Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between special agents and patrol 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 $35,621 average annual salary of a patrol officer.
The top three skills for a special agent include professional work, national security and local law enforcement. The most important skills for a patrol officer are patrol, customer service, and public safety.
| Special Agent | Patrol Officer | |
| Yearly salary | $60,916 | $35,621 |
| Hourly rate | $29.29 | $17.13 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 46,232 | 123,265 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 43% |
| 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 job of patrol officers is to enforce ordinances, laws, prevent crime, control crowds, arrest violators, and regulate traffic. They also perform other duties that may include monitoring an assigned area for unauthorized or suspicious activity, responding to reports of emergencies and possible crime such as robberies, and building good relationships with community members. To be a successful patrol officer, you should have solid judgment, excellent communication skills, and decision-making skills in stressful situations.
Special agents and patrol officers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Special Agent | Patrol Officer | |
| Average salary | $60,916 | $35,621 |
| Salary range | Between $43,000 And $85,000 | Between $27,000 And $46,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | North Dakota |
| Best paying company | BNSF Railway | Mount St. Mary's University |
| Best paying industry | - | Government |
There are a few differences between a special agent and a patrol officer in terms of educational background:
| Special Agent | Patrol Officer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 43% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | - | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between special agents' and patrol officers' demographics:
| Special Agent | Patrol Officer | |
| Average age | 44 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.1% Female, 16.9% | Male, 82.9% Female, 17.1% |
| 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, 12.5% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 18.5% Asian, 3.5% White, 59.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 7% |