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The differences between security managers and security officers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a security manager has an average salary of $111,171, which is higher than the $31,101 average annual salary of a security officer.
The top three skills for a security manager include cloud security, security operations and security management. The most important skills for a security officer are customer service, ladders, and patrol.
| Security Manager | Security Officer | |
| Yearly salary | $111,171 | $31,101 |
| Hourly rate | $53.45 | $14.95 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 51,717 | 125,879 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 48% | High School Diploma, 36% |
| Average age | 47 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 4 | - |
Security managers are responsible for creating a safe environment for everyone and implementing policies to prevent emergencies. They ensure the safety of employees and assets of the company as well as its facilities. Additionally, they evaluate and manage risks by implementing safety policies and training security staff in responding efficiently to emergencies. A security manager must exhibit excellent leadership, surveillance, and emergency response skills. A good security manager should also have a strong commitment to security rules and understand all hazards and threats to safety.
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 managers and security officers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Security Manager | Security Officer | |
| Average salary | $111,171 | $31,101 |
| Salary range | Between $74,000 And $166,000 | Between $24,000 And $39,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Meta | Battelle |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Utilities |
There are a few differences between a security manager and a security officer in terms of educational background:
| Security Manager | Security Officer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 48% | High School Diploma, 36% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | California State University - Bakersfield | - |
Here are the differences between security managers' and security officers' demographics:
| Security Manager | Security Officer | |
| Average age | 47 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.7% Female, 16.3% | Male, 71.6% Female, 28.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.6% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.8% Asian, 8.1% White, 66.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | 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 | 10% | 6% |