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Security guard vs enforcement officer

The differences between security guards and enforcement officers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an enforcement officer has an average salary of $38,446, which is higher than the $31,983 average annual salary of a security guard.

The top three skills for a security guard include customer service, patrol and ladders. The most important skills for an enforcement officer are customer service, parking enforcement, and traffic control.

Security guard vs enforcement officer overview

Security GuardEnforcement Officer
Yearly salary$31,983$38,446
Hourly rate$15.38$18.48
Growth rate3%3%
Number of jobs101,72882,142
Job satisfaction4-
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 42%Bachelor's Degree, 47%
Average age4340
Years of experience--

What does a security guard do?

Security guards are responsible for maintaining and ensuring the peace and safety of the building they are assigned to. They ensure that everyone who enters the building has official business to be done in the building. They are also in charge of patrolling and monitoring activities within the area. Security guards are also tasked to immobilize anyone who seems to pose a threat to the peace and safety of the building. They are also responsible for preventing any untoward incidences or crimes that may happen in the area. Security guards must be observant and alert to be able to succeed in their roles.

What does an enforcement officer do?

The enforcement officer is someone who promotes and enforces policies, instructions, and obligations of tenants. An enforcement officer aims to resolve two parties' issues that may arise from orders given by the admin or management. Among the enforcement officers' tasks is to assist in evictions, render payments, and inform them of new ordinances and instructions for tenants to abide by. An enforcement officer may also be tasked to ensure that a judgment or resolution is enforced and observed.

Security guard vs enforcement officer salary

Security guards and enforcement officers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Security GuardEnforcement Officer
Average salary$31,983$38,446
Salary rangeBetween $25,000 And $40,000Between $29,000 And $50,000
Highest paying CityLakewood, WAAnchorage, AK
Highest paying stateHawaiiAlaska
Best paying companyBasin Electric Power CooperativeCity of Baltimore
Best paying industryUtilitiesGovernment

Differences between security guard and enforcement officer education

There are a few differences between a security guard and an enforcement officer in terms of educational background:

Security GuardEnforcement Officer
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 42%Bachelor's Degree, 47%
Most common majorCriminal JusticeCriminal Justice
Most common college-California State University - Bakersfield

Security guard vs enforcement officer demographics

Here are the differences between security guards' and enforcement officers' demographics:

Security GuardEnforcement Officer
Average age4340
Gender ratioMale, 72.0% Female, 28.0%Male, 70.9% Female, 29.1%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 12.7% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 21.0% Asian, 5.3% White, 54.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6%Black or African American, 12.7% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 17.5% Asian, 3.1% White, 61.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%
LGBT Percentage6%7%

Differences between security guard and enforcement officer duties and responsibilities

Security guard example responsibilities.

  • Assist employees with any and all concerns regarding payroll issues, insurance and requesting time off.
  • Certify in fire safety, adult/child CPR with mask and choking, adult/child a, infant CPR w/ mask and choking.
  • Distribute payroll checks to security officers.
  • Administer CPR and transport injured personnel to local medical facilities.
  • Monitor CCTV and other various intrusion detection security equipment for security issues.
  • Provide relief to other security officers while maintaining punctuality and building moral support.
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Enforcement officer example responsibilities.

  • Manage support teams, including maritime engineers, electrical and electronic engineers, and technical support and logistics personnel.
  • Assist with evictions and work with local sheriffs to execute.
  • Patrol assign customer's business locations, observing and reporting incidents and safety concerns.
  • Remain in high visibility status to deter any criminal activity within the assigned patrol areas.
  • Direct inbound and outbound logistics operations, such as transportation & warehouse activities, safety performance and logistics quality management.
  • Verify government fund and commercial health insurance benefits and obtain authorization for specialize radiology exams in compliance with HIPAA standards.
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Security guard vs enforcement officer skills

Common security guard skills
  • Customer Service, 25%
  • Patrol, 17%
  • Ladders, 16%
  • Security Services, 6%
  • Emergency Situations, 4%
  • CPR, 3%
Common enforcement officer skills
  • Customer Service, 16%
  • Parking Enforcement, 13%
  • Traffic Control, 13%
  • Data Entry, 12%
  • Issue Citations, 10%
  • Patrol, 6%

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