Retail Loss Prevention Specialists

Law, Public Safety, Corrections and SecurityO*NET 33-9099.02United States

Implement procedures and systems to prevent merchandise loss. Conduct audits and investigations of employee activity.

COMING SOON See related ASU learning

Median annual earnings: $42,525
Projected change: +6%
Typical education: High school diploma or less
Employment: 86.02K jobs

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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.

The work

What retail loss prevention specialists do

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

Investigate known or suspected internal theft, external theft, or vendor fraud.
Implement or monitor processes to reduce property or financial losses.
Identify and report merchandise or stock shortages.
Maintain documentation or reports on security-related incidents or investigations.
Verify proper functioning of physical security systems, such as closed-circuit televisions, alarms, sensor tag systems, or locks.
Apprehend shoplifters in accordance with guidelines.
Conduct store audits to identify problem areas or procedural deficiencies.
Identify and report safety concerns to maintain a safe shopping and working environment.
Inspect buildings, equipment, or access points to determine security risks.
Monitor compliance with standard operating procedures for loss prevention, physical security, or risk management.
Perform covert surveillance of areas susceptible to loss, such loading docks, distribution centers, or warehouses.
Prepare written reports on investigations.
Collaborate with law enforcement agencies to report or investigate crimes.
Testify in civil or criminal court proceedings.
Train establishment personnel in loss prevention activities.
Recommend methods to reduce potential financial fraud losses.
Coordinate with risk management, human resources, or other departments to assist in company programs, investigations, or training.
Respond to critical incidents, such as catastrophic events, violent weather, or civil disorders.
Recommend new or improved processes or equipment to reduce risk exposure.
Direct work of contract security officers or other loss prevention agents.

Pay and outlook

What the job pays and where it is heading

Annual earnings range

Reported earnings by percentile, United States

10th percentile: $32,378
25th percentile: $35,371
50th percentile: $42,525
75th percentile: $54,996
90th percentile: $75,409

The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $42,525 and half earn less.

Employment outlook

2025 to 2035 projection

+6%average or slower

202586,017 jobs

2035 projected91,162 jobs

5,145 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.

Preparation

Education levels

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

High school diploma or less: 73.8%
Associate degree: 11.4%
Bachelor's degree: 10.5%
Certificate: 4.3%

Skills

Skills employers ask for

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

Loss Prevention
Asset Protection
Law Enforcement
Merchandising
Auditing
Physical Security
Emergency Response
Influencing Without Authority
Evidence Preservation
Retail Operations
Alarm Devices
Exception Reporting
Bagging Merchandise
Case Management
Labor Law
First Aid
Law Enforcement Practices
Warehousing
De-escalation Techniques
Lifting Ability

How the work gets done

Core competencies

Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.

Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
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.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Active Learning: Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
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.
Instructing: Teaching others how to do something.
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.
Learning Strategies: Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Persuasion: Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
Negotiation: Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.

In the market

Job titles and employers

Recent job postings in United States

Common job titles

01Loss Prevention Associates3,019 postings
02Asset Protection Managers2,703 postings
03Asset Protection Associates2,526 postings
04Asset Protection Specialists2,440 postings
05Store Protection Specialists2,039 postings
06Loss Prevention Officers1,536 postings
07Loss Prevention Detectives1,494 postings
08Loss Prevention Managers740 postings
09Asset Protection Detectives739 postings
10Asset Protection Agents607 postings
11Asset Protection Coordinators513 postings
12Asset Protection Officers504 postings
13Store Detectives502 postings
14Loss Prevention Specialists468 postings
15Asset Protection Service Associates430 postings
16Loss Prevention Agents405 postings
17Loss Prevention Customer Service Associates296 postings
18Asset Protection Investigators279 postings
19Loss Prevention Security Associates253 postings
20Asset Protection Leads219 postings

Top employers

01Walmart5,599 postings
02TJX2,753 postings
03Ross Stores1,970 postings
04Burlington1,637 postings
05Macy's1,177 postings
06The Home Depot1,156 postings
07Costco651 postings
08Marriott International607 postings
09Marshalls561 postings
10Nordstrom477 postings
11Target412 postings
12ShopRite279 postings
13Meijer273 postings
14Kroger266 postings
15Dick's Sporting Goods226 postings
16HomeGoods211 postings
17Allied Universal198 postings
18Bloomingdale's195 postings
19Stop & Shop194 postings
20Gap182 postings

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