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The differences between special agents and detention officers 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 $40,087 average annual salary of a detention officer.
The top three skills for a special agent include professional work, national security and local law enforcement. The most important skills for a detention officer are detention facility, direct supervision, and booking.
| Special Agent | Detention Officer | |
| Yearly salary | $60,916 | $40,087 |
| Hourly rate | $29.29 | $19.27 |
| Growth rate | 3% | -10% |
| Number of jobs | 46,232 | 116,529 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 37% |
| 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 role of detention officers is to supervise inmates in state detention facilities. They are responsible for ensuring the safe imprisonment of detainees, managing conflict between detainees, and reporting inappropriate behavior to the warden. Other responsibilities include providing inmates the opportunity to call a lawyer or a relative, performing periodic patrol of the jail area, and supervising inmates during meals and related activities. They are also responsible for ensuring the cleanliness of personal and cell equipment and distributing medicines to inmates as directed.
Special agents and detention officers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Special Agent | Detention Officer | |
| Average salary | $60,916 | $40,087 |
| Salary range | Between $43,000 And $85,000 | Between $29,000 And $54,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | BNSF Railway | Bering Straits |
| Best paying industry | - | Insurance |
There are a few differences between a special agent and a detention officer in terms of educational background:
| Special Agent | Detention Officer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 37% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between special agents' and detention officers' demographics:
| Special Agent | Detention Officer | |
| Average age | 44 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.1% Female, 16.9% | Male, 61.0% Female, 39.0% |
| 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, 15.8% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 19.4% Asian, 2.0% White, 56.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 6% |