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The differences between security officers and safety officers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a safety officer has an average salary of $46,336, which is higher than the $31,101 average annual salary of a security officer.
The top three skills for a security officer include customer service, ladders and patrol. The most important skills for a safety officer are OSHA, patients, and patrol.
| Security Officer | Safety Officer | |
| Yearly salary | $31,101 | $46,336 |
| Hourly rate | $14.95 | $22.28 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 125,879 | 68,487 |
| Job satisfaction | 4.5 | 5 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 36% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Average age | 43 | 45 |
| Years of experience | - | 6 |
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.
A safety officer specializes in maintaining a safe and healthy work environment for employees in a building or establishment. Aside from adhering to the safety standards and regulations within a company, a safety officer also has to craft and improve policies that prioritize the physical and mental health of workers. Furthermore, it is essential to implement safety programs by educating workers on various precautionary measures, performing regular inspections of equipment and machines, and ensuring the proper disposal of any hazardous waste materials.
Security officers and safety officers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Security Officer | Safety Officer | |
| Average salary | $31,101 | $46,336 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $39,000 | Between $29,000 And $73,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Washington | New York |
| Best paying company | Battelle | Amgen |
| Best paying industry | Utilities | Government |
There are a few differences between a security officer and a safety officer in terms of educational background:
| Security Officer | Safety Officer | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 36% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Business |
| Most common college | - | California State University - Bakersfield |
Here are the differences between security officers' and safety officers' demographics:
| Security Officer | Safety Officer | |
| Average age | 43 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 71.6% Female, 28.4% | Male, 78.8% Female, 21.2% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 9.9% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 14.2% Asian, 5.6% White, 62.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 7% |