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The differences between security officers and security supervisors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a security supervisor has an average salary of $41,818, 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 security supervisor are patrol, customer service, and incident reports.
| Security Officer | Security Supervisor | |
| Yearly salary | $31,101 | $41,818 |
| Hourly rate | $14.95 | $20.10 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 125,879 | 87,236 |
| Job satisfaction | 4.5 | 5 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 36% | Bachelor's Degree, 33% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
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 security supervisor is in charge of coordinating and overseeing the security staff in a building or within a designated area. Their responsibilities focus on devising strategies, appointing personnel, and implementing protocols that would ensure the safety of an establishment, goods, and the people inside. Furthermore, they must make sure that all security devices and equipment are working correctly, create and manage schedules, monitor and evaluate every security personnel's performance, and maintain a safe environment for everyone. Should there be any incidents, it is crucial to coordinate with the police right away.
Security officers and security supervisors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Security Officer | Security Supervisor | |
| Average salary | $31,101 | $41,818 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $39,000 | Between $29,000 And $59,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Maryland |
| Best paying company | Battelle | BP America Inc |
| Best paying industry | Utilities | Hospitality |
There are a few differences between a security officer and a security supervisor in terms of educational background:
| Security Officer | Security Supervisor | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 36% | Bachelor's Degree, 33% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between security officers' and security supervisors' demographics:
| Security Officer | Security Supervisor | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 71.6% Female, 28.4% | Male, 81.6% Female, 18.4% |
| 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, 12.3% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 21.3% Asian, 5.5% White, 54.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |