Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (occupation group), with detailed role definition from O*NET, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.
Long-term incentive is not shown for this role. Equity awards are only disclosed publicly for the named executive officers of public companies, so no market figure exists for most jobs. See executive pay disclosures.
ShareLink copied
About this role
Security Manager is a professional role within the function in the Management job family.
Typical experience: 7 to 12 years at the Manager level, per widely used corporate career-level norms (Radford, Mercer, and SHRM career-level frameworks). Actual expectations vary by function, industry, and company size.
Identify, investigate, or resolve security breaches.
Plan, direct, or coordinate security activities to safeguard company employees, guests, or others on company property.
Direct or participate in emergency management and contingency planning.
Respond to medical emergencies, bomb threats, fire alarms, or intrusion alarms, following emergency response procedures.
Top skills:Critical ThinkingReading ComprehensionJudgment and Decision MakingActive ListeningSpeakingSocial Perceptiveness
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
Security Manager pay by experience level
Entry level$66,500
Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)
Early career$85,000
A few years in (about the 25th percentile)
Experienced$110,500
Mid-career median pay
Senior$143,500
Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)
Top earners$182,500
Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)
Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.
Job outlook
+3.8%
projected change in jobs, 2024–2034
13,200
projected openings per year
Growing about as fast as average
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.
Security Manager salary by industry
Educational Services
20,500 workers
$112,500
Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS
15,180 workers
$118,500
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)
12,100 workers
$120,000
Administrative and Support Services
10,210 workers
$106,500
Elementary and Secondary Schools
9,210 workers
$107,000
Management of Companies and Enterprises
8,960 workers
$140,000
Management of Companies and Enterprises
8,960 workers
$140,000
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools
8,560 workers
$119,000
Educational Services, Local Government Owned
8,360 workers
$109,000
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
8,160 workers
$144,500
National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
Pay trend
National median annual wage, 2021 to 2025: $97,930 to $106,660.
+8.9% over this period
Medians as published each May in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics national estimates. Nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS.
Pay by experience level
How annual pay for this occupation spreads from newcomers to the highest paid, aged to 2026.
Entry10th percentile
$66,500
Early career25th percentile
$85,000
Median50th percentile
$110,500
Experienced75th percentile
$143,500
Top earners90th percentile
$182,500
Bands are the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentile annual wages for this occupation nationally. Percentiles reflect the full mix of tenure, employer, and location, so they approximate but do not equal years of experience. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS national estimates.
Where this job pays most
Top-paying states for this occupation, average annual wage aged to 2026.
State averages for this occupation from the BLS OEWS state estimates. Cost of living differs by state; a higher wage does not always mean more buying power.
The abilities employers and analysts most associate with this occupation.
Critical ThinkingReading ComprehensionJudgment and Decision MakingActive ListeningSpeakingSocial Perceptiveness
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, O*NET occupational database.
Typical duties and FLSA status
Core duties
Develop budgets for security operations.
Identify, investigate, or resolve security breaches.
Plan, direct, or coordinate security activities to safeguard company employees, guests, or others on company property.
Direct or participate in emergency management and contingency planning.
Respond to medical emergencies, bomb threats, fire alarms, or intrusion alarms, following emergency response procedures.
FLSA classification (typical)
Typically Exempt · Executive exemption
Managerial roles at this level typically qualify for the Executive exemption because they customarily direct the work of two or more full-time employees and have authority over hiring, firing, or promotion decisions. Actual classification depends on the specific job duties, salary basis, and any applicable state or local rules. The current federal salary threshold for exemption is $684 per week ($35,568 per year), per the 2020 Department of Labor rule; the 2024 rule that would have raised the threshold was struck down by federal court in November 2024.
Pay outlook
Five-year pay outlook for this title
2026$121,000
2027$125,000
2028$129,500
2029$134,000
2030$139,000
2031$143,500
Projection assumes market wages keep rising about 3.5% a year, consistent with recent wage growth measured by the BLS Employment Cost Index. It reflects market movement for the title, not individual raises or promotions, which vary.
Get your Personal Pay Report for Security Manager
Keep your market comparison in a print-ready PDF, with negotiation targets, a script using your numbers, and a five-year market-pay illustration. Career ladder where available.
StateYears of experienceCurrent salary
One-time purchase. Review the final total, including any applicable tax, in Stripe before you pay. Report available immediately after successful payment. Full refund on request within 7 days of purchase. Refund terms. Prefer to explore first? Run a free market check.
Sources and assumptions
Modeled market estimate, aged to 2026. Underlying source families are BLS OEWS May 2025 for BLS-mapped occupations and the 2018–19 collection for corporate titles. Annual aging is compounded at approximately 3–4%; geographic, industry and company-size repricing are modeled. See the role details and methodology for the applicable source and assumptions.
Your free market check includes an estimated percentile and pay gap when you enter your salary. The paid report adds a PDF, negotiation targets and script, and a five-year market-pay illustration. See a full sample report
Related occupations from O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Security Manager make?
The average base salary for a Security Manager in the United States is $121,000 per year, or about $58.17 per hour.
What is the typical salary range?
Pay typically falls between $85,000 and $144,000 per year (25th to 75th percentile) depending on experience, location, industry, and organization size.
How does this compare with other Management roles?
The Management job family averages $144,000 across 58 roles tracked by WePayFairly.
Need a defensible market price for this role? WePayFairly data is compiled from published survey sources and maintained by compensation professionals.
Need Security Manager pay benchmarked for your organization, or defensible compensation analysis for a dispute or valuation? Grahall builds it from primary sources, backed by an expert who testifies.
