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The differences between security guards and security dispatchers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a security dispatcher has an average salary of $33,347, 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 security dispatcher are customer service, patients, and patrol.
| Security Guard | Security Dispatcher | |
| Yearly salary | $31,983 | $33,347 |
| Hourly rate | $15.38 | $16.03 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 101,728 | 82,349 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 42% | High School Diploma, 33% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | - | 2 |
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.
Security Dispatcher are responsible for maintaining records, monitoring staff and equipment location, handling communications with various areas, and information personnel about traffic issues. They must be excellent in communication, decision making, listening, ability to multitask, speech clarity, accuracy, time management, and computer operation. These are the skills that a security dispatcher must have in order to accomplish their responsibilities.
Security guards and security dispatchers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Security Guard | Security Dispatcher | |
| Average salary | $31,983 | $33,347 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $40,000 | Between $26,000 And $41,000 |
| Highest paying City | Lakewood, WA | Bellevue, WA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Basin Electric Power Cooperative | Brigham and Women's Hospital |
| Best paying industry | Utilities | Hospitality |
There are a few differences between a security guard and a security dispatcher in terms of educational background:
| Security Guard | Security Dispatcher | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 42% | High School Diploma, 33% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between security guards' and security dispatchers' demographics:
| Security Guard | Security Dispatcher | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 72.0% Female, 28.0% | Male, 43.0% Female, 57.0% |
| 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, 10.3% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.5% Asian, 3.8% White, 62.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 7% |