Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers Salary: $59,300 Median Pay (2026 stats)
Executive Summary
About 81,510 security and fire alarm systems installers work nationally, and $59,300 is the BLS national median annual wage. Employment in the series shown fell about 15% from the first to the last year; much hiring sits in administrative and support and waste management and remediation services.
Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers: what the data shows
Common questions about security and fire alarm systems installers careers, answered from BLS OEWS and O*NET in this repository.
What is a security and fire alarm systems installers?
Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers is tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics under SOC 49-2098.
U.S. employment in our OEWS extract is about 81,510 workers.
What does a security and fire alarm systems installers do?
O*NET work activities rated highest for this occupation include Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment, Communicating with People Outside the Organization, Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge, Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events, Performing General Physical Activities, Making Decisions and Solving Problems, and related tasks. See Work Activities for the full list.
How much does a security and fire alarm systems installers make?
BLS national median annual wage: $59,300 (May 2024 in our extract).
Mean annual wage in our occupational extract: $73,613 — higher than the median, which often reflects top earners in the distribution.
Wage percentiles below are from the California OEWS extract (not national unless noted).
| Wage percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $48,010 |
| 25th percentile | $56,072 |
| Median (50th) | $67,790 |
| 75th percentile | $81,623 |
| 90th percentile | $103,959 |
What skills do you need?
O*NET ratings for this occupation emphasize skills such as Critical Thinking, Speaking, Installation, Active Listening, Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making, and knowledge areas including Public Safety and Security, Computers and Electronics, Customer and Personal Service, Telecommunications. See Education & Skills for detail.
Is security and fire alarm systems installers in demand?
Historical employment trend in our series implies about 0.1% annual decline (compound rate in the extract).
Five-year projected employment change: -0.5%.
Ten-year projected employment change: -1.1%.
Current U.S. headcount: 81,510.
We report federal series only—compare wages, growth, and openings against your target market.
Where do security and fire alarm systems installerss work?
Top industries by employment share in our OEWS industry extract:
| Industry | Employment | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Cross-industry | 81,510 | 17.0% |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | 80,060 | 16.7% |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 54,570 | 11.4% |
| Administrative and Support Services | 54,570 | 11.4% |
| Investigation and Security Services | 53,580 | 11.2% |
| Security Systems Services | 53,310 | 11.1% |
See Industry for charts.
What degrees lead to this career?
Common majors for Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers in O*NET:
See Related degrees.
What careers are related?
Other occupations linked through shared degree pathways in our mapping:
| Occupation | U.S. employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Systems Analysts | 497,800 | $103,790 |
| Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers | 32,890 | $61,680 |
| Highway Maintenance Workers | 151,750 | $49,070 |
| Network and Computer Systems Administrators | 318,570 | $96,800 |
| Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers | 97,540 | $38,860 |
| Security Guards | 1,241,770 | $38,370 |
| Information Security Analysts | 179,430 | $124,910 |
Employment
Employment and salary information for the Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers workforce.
Employment Over Time
81,510 U.S. workforce (OEWS)
California employment for Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers shrank from 29,200 in 2009 to 28,700 in 2025 (1.7%).
Historical employment for Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers from the California OEWS series, 2009–2025. The U.S. workforce figure is national and is not the endpoint of this line.
Yearly Wage Ranking
$59,300 Median pay (BLS national)
Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers earn $59,300 as the BLS national median annual wage.
Wage ranking compared to other occupations.
Wage Distribution
This chart shows the distribution of average salaries by income buckets for Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers.
Salary distribution for Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers.
Employment Growth Projections
-0.1% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)
28,545 Projected Employment (5 years)
Projected growth: -0.5%
28,391 Projected Employment (10 years)
Projected growth: -1.1%
This occupation is experiencing a decline. Consider related fields with better growth prospects.
Historical employment trends and future projections for Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers.
Industry
Information on the industries that employ Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers and on wages for those in the field.
Occupations by Industries
This graphic shows the share of Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers employed by various industries.
Industry distribution for Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers.
Wage Trends by Industry
0.6% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate
Historical wage growth trends by industry for Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers.
Geographic Distribution
Employment and wage information by geographic location for Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers.
State employment and wages are from the U.S. BLS OEWS May 2024 state extract. Metropolitan areas use the national MSA file when available.
Top States by Employment
Top States by Employment:
- TX: 10,020 employees, $50,590 avg wage
- FL: 8,050 employees, $57,180 avg wage
- CA: 7,390 employees, $71,680 avg wage
- NY: 4,610 employees, $67,450 avg wage
- PA: 2,980 employees, $60,000 avg wage
- MO: 2,700 employees, $59,770 avg wage
- NC: 2,590 employees, $56,280 avg wage
- MA: 2,510 employees, N/A avg wage
- GA: 2,310 employees, $50,180 avg wage
- CO: 2,300 employees, $61,850 avg wage
Top 10 states by employment for Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers.
Top Metropolitan Areas
Top Metropolitan Areas:
- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ: 4,310 employees, $69,560 avg wage
- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX: 3,540 employees, $51,010 avg wage
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA: 2,910 employees, $71,110 avg wage
- Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX: 2,240 employees, $52,010 avg wage
- Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL: 2,200 employees, $57,980 avg wage
- Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH: 1,850 employees, N/A avg wage
- Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ: 1,760 employees, $58,340 avg wage
- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV: 1,640 employees, $70,820 avg wage
- Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO: 1,610 employees, $63,090 avg wage
- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN: 1,590 employees, $64,890 avg wage
Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers.
Diversity
Demographic information on Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers in the US.
Gender and Age
The U.S. workforce for Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers is about 81,510 people in our OEWS extract.
Gender and age distribution for Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers.
Races
Racial and ethnic shares when present in the career dataset. If the chart area shows a notice instead, occupational race/ethnicity fields are not yet populated for this extract.
Race and ethnicity distribution for Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers.
Education & Skills
Data on higher education choices and required skills for Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers.
Majors
The most common majors achieved by Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers in 2023 were Engineering, Business, Social Sciences.
Common majors for Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers.
Education Levels
The main educational levels achieved by Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers workers.
Education level distribution for Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers.
Skills
Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers need many skills, but most especially Critical Thinking, Speaking, Installation, Active Listening, Complex Problem Solving.
Required skills for Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers.
Knowledge & Abilities
Knowledge areas and abilities required for Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers.
Knowledge Areas
The most important knowledge areas for Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers include Public Safety and Security, Computers and Electronics, Customer and Personal Service, Telecommunications, Building and Construction.
Knowledge areas required for Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers.
Abilities
Key abilities needed for Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers include Problem Sensitivity, Oral Comprehension, Near Vision, Oral Expression, Arm-Hand Steadiness.
Required abilities for Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers.
Work Activities
Common work activities performed by Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers.
Daily Activities
Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers spend their time on activities such as Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment, Communicating with People Outside the Organization, Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge, Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events, Performing General Physical Activities.
Most important work activities for Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers.
About
Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers
Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers earn $59,300 as the BLS national median annual wage.
SOC Code
49-2098 - Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers
Insights and Analysis
Compensation snapshot: Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers reports an average salary of $73,613.
Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 81,510 workers, indicating sustained demand.
Forward outlook: Projected annual decline is -0.1%, which should inform long-term career planning.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), and O*NET Online.
All wage figures represent annual averages and may vary by location, industry, and experience level.