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The differences between squad leaders and platoon leaders can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a squad leader has an average salary of $57,705, which is higher than the $47,908 average annual salary of a platoon leader.
The top three skills for a squad leader include combat, weapons systems and non. The most important skills for a platoon leader are combat, personnel management, and logistical support.
| Squad Leader | Platoon Leader | |
| Yearly salary | $57,705 | $47,908 |
| Hourly rate | $27.74 | $23.03 |
| Growth rate | - | - |
| Number of jobs | 15,013 | 14,546 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 41% | Bachelor's Degree, 83% |
| Average age | 34 | 34 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A squad leader is responsible for managing the troop's mission objectives, ensuring that each squad member carries out the role and duties efficiently, following the standard protocols and safety procedures strictly. Squad leaders report mission updates to the patrol superiors, inspect unit vehicles and equipment, delegate patrol areas for the troops, provide training support, and give proper commands from the superior's orders. A squad leader must have excellent leadership and organizational skills, especially on working with high-level operations to keep the squad safe.
A platoon leader is responsible for monitoring the daily activities of a group of soldiers on their military activities and field operations under the supervision of a general. Platoon leaders delegate tasks and directives to the squad, ensuring their strict adherence to the standard protocols and safety regulations. They also handle the training of soldiers, including weaponry utilization and defense combat techniques. They patrol a designated area, report suspicious activities, and maintain the safety and security of the civilians from potential threats and terrorist attacks.
Squad leaders and platoon leaders have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Squad Leader | Platoon Leader | |
| Average salary | $57,705 | $47,908 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $121,000 | Between $25,000 And $89,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | - |
| Highest paying state | - | - |
| Best paying company | - | - |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between a squad leader and a platoon leader in terms of educational background:
| Squad Leader | Platoon Leader | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 41% | Bachelor's Degree, 83% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Charleston | - |
Here are the differences between squad leaders' and platoon leaders' demographics:
| Squad Leader | Platoon Leader | |
| Average age | 34 | 34 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 93.5% Female, 6.5% | Male, 87.1% Female, 12.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 11.4% Asian, 4.4% White, 71.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 11.4% Asian, 4.4% White, 71.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 20% | 20% |