How To Become A Facility Security Officer: What It Is and Career Path

What is a facility security officer and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

5 min read

A facility security officer is an individual responsible for ensuring the safety and security of a facility, its employees, visitors, and assets. They develop and implement security plans, conduct risk assessments, monitor security systems, respond to emergencies, and coordinate with law enforcement agencies. They also train staff on security procedures, conduct investigations into security breaches, and maintain records of incidents. They work in a variety of settings such as government buildings, hospitals, schools, and commercial properties.

ScoreFacility Security OfficerUS Average

Salary

3.0

Avg. Salary $38,701

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

8.6

Growth rate 3%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

10.0

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.60%

Asian 5.71%

Black or African American 16.03%

Hispanic or Latino 15.71%

Unknown 5.34%

White 55.60%

Gender

female 46.57%

male 53.43%

Age - 43

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 43

Stress level

8.6

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

4.9

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance

9.4

Work life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a facility security officer?

Pros

Opportunity to protect people and property
Job security with high demand for security personnel
Possibility for career advancement
Competitive salary and benefits
On-the-job training and educational opportunities

Cons

Long hours and shift work, including nights, weekends, and holidays
High stress and potentially dangerous situations
Constant vigilance required, with little room for error
Dealing with difficult or hostile people on a regular basis
Risk of physical injury or harm on the job

Key steps to become a facility security officer

Explore facility security officer education requirements

Most common facility security officer degrees

Bachelor's

55.9 %

Associate

22.9 %

Master's

9.3 %

Start to develop specific facility security officer skills

Skills	Percentages
Security Program	7.48%
JPAS	5.46%
Patrol	4.99%
DOD	4.88%
NISP	4.71%

Complete relevant facility security officer training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New facility security officers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a facility security officer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real facility security officer resumes.

Research facility security officer duties and responsibilities

Manage the application for the FCL, maintain e-FCL and track clearance progress; provide CEO reports for require clearance actions.
Act as FSO and primary facility POC while FSO are away, conduct security briefings and initiating certain security actions.
Inspect classified accounts for compliance with the security regulations and policies regarding protection of classify information and COMSEC material.
Receive AED and CPR certification.

Prepare your facility security officer resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your facility security officer resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a facility security officer resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable facility security officer resume templates

Build a professional facility security officer resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your facility security officer resume.