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Security Management Specialists

Typical education: Bachelor's degreeHigh pressure Bright Outlook

What they do

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.

Kinds of work

  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.
  • Investigative: Science, research, figuring out how things work and solving complex problems.
  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.

High pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $83,050 Median per year · $39.93/hr Most earn $47,880–$150,010

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Design security policies, programs, or practices to ensure adequate security relating to alarm response, access card use, and other security needs.
  • Engineer, install, maintain, or repair security systems, programmable logic controls, or other security-related electronic systems.
  • Design, implement, or establish requirements for security systems, video surveillance, motion detection, or closed-circuit television systems to ensure proper installation and operation.
  • Monitor tapes or digital recordings to identify the source of losses.
  • Budget and schedule security design work.
  • Engineer, install, maintain, or repair security systems, programmable logic controls, or other security-related electronic systems.

Job outlook

Bright Outlook Numerous Job Openings

United States
4% more jobs by 2035, about as fast as average · about 98,700 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Federal government, excluding postal service18.1%
  • State government, excluding education and hospitals5.3%
  • Management of companies and enterprises5.1%
  • Colleges, universities, and professional schools4.7%
  • Management, scientific, and technical consulting services4.5%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 4 to 6 years

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Bachelor's degreeExperience before this job: 4 to 6 years

This is not usually an entry-level job. Most people earn a bachelor's degree, then spend about 4 to 6 years in security or loss prevention work before moving into this role.

  1. Bachelor's degree in criminal justice, security management, or a related field

    4 years

    You build a foundation in risk, law, and how organizations protect people and property, which employers look for in security roles.

  2. Retail Loss Prevention Specialist

    2-4 years

    You learn to spot risks, investigate incidents, and work with staff and police, which gives you hands-on experience with real security problems.

  3. Security Management Specialist

    Career goal after about 4-6 years of total experience

    You assess an organization's security, design systems and processes to reduce risk, and may focus on physical security or employee and facility safety.

Where it can lead

  1. Security Manager

    4-6 years of experience first

    You move from assessing and designing security to leading a security team, managing budgets, and setting policy for the whole organization.

  2. Director of Security

    5-10 years as a manager or specialist of experience first

    You oversee security across a company or several sites and report to senior leaders; this usually takes years of proven management experience.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take math, computer science, and government or civics classesThese classes build the reasoning, technology, and law knowledge that security work relies on.
  • Join a school safety, debate, or leadership clubClubs help you practice planning, teamwork, and explaining risks to others, which are key parts of this job.
  • Get a starter job, such as a cashier or a shift at a store or event venueA first job teaches you to notice problems, follow procedures, and stay calm, which are useful for later security roles.
  • Volunteer with a local community or emergency service groupVolunteering shows you how safety plans work in real settings and gives you experience to list on college applications.

In college

  • Major in criminal justice, security management, or a related fieldA relevant bachelor's degree is the typical starting point for this career.
  • Take courses in risk management, statistics, and writingThese skills help you measure threats, analyze data, and write clear security assessments.
  • Seek an internship in security, loss prevention, or facilities safetyInternships let you see how real organizations assess and protect their people and property.
  • Work a campus job in campus safety, dispatch, or access control if your school offers oneThese jobs give you direct experience with security procedures and incident response.
  • Join a student group focused on security, emergency management, or criminal justiceGroups build your network and help you learn from professionals and classmates in the field.

Tips for getting started

  • Look for an internship or part-time job in security, loss prevention, or campus safety while you study, since employers value real hands-on experience.
  • Learn basic computer skills and how to write clear incident reports, because security specialists document risks and explain them to non-technical people.
  • Consider a certification later on, such as one in physical security or risk management, once you have some work experience to build on.

Related jobs that often lead here

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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