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The differences between special agents and deputies can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a special agent has an average salary of $60,916, which is higher than the $53,682 average annual salary of a deputy.
The top three skills for a special agent include professional work, national security and local law enforcement. The most important skills for a deputy are patrol, public safety, and transport inmates.
| Special Agent | Deputy | |
| Yearly salary | $60,916 | $53,682 |
| Hourly rate | $29.29 | $25.81 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 46,232 | 56,150 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Average age | 44 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 2 | - |
A special agent is responsible for investigating law violations and criminal activities by collecting pieces of evidence, including witnesses' testimonies, to release a warrant of arrest and initiate prosecution. Special agents work closely with other law enforcement agencies to identify threats, analyze occurring criminal activities, and connect intelligence records through observation and field investigations. They also attend court proceedings to present evidence for court decisions. A special agent must have excellent communication and critical-thinking skills, assessing unusual situations, and handling suspicious activities.
The duties of a deputy vary on their line of work or place of employment. In law enforcement, a deputy is primarily in charge of conducting investigations on crimes and arresting criminals, performing regular patrols on streets, responding to calls of distress, and assisting citizens in calamities, disasters, accidents, or any forms of threat. There are also instances when a deputy must serve court documents, transport detainees or suspected criminals, and monitor courtrooms. Furthermore, a deputy reports to higher-ranking officers such as a sheriff.
Special agents and deputies have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Special Agent | Deputy | |
| Average salary | $60,916 | $53,682 |
| Salary range | Between $43,000 And $85,000 | Between $31,000 And $90,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | New York |
| Best paying company | BNSF Railway | Barclays |
| Best paying industry | - | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a special agent and a deputy in terms of educational background:
| Special Agent | Deputy | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | - | California State University - Bakersfield |
Here are the differences between special agents' and deputies' demographics:
| Special Agent | Deputy | |
| Average age | 44 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.1% Female, 16.9% | Male, 65.1% Female, 34.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.8% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 16.8% Asian, 2.8% White, 63.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 13.2% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.7% Asian, 3.5% White, 60.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 7% |