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The differences between security specialists and security guards can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a security specialist has an average salary of $49,892, which is higher than the $31,983 average annual salary of a security guard.
The top three skills for a security specialist include ladders, security incidents and physical security. The most important skills for a security guard are customer service, patrol, and ladders.
| Security Specialist | Security Guard | |
| Yearly salary | $49,892 | $31,983 |
| Hourly rate | $23.99 | $15.38 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 96,226 | 101,728 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 48% | High School Diploma, 42% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A security specialist is responsible for maintaining the security of an organization's database, ensuring that it's free from cyber threats and unusual activities. Security specialists' duties include upgrading hardware and software applications, configuring networks to improve optimization, addressing any unauthorized access on the database, troubleshooting system discrepancies, conducting security audits on the system, and improving automated processes. A security specialist must have a strong command of programming languages and system codes, as well as broad experience with technical expertise.
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 specialists and security guards have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Security Specialist | Security Guard | |
| Average salary | $49,892 | $31,983 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $98,000 | Between $25,000 And $40,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Lakewood, WA |
| Highest paying state | New York | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Okta | Basin Electric Power Cooperative |
| Best paying industry | - | Utilities |
There are a few differences between a security specialist and a security guard in terms of educational background:
| Security Specialist | Security Guard | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 48% | High School Diploma, 42% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between security specialists' and security guards' demographics:
| Security Specialist | Security Guard | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 74.0% Female, 26.0% | Male, 72.0% Female, 28.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 13.5% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 19.2% Asian, 5.8% White, 54.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |