Security Managers
Direct an organization's security functions, including physical security and safety of employees and facilities.
Security Managers direct an organization's security functions, including physical security and safety of employees and facilities. The role reports a median annual salary of $104,690 in the US and is projected to grow 4% over the next decade (about as fast as average). Entry typically requires a Bachelor's degree, and shows moderate AI exposure (0.41 on a 0-1 scale) — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. The most in-demand skills for the role include internal risk management policy, legal use-of-force, security threats, corporate social responsibility, security engineering.
Pay in the UK
UK: median £43,365 a year for Property, housing and estate managers (ONS ASHE 2025, full-time)
Middle half of full-time jobs: £33,185 to £59,643 a year
UK jobs are grouped differently; this is the closest UK occupation group (ONS SOC 2020 1251). ONS rates this estimate precise. 2025 provisional figures; ONS revises them a year later. Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (Open Government Licence)
Pay in India (occupation group)
Average monthly earnings of salaried employees in the occupation group “Managers” in India, from the Government of India's Periodic Labour Force Survey (January–December 2025). It covers everyone in this group, not only Security Managers, and it is not US pay converted to rupees.
Source: MoSPI (Government of India), Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2025, Table 51 — average wage/salary earnings of regular wage/salaried employees, NCO-2015 division 1. Official India data gives one average per occupation group: there are no official India figures for single careers, experience levels or cities. Read the report
Top skills
Knowledge you'll build
- Public Safety and Security
- English Language
- Law and Government
- Administration and Management
- Customer and Personal Service
- Personnel and Human Resources
- Education and Training
- Computers and Electronics
What you'd actually do
- 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.
- Analyze and evaluate security operations to identify risks or opportunities for improvement through auditing, review, or assessment.
Tools & technology you'd use
Frequently asked questions
What does Security Managers do?
Direct an organization's security functions, including physical security and safety of employees and facilities.
How much does Security Managers earn?
The median annual salary for Security Managers in the US is $104,690.
What is the job outlook for Security Managers?
The role is projected to grow 4% over the next decade (about as fast as average). Current US employment is approximately 151,400 workers.
How do I become security managers?
The typical entry education is a Bachelor's degree. Building a foundation in the top skills below will strengthen your application.
What skills does Security Managers need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include internal risk management policy, legal use-of-force, security threats, corporate social responsibility, security engineering, organisational resilience. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace Security Managers?
Our AI-durability model gives Security Managers a score of 0.41 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at moderate AI exposure — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. Learning to work with AI tools rather than against them is the path forward.
How hard is it to enter this field?
Security Managers has moderate barrier to entry — moderately gated — a bachelor's degree or equivalent training is typically required.