Security Management Specialists
Conduct security assessments for organizations, and design security systems and processes. May specialize in areas such as physical security or the safety of employees and facilities.
- Median annual earnings
- $82,007
- Projected change
- +7.6%
- Typical education
- Bachelor's degree
- Employment
- 1.18M jobs
50th percentile, United States
2025 to 2035
70% of the workforce
Growing to 1.27M by 2035
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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 security management specialists do
Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.
- Assess the nature and level of physical security threats so that the scope of the problem can be determined.
- Recommend improvements in security systems or procedures.
- Respond to emergency situations on an on-call basis.
- Inspect physical security design features, installations, or programs to ensure compliance with applicable standards or regulations.
- Perform risk analyses so that appropriate countermeasures can be developed.
- Conduct security audits to identify potential vulnerabilities related to physical security or staff safety.
- Design security policies, programs, or practices to ensure adequate security relating to alarm response, access card use, and other security needs.
- Test security measures for final acceptance and implement or provide procedures for ongoing monitoring and evaluation of the measures.
- Design, implement, or establish requirements for security systems, video surveillance, motion detection, or closed-circuit television systems to ensure proper installation and operation.
- Prepare, maintain, or update security procedures, security system drawings, or related documentation.
- Develop conceptual designs of security systems.
- Prepare documentation for case reports or court proceedings.
- Train personnel in security procedures or use of security equipment.
- Review design drawings or technical documents for completeness, correctness, or appropriateness.
- Monitor the work of contractors in the design, construction, and startup phases of security systems.
- Provide system design and integration recommendations.
- Budget and schedule security design work.
- Inspect fire, intruder detection, or other security systems.
- Develop or review specifications for design or construction of security systems.
- Interview witnesses or suspects to identify persons responsible for security breaches or to establish losses, pursue prosecutions, or obtain restitution.
- Outline system security criteria for pre-bid meetings with clients and companies to ensure comprehensiveness and appropriateness for implementation.
- Monitor tapes or digital recordings to identify the source of losses.
Pay and outlook
What the job pays and where it is heading
Annual earnings range
Reported earnings by percentile, United States
- 10th percentile
- $46,745
- 25th percentile
- $61,460
- 50th percentile
- $82,007
- 75th percentile
- $113,551
- 90th percentile
- $152,829
The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $82,007 and half earn less.
Employment outlook
2025 to 2035 projection
89,292 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.
Preparation
Education levels
What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.
- Bachelor's degree
- 70%
- Certificate
- 10%
- Some college
- 10%
- Master's or Professional degree
- 10%
Skills
Skills employers ask for
Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.
How the work gets done
Core competencies
Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.
- 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.
- Critical Thinking
- Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Speaking
- Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Reading Comprehension
- Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- 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.
- Monitoring
- Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Writing
- Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- 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.
- Social Perceptiveness
- Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Persuasion
- Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
- Service Orientation
- Actively looking for ways to help people.
- Time Management
- Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Instructing
- Teaching others how to do something.
- Active Learning
- Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Operations Analysis
- Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
- Negotiation
- Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
- Learning Strategies
- Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
In the market
Job titles and employers
Recent job postings in United StatesCommon job titles
- 01Cybersecurity Consultants373 postings
- 02Security Advisors96 postings
- 03AI Governance Cybersecurity Consultants93 postings
- 04Information Security Consultants92 postings
- 05Security Consultants89 postings
- 06Consultants86 postings
- 07Cybersecurity Analysts64 postings
- 08Endpoint Security Engineers55 postings
- 09Solutions Consultants49 postings
- 10Cyber Consultants48 postings
- 11Youth Ministers45 postings
- 12Cybersecurity Risk Analysts44 postings
- 13Data Protection Specialists43 postings
- 14Principal Consultants36 postings
- 15Delivery Consultants34 postings
- 16Servicenow Consultants33 postings
- 17Cybersecurity Associates29 postings
- 18Azure Consultants28 postings
- 19Cybersecurity Interns28 postings
- 20Information Security Officers26 postings
Top employers
- 01Deloitte135 postings
- 02Concentrix76 postings
- 03Nelnet70 postings
- 04Optiv Security57 postings
- 05Shi International Ltd55 postings
- 06IBM45 postings
- 07Crowe37 postings
- 08Guidehouse34 postings
- 09Amazon33 postings
- 10Ernst & Young33 postings
- 11Accenture31 postings
- 12Trellix30 postings
- 13Capital One29 postings
- 14Jobgether26 postings
- 15MITRE Corporation25 postings
- 16Google23 postings
- 17Highmark Health19 postings
- 18Truist Financial19 postings
- 19Aprio18 postings
- 20Baker Tilly17 postings
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