- About Us
- Our Services
New JerseySecurity Personnel
- Armed Security Guards
- Concierge / Doorman
- Fire Safety Manager
- Patrol Services
- Unarmed Security Guards
Security Systems - Request Information
A comprehensive, data-driven look at the U.S. and global security guard industry — covering market value, employment figures, salary benchmarks, and the forces shaping private security in 2026 and beyond.
The private security industry is one of the largest employers in the United States, with nearly 1.3 million guards protecting everything from commercial buildings and retail stores to hospitals, schools, and construction sites. Whether you're a property manager evaluating security guard services, an HR director budgeting for building security, or a researcher tracking industry trends, these statistics provide the most current picture of where the security guard industry stands in 2026.
The U.S. security services industry continues to be a massive economic force. Here are the latest market size figures:
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Total U.S. security services industry (2026) | $50.4 billion (+1.3% YoY) | IBISWorld |
| Number of U.S. security services businesses (2026) | 113,688 (+3.5% YoY) | IBISWorld |
| Five-year revenue CAGR (2021–2026) | 0.3% | IBISWorld |
| Security guards & patrol services | $36.6 billion | Kentley Insights (2025) |
| Historical trend | $48B (2017) → $50.08B peak (2018) → $47.8B (2023) | Belfry/Robert H. Perry |
The guard and patrol services segment alone — at $36.6 billion — represents roughly three-quarters of total industry revenue, underscoring just how central human security personnel remain despite the growth of electronic security systems.
The industry peaked near $50.08 billion in 2018, dipped to $47.8 billion by 2023, and has now recovered past its pre-pandemic high to $50.4 billion. But the recovery has been slow: a five-year CAGR of just 0.3% means the industry has essentially been treading water in real terms since 2021.
The conventional narrative about private security is that the industry is consolidating — large national providers absorbing regional firms until a handful of giants dominate. The 2026 data does not support that story.
| Metric (2026) | Year-over-year change |
|---|---|
| Industry revenue | +1.3% |
| Number of businesses | +3.5% |
Source: IBISWorld, 2026
Firm count grew nearly three times faster than revenue. When the number of competitors outpaces the money in the market, average revenue per firm falls — the definition of a fragmenting market, not a consolidating one.
For buyers of security services, this has a practical implication. A crowded field means more providers competing for the same contracts, which is good for pricing but raises the stakes on vetting. Licensing, insurance, training standards, supervision structure, and officer retention rates vary enormously across 113,688 firms. The growth in competitors is not the same as growth in qualified competitors.
The security guard industry is a global phenomenon, with markets on every continent expanding to meet rising demand:
The manned guarding segment — which includes the type of professional security officers that protect commercial buildings, lobbies, and properties — grew roughly $6.5 billion in a single year (2025 to 2026), reflecting sustained worldwide demand for boots-on-the-ground security.
Note on market forecasts: figures in this section come from commercial research firms using differing definitions of "security services" and varying methodologies. They are useful for direction and scale, but the specific dollar values should not be treated as directly comparable to one another or to the IBISWorld U.S. figures above.
Global market expansion signals broader trends that affect the U.S. market directly. As multinational companies raise their security standards worldwide, domestic expectations follow. Property managers and building owners in New York, New Jersey, and across the tri-state area increasingly benchmark their security programs against international best practices.
One of the most significant trends in the security industry is the shift toward outsourced, contract security. Rather than hiring and managing in-house security teams, more organizations are partnering with professional security companies:
The contract security model offers significant advantages for property managers and building owners: professional training, licensed and insured officers, scalable staffing, and elimination of the HR burden associated with direct hires. This is precisely the model that Building Security Services has built its reputation on — providing trained, reliable security officers who integrate seamlessly into a client's operations.
"The contract security market has grown because clients demand accountability. When you outsource to a professional security company, you get officers who are trained, supervised, and backed by a team that manages scheduling, compliance, and quality control. That's what property managers and building owners need — not just a warm body at the front desk."
— Amanda DeAlmeida, Executive Vice President, Building Security Services
The security guard profession is one of the largest occupational categories in the United States. Here's what the data shows:
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Total employed (May 2025) | 1,283,470 | BLS OEWS |
| In investigation/security services sector | 735,430 (73.69% of industry) | BLS OEWS (May 2023) |
| In general merchandise retail | 44,640 | BLS OEWS (May 2023) |
| In bars/nightclubs | 18,200 (4.42%) | BLS via Belfry (2023) |
| Projected annual openings | 157,200/year (2025–2035) | BLS OOH |
| Employment growth (2025–2035) | 1% (slower than average) | BLS OOH |
| Entry-level education | High school diploma or equivalent | BLS OOH |
Sector-level employment detail lags the national headcount by two BLS reporting cycles and reflects May 2023, the most recent industry breakout published.
At first glance, 1% projected employment growth might suggest a stagnant industry. The reality is quite different. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 157,200 annual openings — nearly all driven by replacement demand as officers retire, change careers, or move into supervisory roles. Against a workforce of 1,283,470, that means the industry cycles through the equivalent of its entire headcount roughly every eight years.
For organizations that rely on security guards — from commercial front desk security to overnight watch services — this turnover means partnering with a company that can recruit, train, and retain quality officers is critical.
Nearly three-quarters (73.69%) of all security guards work within the investigation and security services sector — that is, for contract security companies. The remaining quarter is distributed across:
Security guard compensation varies significantly by region, employer, and specialization. Here are the national benchmarks from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program (May 2025):
| Metric | Amount |
|---|---|
| Median annual wage | $38,020 |
| Median hourly wage | $18.28 |
| Mean annual wage | $42,470 |
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $30,210 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $58,840 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
The mean wage of $42,470 sitting well above the median of $38,020 indicates a pay distribution pulled upward by specialized and metro-market positions rather than a flat scale. The spread between the 10th and 90th percentiles — $30,210 to $58,840 — means top-decile guards earn close to double what entry-level guards make. That gap is where certifications, armed licensure, supervisory roles, and high-cost markets show up.
