and ammunition handling qualify.
Supervise sailors in responsible tasks relate to managing inventory, facilitating laundry operations, and maintaining secure watch detail.
Assist LPO and ALPO as needed.

Security forces member vs petty officer skills

Common security forces member skills

Patrol, 22%
Metal Detectors, 12%
Public Safety, 12%
Law Enforcement, 11%
Emergency Situations, 7%
Combat, 3%

Common petty officer skills

Preventative Maintenance, 9%
Law Enforcement, 6%
Logistics, 6%
Sailors, 5%
Coast Guard, 5%
Combat, 4%

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Security Forces Member
Security Forces Member vs Petty Officer

Updated January 8, 2025

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