Security guard vs loss prevention associate

The differences between security guards and loss prevention associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a loss prevention associate has an average salary of $38,861, 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 a loss prevention associate are customer service, patrol, and safety standards.

Security guard vs loss prevention associate overview

	Security Guard	Loss Prevention Associate
Yearly salary	$31,983	$38,861
Hourly rate	$15.38	$18.68
Growth rate	3%	6%
Number of jobs	101,728	82,313
Job satisfaction	4	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 42%	Bachelor's Degree, 36%
Average age	43	33
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 a loss prevention associate do?

A loss prevention associate is responsible for monitoring the organization's daily operations, maintaining the safety and security of all network systems to avoid data theft. Loss prevention associates take immediate actions on all related suspicious activities that would compromise the company's reputation and financial status. They regularly check surveillance technologies to maintain asset protection and operational stability at all times. A loss prevention associate should have excellent communication skills, both written and oral, especially on writing incident reports and escalating unusual activities to the management for immediate resolution.

Security guard vs loss prevention associate salary

Security guards and loss prevention associates have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Security Guard	Loss Prevention Associate
Average salary	$31,983	$38,861
Salary range	Between $25,000 And $40,000	Between $21,000 And $69,000
Highest paying City	Lakewood, WA	Salisbury, MD
Highest paying state	Hawaii	Virginia
Best paying company	Basin Electric Power Cooperative	AIG
Best paying industry	Utilities	Utilities

Differences between security guard and loss prevention associate education

There are a few differences between a security guard and a loss prevention associate in terms of educational background:

	Security Guard	Loss Prevention Associate
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 42%	Bachelor's Degree, 36%
Most common major	Criminal Justice	Criminal Justice
Most common college	-	California State University - Bakersfield

Security guard vs loss prevention associate demographics

Here are the differences between security guards' and loss prevention associates' demographics:

	Security Guard	Loss Prevention Associate
Average age	43	33
Gender ratio	Male, 72.0% Female, 28.0%	Male, 68.7% Female, 31.3%
Race ratio	Black 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, 8.5% Unknown, 7.2% Hispanic or Latino, 14.7% Asian, 4.2% White, 65.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage	6%	7%

Differences between security guard and loss prevention associate 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.

Loss prevention associate example responsibilities.

Manage foreclosure and bankruptcy from inception to completion and mitigate all potential losses within an acceptable range.
Greet customers, operate CCTV security monitors and prevent shrinkage of merchandise.
Job duties include the personal detainment and apprehension of retail shoplifters utilizing plain view self-observation and/or CCTV cameras.
Analyze bankruptcy and foreclosure files in order to devise a strategy to minimize loss and maximize financial recovery.
Protect company's assets by utilizing state-of-the-art detection and investigation surveillance system, which identify shoplifters and prevent loss of merchandise.

Security guard vs loss prevention associate skills

Common security guard skills

Customer Service, 25%
Patrol, 17%
Ladders, 16%
Security Services, 6%
Emergency Situations, 4%
CPR, 3%

Common loss prevention associate skills

Customer Service, 16%
Patrol, 13%
Safety Standards, 10%
Loss Prevention, 10%
Safety Inspections, 8%
Cash Handling, 7%

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Protective Service Industry
Security Guard
Security Guard vs Loss Prevention Associate

Updated January 8, 2025

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