How much do security managers make in 2026?
Security managers are matched here to the BLS first-line supervisors of security workers series, where OEWS May 2025 reports a national median of $55,940 a year ($26.90 an hour) for SOC 33-1091, a bottom 10% near $37,300 and a top 10% at $92,260 across 81,480 workers. The caveat matters: this code measures first-line supervision of guard forces — account managers at contract security firms, site security supervisors, shift leaders — and it is the closest defensible match for the security manager title. It does not capture corporate security directors and chief security officers, who are classified with other management occupations and are paid substantially more than this band's upper end. Read as a supervisory proxy, the figures are useful. Site and account supervision sits around the median. The upper quartile is occupied by security managers at hospitals, universities, critical infrastructure and corporate campuses, where the role includes programme design, investigations, emergency planning and technology as well as staffing. The credential that carries most weight in moving beyond this band is ASIS International's Certified Protection Professional, which is the recognised gateway to corporate security management. Employment is projected to grow 2.7% through 2034 with roughly 7,000 openings a year. → Full security manager career guide, career path, credentials & placement →
Note: $55,940 blends every experience level and every setting in this occupation. For pay by level alone, see Pay by Level below.
- Security Managers earn a national median $55,940/yr ($26.90/hr) (BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 33-1091); the P10 to P90 range is $37,300 to $92,260.
- This is a first-line supervisor code measuring guard force supervision — corporate security directors and chief security officers are classified elsewhere and paid above this band's upper end.
- Read as a supervisory proxy, the upper quartile reflects security managers at hospitals, universities, critical infrastructure and corporate campuses whose role includes programme design and investigations.
- ASIS International's Certified Protection Professional is the recognised credential for moving from site supervision into corporate security management.
US Security Manager Pay Distribution · BLS OEWS May 2025
Pay by Level · BLS OEWS May 2025
How much do security managers earn at each level?
BLS OEWS publishes one blended wage for the whole occupation and does not break pay out by credential or practice level. The levels below distribute the published percentile range across the credential tiers this role actually hires at.
Level medians are aligned to the BLS OEWS May 2025 percentile distribution for SOC 33-1091; GlobalCybers does not yet publish a verified placement sample for this role, so no verified median is shown.
Methodology & Sources
How the numbers on this page are built
Published (BLS): BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 33-1091, United States national estimate. Public, methodologically rigorous, but sampled on a rolling 3-year basis and published ~10 months after collection — so it reflects wages that are already 1–2 years old by the time you read them.
Level and certification medians: distributed across the published BLS percentile range for this SOC code (P10 through P90) according to the credential tiers this occupation actually hires at. They are modeled reference points, not separately surveyed wages.
State and metro figures: modeled — the BLS national median multiplied by the GlobalCybers state wage index, and for metros by the published metro index for that state. They are estimates of local pay, not BLS state or metropolitan-area observations, and are labelled as modeled in the tables below.
No verified placement sample:GlobalCybers does not yet publish a placement median for this role, so no "verified" figure appears anywhere on this page.
Pay by Career Level
How much does a security manager earn at each career stage?
Security supervision pay follows the size and criticality of the operation you run. Each median is anchored to the BLS OEWS distribution for SOC 33-1091.
By State
Which states pay security managers the most in 2026?
These are modeled state estimates — the national security supervisor median scaled by the GlobalCybers state wage index — not BLS state observations. Because the underlying code measures site supervision rather than corporate security management, these figures should be read as a floor for the security manager title rather than a target.
6 of 51 state guides shown, ranked by median. Bar is relative to California ($64,330), the highest-paying state shown. See all role salary guides →
By Metro
Which cities pay security managers the most?
Modeled metro estimates: the national median scaled by the state wage index and then by that state's published metro index. They estimate local wage levels and are not BLS metropolitan-area observations. Corporate campuses, hospital systems and critical infrastructure sites carry the roles at the top of this band.
BLS OEWS MSA estimates, May 2025. Nominal pay — weigh each metro against its cost of living before relocating.
Certification Impact
Which certifications raise a security manager’s pay the most?
Median annual pay before and after each credential, based on GlobalCybers placement data cross-referenced with BLS. License upgrades move the needle most; stackable certs add on top.
Impacts are not additive, the licensing rows share the same career ladder. Browse all 167 certifications →
Trade Comparison
How does security manager pay compare to related roles?
BLS OEWS national median across the closest trades. Security Managers sit mid-pack on median but carry one of the widest P10–P90 spreads, licensing and specialization drive the upside.
BLS OEWS May 2025. Verify security manager wages on BLS.gov →
Take-Home Pay
What does a security manager actually take home after taxes?
The medians above are gross base wage.
Estimates use 2026 federal brackets, standard deduction, and 7.65% FICA. Actual take-home varies with filing status, deductions, and local tax.
FAQ
Security Manager Salary, Frequently Asked Questions
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