It is sometimes stated that the 'mean' means average. This is incorrect if mean is taken in the specific sense of arithmetic mean as there are different types of averages: the mean, median, and mode. For instance, average house prices almost always use the median value for the average.
Loss prevention agents can make more or less than their detective counterparts, depending on their actual industry. For example, loss prevention agents who worked for security services made an average hourly wage of $21.17, as of May 2010.
For example, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, loss prevention agents in Texas earned an average hourly wage of $30.50, as of May 2010. Loss prevention agents in Arkansas made an average of around $30 per hour, while those in New Jersey earned an average hourly wage of $29.50. However, the top-paying location was Virginia, where private detectives, including loss prevention agents, made an average hourly wage of $32 per hour.