First-Line Supervisors of Security Worker Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of first-line supervisors of security workers to grow 3.7% from 2025 to 2035 (about 3,000 more jobs), with about 6,800 openings a year, and the May 2025 median pay of $55,940 a year ranks 482nd of 825 occupations.
- Projected change
- +3.7%
- Openings a year
- 6,800
- Median pay
- $55,940
- Pay rank
- 482nd of 825
Is employment of first-line supervisors of security workers growing or shrinking?
Growing: BLS projects employment of first-line supervisors of security workers to rise 3.7% (about 3,000 more jobs) from 2025 to 2035, about the same as the 3.5% projected across all occupations. That is faster than the +1.1% summed from BLS's employment levels across the 24 protective service occupations with a projection. That change ranks 334th of 830 projected occupations.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Employment, 2025 | 82,700 |
| Employment, 2035 | 85,700 |
| Projected change | +3.7% |
| Openings a year | 6,800 |
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035. A projection is a BLS estimate, not a count. The 82,700 jobs here differ from the 81,480 on the salary page because Employment Projections also counts the self-employed and a wider set of workers, while OEWS counts wage and salary jobs in May 2025. BLS published these projections on August 27, 2026; checked November 10, 2026. Confirm any figure in the BLS Employment Projections tables.
BLS's reasons for this projection are at the Occupational Outlook Handbook. State projections are at Projections Central; projections by industry are left to BLS. Education, licensing and work context at O*NET.
How many job openings are there each year?
About 6,800 openings a year, from job growth and from workers leaving the occupation, the 332nd most of 830 occupations. About 96% of them replace workers who change occupations or leave the labor force; the rest come from the 300 jobs added in an average year.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
How does pay for first-line supervisors of security workers rank?
The median of $55,940 a year ranks 482nd of 825 occupations with a published median. It sits in the upper half of occupations on openings and the lower half on pay.
Source: BLS OEWS national file, May 2025. Wage and salary jobs only; the self-employed are not counted. OEWS pay excludes overtime, shift differentials and non-production bonuses. Ranks count only the occupations with that published figure: 830 for projected change, 830 for openings, 825 for median pay, which is why the totals differ.
What does it take to start?
- Typical entry-level education: high school diploma or equivalent.
- Work experience in a related occupation: less than 5 years.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, education and training assignments.
How do related jobs compare on outlook?
| Occupation | Change | Openings a year | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Security Guards | +0.9% | 156,000 | $38,020 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers | -2.5% | 3,700 | $77,970 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | +3.3% | 10,600 | $106,040 |
| Protective Service Workers, All Other | +3.0% | 22,600 | $42,540 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers | +3.7% | 6,600 | $93,530 |
| Transit and Railroad Police | +3.2% | 300 | $90,230 |
| Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers | +3.5% | 51,500 | $76,210 |
| Facilities Managers | +4.6% | 14,200 | $106,660 |
Related occupations from O*NET; projections from BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035; pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.