Security monitor vs public safety officer

The differences between security monitors and public safety officers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a public safety officer has an average salary of $36,596, which is higher than the $29,899 average annual salary of a security monitor.

The top three skills for a security monitor include patrol, CPR and cleanliness. The most important skills for a public safety officer are patrol, patients, and public safety.

Security monitor vs public safety officer overview

	Security Monitor	Public Safety Officer
Yearly salary	$29,899	$36,596
Hourly rate	$14.37	$17.59
Growth rate	3%	3%
Number of jobs	107,954	122,048
Job satisfaction	-	4
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 41%	Bachelor's Degree, 38%
Average age	43	40
Years of experience	-	-

What does a security monitor do?

A security monitor collects and analyzes information for detecting unauthorized systems or suspicious changes on the network. This job requires the person to define the behavior that triggers the alerts. The personnel makes sure that the property is safe, including that inside from fire, home intrusion, burglary, and any other environmental disasters. Among the necessary skills for this job include attention to detail, alertness, analytical thinking, and communication skills.

What does a public safety officer do?

Public relations assistants are professionals who are responsible for creating and distributing promotional materials to help clients increase their public image and awareness of their products and services. These assistants are required to help develop and distribute public relations materials such as brochures, pamphlets, newsletters, and sell sheets. They must handle all the communications of their clients to the public by supervising social media content, press releases, and emails. Public relations assistants must also gather materials to be used in trade shows or client presentations.

Security monitor vs public safety officer salary

Security monitors and public safety officers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Security Monitor	Public Safety Officer
Average salary	$29,899	$36,596
Salary range	Between $22,000 And $38,000	Between $29,000 And $46,000
Highest paying City	Anchorage, AK	New Britain, CT
Highest paying state	Massachusetts	North Dakota
Best paying company	Dublin City Schools	University of California, Berkeley
Best paying industry	Health Care	Health Care

Differences between security monitor and public safety officer education

There are a few differences between a security monitor and a public safety officer in terms of educational background:

	Security Monitor	Public Safety Officer
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 41%	Bachelor's Degree, 38%
Most common major	Criminal Justice	Criminal Justice
Most common college	-	California State University - Bakersfield

Security monitor vs public safety officer demographics

Here are the differences between security monitors' and public safety officers' demographics:

	Security Monitor	Public Safety Officer
Average age	43	40
Gender ratio	Male, 59.3% Female, 40.7%	Male, 76.7% Female, 23.3%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 13.1% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 20.7% Asian, 6.1% White, 53.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6%	Black or African American, 11.9% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 19.5% Asian, 3.4% White, 59.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%
LGBT Percentage	6%	7%

Differences between security monitor and public safety officer duties and responsibilities

Security monitor example responsibilities.

Check operating equipment to ensure proper use and cleanliness.
Monitor and maintain 300 plus CCTV cameras for on and off campus locations.
Provide technical support to lower level JPAS users with account lockouts, creations, modifications, and password resets.
Monitor personnel security to ensure investigations are up to date, maintain visit request both paper and electronic using JPAS.
Monitor, investigate, and report suspicious persons and situations, safety hazards, unusual or illegal activity in patrol area.
Perform the collection and testing of urinalysis and breathalyzer samples as well as processed urine specimens for shipment to the laboratory.

Public safety officer example responsibilities.

Manage litigation and bankruptcy matters.
Apply hand cuffs, restraints and calm combative irate people, handling emergency situations, report writing, CPR, a.
Patrol campus, answer calls: fire, police, ems.
Engage in assistance for medical staff in dangerous situations, patient restraints, heavy lifting, and area access.
Monitor campus radio and cameras, dispatch emergency calls, issue summonses and utilize the NYSPIN computer communication network.
Involve in patient restraints and aggressive patient/visitor confrontations.

Security monitor vs public safety officer skills

Common security monitor skills

Patrol, 20%
CPR, 17%
Cleanliness, 8%
Data Entry, 7%
Disciplinary Actions, 7%
Substance Abuse, 6%

Common public safety officer skills

Patrol, 18%
Patients, 17%
Public Safety, 12%
Customer Service, 7%
CPR, 5%
Emergency Situations, 5%

Security Monitor vs. similar jobs

Security Monitor related careers

Security Monitor related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Protective Service Industry
Security Monitor
Security Monitor vs Public Safety Officer

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse protective service jobs