The New York City metropolitan area is one of the largest markets for security guard employment in the country, and New York is among the highest-paying states in the nation for the profession.
| Market | Median Annual Wage | vs. National |
|---|---|---|
| New York State | $44,240 | +16.4% |
| California | $43,240 | +13.7% |
| National median | $38,020 | — |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
A New York security guard earning the state median takes home roughly $6,200 more per year than the national median. Top-tier officers — those with specialized training in fire life safety, access control, or supervisory roles — push toward and past the national 90th percentile of $58,840.
A comprehensive study by the UC Berkeley Labor Center provides detailed demographic and job characteristics of NYC's security guard workforce, highlighting the diversity and complexity of this essential profession in the city.
Several powerful forces are shaping the security guard industry in 2026 and beyond:
Crime is falling nationally — the FBI reported violent crime down 9.3% and property crime down 12.4% in 2025 — but the composition of risk has changed. NYC felony assault has risen six years running even as murders hit historic lows, and retail theft has shifted from casual shoplifting toward organized crews and fraud. Falling headline crime rates have not translated into falling demand for security.
Modern security officers work alongside technology, not in competition with it. Growth in the industry is driven by the adoption of CCTV, access control systems, and remote video monitoring. Guards who can operate these systems are in higher demand and command better pay (Belfry).
Stricter regulations around building safety, fire codes, and access control in cities like New York have increased the demand for licensed, trained security professionals. Properties must comply with local regulations, and professional security companies help ensure compliance (Belfry).
The 50% growth in outsourced security spending from 2014 to 2022 reflects a broader trend: organizations prefer to focus on their core business and leave security to specialists. Contract security providers offer trained officers, supervision, insurance, and scalability — without the overhead of an in-house department.
While total workplace fatalities fell 4% in 2024, workplace homicides rose 2.6% to 470. Violence is the one workplace safety category not improving alongside the others, and it is driving security demand in healthcare, retail, and commercial real estate specifically.
"We're seeing more property managers come to us after trying to manage in-house security teams. The reality is that recruiting, licensing, training, and managing guards is a full-time job in itself. That's why the contract model keeps growing — it lets building owners focus on their properties while we focus on keeping people safe."
— Amanda DeAlmeida, Executive Vice President, Building Security Services
Looking ahead, several factors will shape the security guard industry through 2026 and into the next decade:
For building owners and property managers evaluating their security needs, the data points to a clear conclusion: demand for professional security is not going away, and the field of providers is getting more crowded rather than less. The question is not whether you need security — it's whether your current provider is delivering the quality, reliability, and professionalism that today's environment demands.
Building Security Services provides security risk assessments and detailed quotes to help property managers understand their vulnerabilities and build a program that addresses them. With the industry generating 157,200 job openings per year, having a partner who can consistently deliver trained, licensed officers matters more than ever.
The U.S. security services industry reached $50.4 billion in 2026, up 1.3% year over year, according to IBISWorld. The guard and patrol services segment alone accounts for roughly $36.6 billion. The industry has recovered past its 2018 peak of $50.08 billion, though five-year growth has averaged just 0.3% annually.
No — the 2026 data points the other way. The number of U.S. security services businesses grew 3.5% to 113,688 while industry revenue grew only 1.3%. Firm count is expanding nearly three times faster than the money in the market, which means average revenue per firm is falling. That is fragmentation, not consolidation.
There are 1,283,470 security guards employed in the U.S. as of May 2025, making it one of the 30 largest occupations in the country. Roughly 73.7% work for contract security providers rather than directly for the organizations they protect.
The national median is $38,020 per year ($18.28/hour), with a mean of $42,470. Entry-level guards at the 10th percentile earn $30,210 while the top 10% earn $58,840 or more. New York State's median of $44,240 runs about 16% above the national figure.
Slowly. Employment is projected to grow 1% between 2025 and 2035, slower than the average for all occupations, and industry revenue has grown at a 0.3% CAGR over five years. But the field still generates about 157,200 job openings per year from turnover alone — enough to cycle through the equivalent of its entire workforce roughly every eight years.
The data does not support that. The global manned guarding market grew roughly $6.5 billion in a single year, from $57.96 billion in 2025 to a projected $64.44 billion in 2026, during a period of rapid growth in AI surveillance and automated monitoring. Technology enhances what officers can do, but roles requiring judgment, de-escalation, customer interaction, and physical response have not been automated away.
Roughly 73.7% of security guards work for contract providers, and the U.S. outsourced security market grew 50% between 2014 and 2022, from about $22 billion to $33 billion. Contract security removes the burden of recruiting, licensing, training, scheduling, and supervising officers — which is substantial given the industry's turnover rate — while providing insurance coverage and the ability to scale staffing up or down.
Building Security Services provides trained, licensed security officers for commercial buildings, retail locations, hospitals, schools, and construction sites throughout NYC and New Jersey.
Get a Free Security Quote →All statistics in this article are sourced from publicly available government data, industry research reports, and reputable business databases. We prioritize primary sources (BLS, FBI) and supplement with industry analyses from established research firms. Wage and employment figures come from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, published annually each spring for the prior May reference period; sector-level employment detail lags the national headcount by two reporting cycles and is labeled accordingly. Commercial market forecasts use differing definitions and methodologies and are not directly comparable to one another. All figures are the most recent available as of September 2026.
Data-driven insights across every area of the security industry.