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The differences between special agents and loss prevention associates 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 $38,861 average annual salary of a loss prevention associate.
The top three skills for a special agent include professional work, national security and local law enforcement. The most important skills for a loss prevention associate are customer service, patrol, and safety standards.
| Special Agent | Loss Prevention Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $60,916 | $38,861 |
| Hourly rate | $29.29 | $18.68 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 46,232 | 82,313 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 36% |
| Average age | 44 | 33 |
| 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.
A loss prevention associate is responsible for monitoring the organization's daily operations, maintaining the safety and security of all network systems to avoid data theft. Loss prevention associates take immediate actions on all related suspicious activities that would compromise the company's reputation and financial status. They regularly check surveillance technologies to maintain asset protection and operational stability at all times. A loss prevention associate should have excellent communication skills, both written and oral, especially on writing incident reports and escalating unusual activities to the management for immediate resolution.
Special agents and loss prevention associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Special Agent | Loss Prevention Associate | |
| Average salary | $60,916 | $38,861 |
| Salary range | Between $43,000 And $85,000 | Between $21,000 And $69,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Salisbury, MD |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Virginia |
| Best paying company | BNSF Railway | AIG |
| Best paying industry | - | Utilities |
There are a few differences between a special agent and a loss prevention associate in terms of educational background:
| Special Agent | Loss Prevention Associate | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 36% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | - | California State University - Bakersfield |
Here are the differences between special agents' and loss prevention associates' demographics:
| Special Agent | Loss Prevention Associate | |
| Average age | 44 | 33 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.1% Female, 16.9% | Male, 68.7% Female, 31.3% |
| 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, 8.5% Unknown, 7.2% Hispanic or Latino, 14.7% Asian, 4.2% White, 65.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 7% |