How much do security system installers make in 2026?
Security system installers are counted in the BLS security and fire alarm systems installers series: OEWS May 2025 puts the SOC 49-2098 national median at $60,070 a year ($28.88 an hour), with the bottom 10% near $38,800 and the top 10% at $81,150. Security work generally sits in the lower and middle part of that pooled band, because the series also contains life-safety fire alarm work performed under code with mandated inspection. Within security, the pay ladder is about system complexity and network competence. Residential intrusion alarm and camera installation is entry work, often route-based with high volume. Commercial access control — readers, controllers, door hardware interfaces, credential management and integration with directory services — pays materially more, as does IP video with network video recorders, storage design and video management systems, because that work sits on a customer's network and demands IT literacy. Licensing is distinctive: many states license security and alarm installers through an alarm board, a private-security regulator or the fire marshal, and the defining requirement is typically a criminal background check rather than a trade examination; several license only the alarm company. Employment is projected to grow 10.4% through 2034 with roughly 9,400 openings a year. → Full security system installer career guide, career path, credentials & placement →
Note: $60,070 blends every experience level and every setting in this occupation. For pay by level alone, see Pay by Level below.
- Security System Installers earn a national median $60,070/yr ($28.88/hr) (BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 49-2098); the P10 to P90 range is $38,800 to $81,150.
- Security installation sits in the lower and middle part of the pooled security and fire alarm installers band ($38,800 to $81,150), because the same code also contains code-mandated fire alarm work.
- Access control and IP video are the pay levers: both require network literacy and integration skill, and both sit on a customer's IT infrastructure rather than on a standalone panel.
- Licensing in this trade is unusual — many states license alarm installers or companies through an alarm board, private-security regulator or fire marshal, and the defining requirement is normally a background check rather than an examination.
US Security System Installer Pay Distribution · BLS OEWS May 2025
Pay by Level · BLS OEWS May 2025
How much do security system installers 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 49-2098; 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 49-2098, 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 system installer earn at each career stage?
Security installation pay follows system complexity and network capability. Each median is anchored to the BLS OEWS distribution for SOC 49-2098.
By State
Which states pay security system installers the most in 2026?
State figures are modeled estimates — the BLS national median multiplied by the GlobalCybers salary-calculator state wage index — not BLS state observations. Licensing genuinely varies: many states license security and alarm installers through an alarm board, a private-security regulator or the state fire marshal, several license only the alarm company, and background checks rather than technical examinations are the defining requirement. Our security system installer licence hub sets out the state picture and company licensing rules.
6 of 51 state guides shown, ranked by median. Bar is relative to California ($69,080), the highest-paying state shown. See all role salary guides →
By Metro
Which cities pay security system installers the most?
Metro figures are modeled — national median times state wage index times published metro index — not BLS MSA observations. Metro markets pay better because commercial access control and enterprise video work concentrates there, and those projects need technicians who can work with a client's IT department rather than only with a panel.
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 system installer’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 system installer pay compare to related roles?
BLS OEWS national median across the closest trades. Security System Installers 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 system installer wages on BLS.gov →
Take-Home Pay
What does a security system installer 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 System Installer Salary, Frequently Asked Questions
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