Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers

Pay and outlook

Median annual wage, May 2025

$60,070

Half earn more, half earn less

Middle half earn

$47,820 – $73,690

25th to 75th percentile

People employed, May 2025

86,340

Wage and salary jobs (OEWS)

Projected change, 2025–35

+6.8%

At or above the all-jobs rate (3.5% to under 7%)

Openings a year (projected)

8,500

New jobs plus replacing people who leave

Typical education to enter

High school diploma or equivalent

BLS

• All figures are for the United States as a whole. Pay varies a lot by state and city.
• Wages are for everyone working in the occupation in May 2025, at every career stage. They are not starting salaries or figures for new graduates.
• Growth and openings are BLS projections for 2025–35. They are estimates, not promises. Openings include jobs that open up when people retire or change occupation, not just new jobs.

What the work involves

Install, program, maintain, and repair security and fire alarm wiring and equipment. Ensure that work is in accordance with relevant codes.

Main tasks

• Install, maintain, or repair security systems, alarm devices, or related equipment, following blueprints of electrical layouts and building plans.
• Mount and fasten control panels, door and window contacts, sensors, or video cameras, and attach electrical and telephone wiring to connect components.
• Demonstrate systems for customers and explain details, such as the causes and consequences of false alarms.
• Test and repair circuits and sensors, following wiring and system specifications.
• Feed cables through access holes, roof spaces, or cavity walls to reach fixture outlets, positioning and terminating cables, wires, or strapping.
• Examine systems to locate problems, such as loose connections or broken insulation.
• Test backup batteries, keypad programming, sirens, or other security features to ensure proper functioning or to diagnose malfunctions.
• Drill holes for wiring in wall studs, joists, ceilings, or floors.

Description and tasks from the O*NET® 31.0 Database.

Getting in

Typical education to enter (BLS)

High school diploma or equivalent

Training once hired: moderate-term on-the-job training

O*NET Job Zone 3

Medium preparation

Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.

Fields of study that lead here

From the federal CIP–SOC crosswalk, which links 2 programmes to this occupation. A link means the programme prepares people for this kind of work. It doesn't mean the programme is required, or that it's the only route.

Related careers

Related occupations from the O*NET database, in its order.

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