Management · Holland code ECI
Security Managers
Direct an organization's security functions, including physical security and safety of employees and facilities.
Also called: Corporate Security Manager, Regional Security Manager, Security Director, Security Manager, Corporate Physical Security Supervisor, Judicial Office Security Director, Physical Security Manager, Physical Security Systems Manager.
O*NET 11-3013.01
At a glance
- US median annual pay
- $106,660
- Middle half earn $82,020 to $138,870. BLS OEWS, May 2025.
- Most common education
- Bachelor's Degree
- 70% of workers surveyed by O*NET report this level.
- Preparation needed
- Job Zone 4 of 5
- Considerable preparation. Zone 1 is little or none; zone 5 is graduate-level.
What the work involves
The tasks workers in this occupation rate as most important, from the O*NET survey.
- 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.
- Create or implement security standards, policies, and procedures.
- Assess risks to mitigate potential consequences of incidents and develop a plan to respond to incidents.
Skills and knowledge it leans on
Skills
- Critical Thinking4.3 / 5
- Reading Comprehension4.1 / 5
- Active Listening4.1 / 5
- Speaking4.0 / 5
- Monitoring4.0 / 5
- Writing3.8 / 5
Knowledge areas
- Public Safety and Security4.9 / 5
- English Language4.3 / 5
- Law and Government4.2 / 5
- Administration and Management4.2 / 5
- Customer and Personal Service4.1 / 5
- Personnel and Human Resources3.8 / 5
Importance ratings on O*NET’s 1 to 5 scale. Higher means the occupation depends on it more.
Who tends to enjoy it
How strongly this occupation draws on each of the six Holland interest types, which is the same profile the career interests test compares you against.
- Realistic40
- Investigative45
- Artistic5
- Social29
- Enterprising77
- Conventional74
The same work abroad
Other countries classify jobs differently, so these are the closest matches through the international ISCO-08 standard, not exact equivalents.
European occupation titles (ESCO)
- security manager · DE Sicherheitsbeauftragte/Sicherheitsbeauftragter · FR responsable de sécurité
- airside safety manager · DE Flugsicherungsleiter/Flugsicherungsleiterin · FR responsable de la sécurité aéroportuaire
- hospitality establishment security officer · DE Sicherheitsbeauftragter des Beherbergungsbetriebs/Sicherheitsbeauftragte des Beherbergungsbetriebs · FR responsable de la sécurité en établissement hôtelier
- security guard supervisor · DE Sicherheitspersonalmanager/Sicherheitspersonalmanagerin · FR responsable de la sécurité
Closest UK occupation groups (SOC 2020)
- Senior officers in fire, ambulance, prison and related services (1163)8,000 employed
- Security guards and related occupations (9231)158,600 employed
- Managers and directors in the creative industries (1255)67,300 employed
Employment is the UK Annual Population Survey for April 2025 to March 2026, all workers in the group, which can be broader than this one occupation.
Pay across Europe, for the whole group
Median annual earnings of all employees in “Managers”. This is the broad ISCO group this occupation falls in, not the occupation itself, so treat it as context for the wage level, not as a salary for this job.
| Country | Median pay |
|---|---|
| Belgium | €96,629 |
| Italy | €96,052 |
| Germany | €90,192 |
| Austria | €82,936 |
| Netherlands | €69,857 |
| Sweden | €60,369 |
| France | €58,740 |
| Ireland | €55,854 |
| Spain | €54,121 |
| Portugal | €39,189 |
| Poland | €19,596 |
Eurostat Structure of Earnings Survey, businesses with ten or more employees outside public administration, in euro and not adjusted for the cost of living. Reference years differ between sources: the US, Japan and Europe figures on this page come from different survey years, so compare them as rough levels, not to the euro or yen.
Related careers
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