SOC 33-9099.02

    Retail Loss Prevention Specialists

    Implement procedures and systems to prevent merchandise loss.

    Median pay
    $42,540
    Growth
    +3.0%
    As fast as average
    Openings a year
    22,600
    Typical education
    High school diploma

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition

    Source: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections · figures for the broader BLS group "Protective service workers, all other"

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    Annual pay range

    Lowest 10% earn less than
    $32,470
    Median
    $42,540
    Highest 10% earn more than
    $74,590
    National wages for all workers in this occupation. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

    81,500 people work in this occupation.

    What retail loss prevention specialists do

    Job Zone 2: Some preparation

    Implement procedures and systems to prevent merchandise loss. Conduct audits and investigations of employee activity. May assist in developing policies, procedures, and systems for safeguarding assets.

    Usually a high school diploma; some on-the-job training or experience.

    Interest profile

    Realistic (R)
    48 / 100
    Investigative (I)
    41 / 100
    Artistic (A)
    0 / 100
    Social (S)
    28 / 100
    Enterprising (E)
    63 / 100
    Conventional (C) · strongest
    78 / 100
    How strongly each interest area describes the work, from O*NET (scores rescaled to 0–100). The interest code lists the strongest areas in order.

    Interest code CER. Compare it with yours

    What you'd do

    Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
    86
    Processing Information
    85
    Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
    84
    Getting Information
    84
    Documenting/Recording Information
    84
    Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
    82
    Making Decisions and Solving Problems
    81
    Analyzing Data or Information
    79
    Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
    78
    Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
    77
    Work activities rated by importance for this occupation, O*NET (0–100).

    Skills and strengths

    Skills

    • Critical Thinking
    • Active Listening
    • Monitoring
    • Speaking
    • Judgment and Decision Making
    • Social Perceptiveness
    • Active Learning
    • Reading Comprehension
    • Coordination
    • Writing

    Knowledge

    • Public Safety and Security
    • English Language
    • Law and Government
    • Customer and Personal Service
    • Education and Training
    • Administration and Management
    • Computers and Electronics
    • Personnel and Human Resources
    • Administrative
    • Mathematics

    Abilities

    • Oral Comprehension
    • Problem Sensitivity
    • Deductive Reasoning
    • Oral Expression
    • Inductive Reasoning
    • Speech Recognition
    • Speech Clarity
    • Written Comprehension
    • Near Vision
    • Selective Attention

    Work styles

    • Integrity
    • Dependability
    • Attention to Detail
    • Cautiousness
    • Self-Control
    • Stress Tolerance
    • Perseverance
    • Achievement Orientation
    • Initiative
    • Self-Confidence

    Also called

    Asset Protection Agent · Asset Protection Associate (APA) · Asset Protection Coordinator · Asset Protection Detective · Asset Protection Greeter · Asset Protection Investigator · Asset Protection Manager · Asset Protection Officer · Asset Protection Security Guard · Asset Protection Service Associate

    CareerOneStop

    Certifications, licenses and pay by state

    What retail loss prevention specialists may need beyond a degree, where a license is required, and what the work pays in each state.

    Certifications

    Core certifications employers recognise for this work.

    Search all certifications on CareerOneStop

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

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    Sources and attribution

    Every figure on this page comes from these public datasets. Missing values are shown as not reported, never estimated.

    O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Page data updated November 5, 2026.