Security and fire alarm installers: licensing, jobs and pay in the United States
81,510 people work as security and fire alarm installers in the United States, and the median pay is $59,300 a year (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2024).
The Census Bureau counts 7,151 security and fire alarm system businesses with employees, with 128,462 employees and a payroll of $9,001,839,000 a year (2023 County Business Patterns).
Figures last updated on .
- Jobs
- 81,510
- Median pay, a year
- $59,300
- Businesses with employees
- 7,151
Security and fire alarm installers by state
| State | Jobs | Median pay, a year | Businesses with employees | Businesses per 10,000 homes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 10,020 | $49,380 | 681 | 0.6 |
| Florida | 8,050 | $59,570 | 681 | 0.7 |
| California | 7,390 | $66,010 | 781 | 0.5 |
| New York | 4,610 | $66,280 | 531 | 0.6 |
| Pennsylvania | 2,980 | $59,240 | 251 | 0.4 |
| Missouri | 2,700 | $57,170 | 110 | 0.4 |
| North Carolina | 2,590 | $57,440 | 206 | 0.4 |
| Massachusetts | 2,510 | — | 134 | 0.4 |
| Georgia | 2,310 | $50,050 | 234 | 0.5 |
| Colorado | 2,300 | $61,750 | 135 | 0.5 |
| Ohio | 2,270 | $61,030 | 210 | 0.4 |
| Maryland | 2,210 | $65,310 | 167 | 0.7 |
| Illinois | 2,190 | $62,550 | 187 | 0.3 |
| New Jersey | 2,180 | $62,900 | 283 | 0.7 |
| Arizona | 2,100 | $53,490 | 131 | 0.4 |
| Virginia | 1,980 | $60,200 | 178 | 0.5 |
| Tennessee | 1,600 | $47,400 | 143 | 0.5 |
| Indiana | 1,510 | $49,590 | 143 | 0.5 |
| Washington | 1,510 | $64,590 | 123 | 0.4 |
| Louisiana | 1,400 | $46,110 | 121 | 0.6 |
| Michigan | 1,250 | $54,020 | 153 | 0.3 |
| Alabama | 1,230 | $59,660 | 124 | 0.5 |
| Oklahoma | 1,190 | $48,870 | 117 | 0.7 |
| Nevada | 1,180 | $59,470 | 58 | 0.4 |
| South Carolina | 1,100 | $47,170 | 143 | 0.6 |
| Oregon | 1,080 | $78,080 | 75 | 0.4 |
| Wisconsin | 920 | $61,270 | 80 | 0.3 |
| Kentucky | 850 | $56,030 | 78 | 0.4 |
| Utah | 830 | $58,860 | 84 | 0.7 |
| Kansas | 770 | $57,230 | 44 | 0.3 |
| Minnesota | 690 | $77,190 | 79 | 0.3 |
| Arkansas | 660 | $47,310 | 73 | 0.5 |
| Iowa | 530 | $61,860 | 33 | 0.2 |
| Mississippi | 500 | $45,990 | 73 | 0.5 |
| Idaho | 420 | $50,430 | 42 | 0.5 |
| New Hampshire | 380 | $52,640 | 38 | 0.6 |
| Connecticut | 370 | $64,420 | 83 | 0.5 |
| Nebraska | 360 | $59,390 | 35 | 0.4 |
| Hawaii | 340 | $60,710 | 33 | 0.6 |
| New Mexico | 340 | $45,440 | 46 | 0.5 |
| South Dakota | 300 | $51,590 | 19 | 0.5 |
| Rhode Island | 280 | $72,410 | 23 | 0.5 |
| West Virginia | 270 | $49,520 | 28 | 0.3 |
| Montana | 250 | $58,680 | 27 | 0.5 |
| Wyoming | 250 | $42,350 | 14 | 0.5 |
| Maine | 220 | $61,890 | 26 | 0.3 |
| North Dakota | 160 | $59,230 | 16 | 0.4 |
| Delaware | 130 | $60,820 | 32 | 0.7 |
| Alaska | 120 | $62,480 | 15 | 0.5 |
| Vermont | 100 | $73,530 | 14 | 0.4 |
| District of Columbia | — | — | 16 | 0.4 |
The highest median pay is in Oregon ($78,080), Minnesota ($77,190), Vermont ($73,530).
The lowest is in Wyoming ($42,350), New Mexico ($45,440), Mississippi ($45,990).
What security and fire alarm installers earn
| United States | |
|---|---|
| Median pay, a year | $59,300 |
| Median pay, an hour | $28.51 |
| 10th percentile | $38,410 |
| 25th percentile | $47,330 |
| 75th percentile | $71,340 |
| 90th percentile | $81,980 |
| Average pay, a year | $60,040 |
Federal rules and model codes for security and fire alarm installers
OSHA’s construction standard for electrical work sets the rules for wiring, ground-fault protection, lockout and working near energized parts on a job site (29 CFR part 1926, subpart K).
Fire alarm and signaling systems are installed and tested to the National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code (NFPA 72) as the state or city has adopted it.
Electrical work is inspected against the National Electrical Code (NFPA 70) as each state or city has adopted it, with its own edition and amendments.
A model code becomes law only where a state or city adopts it; the building or licensing department says which edition applies.
- OSHA electrical safety in construction (29 CFR part 1926, subpart K)
- National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code (NFPA 72)
- National Electrical Code (NFPA 70)
Licenses for security and fire alarm installers
Licensing for this trade is set by each state, and often by the city or county as well; each state’s page links the official license lookup for it.
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Questions about Security and fire alarm installers
How much do security and fire alarm installers make?
The median pay for security and fire alarm installers in the United States is $59,300 a year, and half earn between $47,330 and $71,340 (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2024).
How many security and fire alarm installers are there in the United States?
81,510 people work as security and fire alarm installers, by the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ May 2024 count of jobs.
Where do security and fire alarm installers earn the most?
The highest median pay is in Oregon ($78,080), Minnesota ($77,190), Vermont ($73,530).
Do security and fire alarm installers need a license?
Licensing is set by each state, and often by the city or county as well; the US Department of Labor’s License Finder lists the licenses each state requires and the agency that issues each.
Sources
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024
- US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023
- US Department of Labor, CareerOneStop License Finder
- OSHA electrical safety in construction (29 CFR part 1926, subpart K)
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are published by the US Census Bureau and the US Bureau of Labor Statistics; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them. Rules are summarized from their official text, which governs; this page is not legal advice, and a state or city may add requirements of its own.
Figures last updated on .