Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
High school diploma or equivalent
None
Moderate-term on-the-job training
These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Based on skills, knowledge, and work activities, these occupations are the closest match to your current career.
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
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Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Security and fire alarm systems installers work in a field that blends hands-on mechanical work with technology, customer interaction, and problem solving. National employment stands at 86,000, indicating a sizable workforce, and projected employment growth of 10.4% suggests expanding demand for these services. With 9,000 annual openings, there are ongoing opportunities for new entrants as well as experienced workers seeking new positions. The role rewards a mix of mechanical ability, attention to detail, and physical strength and stamina, along with customer service and computer skills. Creativity, innovation, and critical and analytical thinking also play a role, highlighting that this is not just routine manual work. The national median annual salary of $59,300 offers solid earning potential, with opportunities for higher pay in certain states and metro areas. Overall, this career can appeal to people who enjoy working with their hands, using technology, and solving practical problems in a structured trade.
The national median annual salary for security and fire alarm systems installers is $59,300, with notable variation across states and metro areas. Several states offer higher median pay, including Massachusetts at $78,530, Washington at $72,950, and California at $71,570. New York’s median of $58,550 is closer to the national level, while Colorado sits between these ranges at $62,250. Among metro areas, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA has a median salary of $81,980, and San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA is close behind at $79,350. Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH reports $78,560, and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV has a median of $66,790. The New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro aligns more closely with the national figure at $59,280. This variation shows that location decisions can significantly shape earning potential for installers.
Security and fire alarm systems installers benefit from a combination of solid current employment and projected growth. National employment is 86,000, and the occupation is projected to grow by 10.4%. This growth, together with 9,000 annual openings, points to a labor market with ongoing opportunities for both new workers and experienced installers. The 9,000 openings likely reflect a mix of new positions created by growth as well as turnover and replacement needs within the existing workforce. The consistent projected growth figure of 10.4% appears across the top states and metro areas, suggesting a broad-based demand pattern rather than growth concentrated in a single region. For individuals considering a technical trade with a mechanical and customer-facing focus, these employment and growth numbers indicate a relatively steady pipeline of job prospects over the projection period.
Location plays a meaningful role in both opportunity and pay for security and fire alarm systems installers. Among states, California and Massachusetts stand out with higher median salaries of $71,570 and $78,530 respectively, along with strong CareerGPS opportunity scores of 67.38 and 65.87. Washington also offers a relatively high median salary of $72,950, while New York and Colorado present moderate pay levels with opportunity scores above 56. All five top states share the same projected growth rate of 10.4%, so differences in opportunity scores likely reflect combinations of salary and employment levels rather than growth alone. At the metro level, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA and New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ show the highest opportunity scores, both above 77, with San Jose also offering the highest listed median pay at $81,980. San Francisco, Boston, and the Washington, DC area also combine relatively high salaries with solid opportunity scores, giving installers multiple strong regional choices.
The typical education requirement for security and fire alarm systems installers is a high school diploma or equivalent. This makes the occupation accessible to individuals who prefer to enter the workforce without completing a college degree. However, success in this field relies on a broad skill set. Mechanical aptitude and fine motor skills support the hands-on aspects of the work, while physical strength and stamina help with the more physically demanding tasks. Problem solving, decision making, and critical and analytical thinking are important for diagnosing issues and determining effective solutions. Being detail oriented supports accuracy, and adaptability helps installers respond to different environments and requirements. Customer service skills are also central, as installers interact with clients and end users. Finally, computers and information technology skills, along with creativity and innovation, round out a profile that blends technical, physical, and interpersonal strengths within a structured trade accessible with a high school education.
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