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Loss Prevention Managers

Law, Public Safety, Corrections and SecurityO*NET 11-9199.08United States

Plan and direct policies, procedures, or systems to prevent the loss of assets. Determine risk exposure or potential liability, and develop risk control measures.

COMING SOON See related ASU learning
Median annual earnings
$106,813

50th percentile, United States

Projected change
+8.9%

2025 to 2035

Typical education
Bachelor's degree

59.1% of the workforce

Employment
1.14M jobs

Growing to 1.24M by 2035

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Compare nationwide estimates with state or county job-market data.

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Build the skills

ASU learning related to this career

These courses and certificates are connected through catalog career relationships and Lightcast skill tags.

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The work

What loss prevention managers do

Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.

  • Coordinate or conduct internal investigations of problems such as employee theft and violations of corporate loss prevention policies.
  • Review loss prevention exception reports and cash discrepancies to ensure adherence to guidelines.
  • Administer systems and programs to reduce loss, maintain inventory control, or increase safety.
  • Train loss prevention staff, retail managers, or store employees on loss control and prevention measures.
  • Investigate or interview individuals suspected of shoplifting or internal theft.
  • Provide recommendations and solutions in crisis situations such as workplace violence, protests, and demonstrations.
  • Identify potential for loss and develop strategies to eliminate it.
  • Hire or supervise loss prevention staff.
  • Advise retail managers on compliance with applicable codes, laws, regulations, or standards.
  • Develop and maintain partnerships with federal, state, or local law enforcement agencies or members of the retail loss prevention community.
  • Perform or direct inventory investigations in response to shrink results outside of acceptable ranges.
  • Maintain documentation of all loss prevention activity.
  • Assess security needs across locations to ensure proper deployment of loss prevention resources, such as staff and technology.
  • Visit stores to ensure compliance with company policies and procedures.
  • Verify correct use and maintenance of physical security systems, such as closed-circuit television, merchandise tags, and burglar alarms.
  • Analyze retail data to identify current or emerging trends in theft or fraud.
  • Monitor compliance to operational, safety, or inventory control procedures, including physical security standards.
  • Direct loss prevention audit programs including target store audits, maintenance audits, safety audits, or electronic article surveillance (EAS) audits.
  • Coordinate theft and fraud investigations involving career criminals or organized group activities.
  • Collaborate with law enforcement to investigate and solve external theft or fraud cases.
  • Supervise surveillance, detection, or criminal processing related to theft and criminal cases.
  • Perform cash audits and deposit investigations to fully account for store cash.
  • Recommend improvements in loss prevention programs, staffing, scheduling, or training.
  • Direct installation of covert surveillance equipment, such as security cameras.
  • Monitor and review paperwork procedures and systems to prevent error-related shortages.
  • Advise retail establishments on development of loss-investigation procedures.

Pay and outlook

What the job pays and where it is heading

Annual earnings range

Reported earnings by percentile, United States

10th percentile
$49,585
25th percentile
$73,342
50th percentile
$106,813
75th percentile
$152,210
90th percentile
$237,454

The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $106,813 and half earn less.

Employment outlook

2025 to 2035 projection

+8.9%faster than average
20251,136,396 jobs
2035 projected1,237,142 jobs

100,746 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.

Preparation

Education levels

What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.

Bachelor's degree
59.1%
High school diploma or less
13.6%
Certificate
9.1%
Some college
9.1%
Associate degree
9.1%

Skills

Skills employers ask for

Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.

  • Loss Prevention
  • Auditing
  • Asset Protection
  • Law Enforcement
  • Physical Security
  • Internal Investigations
  • Merchandising
  • Influencing Without Authority
  • Deterrence
  • Closed-Circuit Television Systems (CCTV)
  • Local Area Networks
  • Google Workspace
  • Retail Operations
  • Performance Management
  • Exception Reporting
  • Lifting Ability
  • Inventory Management
  • Alarm Devices
  • Emergency Preparedness
  • Enterprise Application Software

How the work gets done

Core competencies

Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.

Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Judgment and Decision Making
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Complex Problem Solving
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Instructing
Teaching others how to do something.
Time Management
Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Systems Analysis
Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
Systems Evaluation
Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
Persuasion
Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
Writing
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Active Learning
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Management of Personnel Resources
Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
Service Orientation
Actively looking for ways to help people.
Social Perceptiveness
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Coordination
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Negotiation
Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
Learning Strategies
Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.

In the market

Job titles and employers

Recent job postings in United States

Common job titles

  1. 01Loss Prevention Supervisors530 postings
  2. 02Asset Protection Managers472 postings
  3. 03Asset Protection Supervisors129 postings
  4. 04Loss Prevention Managers126 postings
  5. 05Regional Asset Protection Managers112 postings
  6. 06District Loss Prevention Managers76 postings
  7. 07Regional Loss Prevention Managers61 postings
  8. 08District Asset Protection Managers60 postings
  9. 09Assets Protection Executive Team Leaders/Loss Prevention Assistant Managers47 postings
  10. 10Area Loss Prevention Managers45 postings
  11. 11Area Asset Protection Managers43 postings
  12. 12District Asset Protection Leaders23 postings
  13. 13Assistant Loss Prevention Managers22 postings
  14. 14District Loss Prevention Supervisors18 postings
  15. 15Store Loss Prevention Specialists18 postings
  16. 16Assets Protection Team Leaders16 postings
  17. 17Loss Prevention Security Associates14 postings
  18. 18Market Loss Prevention Managers13 postings
  19. 19Asset Protection Leads12 postings
  20. 20Distribution Center Supervisors12 postings

Top employers

  1. 01Kohl's295 postings
  2. 02Macy's97 postings
  3. 03Nordstrom90 postings
  4. 04The Home Depot65 postings
  5. 05KOHL's STORES, INC. #137462 postings
  6. 06Target51 postings
  7. 07BJ's Wholesale Club47 postings
  8. 08TJX40 postings
  9. 09CVS Health38 postings
  10. 10Dollar General38 postings
  11. 11Marriott International38 postings
  12. 12Burlington34 postings
  13. 13Lowe's34 postings
  14. 14JCPenney32 postings
  15. 15Kin Kin32 postings
  16. 16Omni Hotels & Resorts29 postings
  17. 17Walgreens Boots Alliance29 postings
  18. 18Ross Stores24 postings
  19. 19Saks Fifth Avenue23 postings
  20. 20Ollie's Bargain Outlet22 postings

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