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Alarm operator salary

Average alarm operator salary

$14.11

$29,349 yearly

Entry-level alarm operator salary
$25,000 yearly salary
Updated December 15, 2025

Average Alarm Operator Salary

The average salary for an alarm operator in the United States is $29,349 per year, translating to about $14 per hour. Salaries can vary significantly based on factors such as experience, location, and the specific industry. For instance, alarm operators with more years of experience typically earn higher wages. In terms of geographic distribution, states like California and New York often offer higher compensation due to the cost of living and demand for security services.

How Much Does an Alarm Operator Make?

Entry-level positions start at around $25,000 annually, with the potential to increase as operators gain experience and additional certifications. Experienced operators can earn upwards of $40,000, especially in urban areas where the demand for security systems is greater. It's crucial for those entering the field to consider the impact of local market conditions on potential earnings.

Where Can an Alarm Operator Earn More?

States with higher average salaries for alarm operators include California, New York, and Texas. These regions not only have a higher cost of living but also a larger number of commercial enterprises requiring robust security solutions. Understanding these dynamics can help job seekers target their applications effectively.

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Where can an Alarm Operator earn more?

Compare salary by location
Vs
54k
34k
14k
-6k
Columbus, OH$37,151
Enid, OK$24,483
Compare salary by company
Vs
59k
39k
19k
-602
ASRC Federal$30,506
AvantGuard Monitoring Centers$29,398

Alarm operator salaries by experience level

Alarm operator salary estimates from across the web

Based on the latest salary information compiled by Zippia, Glassdoor, SalaryExpert and Comparably, the average salary for an alarm operator typically falls between $29,349 and $40,692.
zippia
$29,349yearly
glassdoor[1]
$40,692yearly
comparably[2]
$39,427yearly
SalaryExpert[3]
$39,744yearly

Average alarm operator salary by state

The average alarm operator salary in Oregon, Maine, and Minnesota are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average alarm operator salary states are Ohio, Oklahoma, and Georgia.

  • State view
  • County view
Average salary:

Highest paying states for alarm operators

RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
1Wyoming$37,875$18.21
2Oregon$44,603$21.44
3Colorado$37,280$17.92
4Washington$37,077$17.83
5Massachusetts$34,599$16.63
6Alaska$34,645$16.66
7Rhode Island$33,831$16.26
8Kansas$36,300$17.45
9Wisconsin$33,594$16.15
10Maine$40,347$19.40
11Minnesota$39,247$18.87
12Illinois$38,354$18.44
13Nevada$32,025$15.40
14West Virginia$36,628$17.61
15New Hampshire$34,766$16.71
16North Dakota$35,350$17.00
17Connecticut$34,232$16.46
18Vermont$34,866$16.76
19California$34,065$16.38
20Montana$30,426$14.63
21New Jersey$30,966$14.89
22District of Columbia$32,220$15.49
23South Dakota$30,075$14.46
24Iowa$30,883$14.85
25Missouri$29,064$13.97
26Idaho$28,914$13.90
27Arizona$29,161$14.02
28New Mexico$29,462$14.16
29Delaware$32,665$15.70
30Utah$29,998$14.42
31Maryland$28,597$13.75
32Pennsylvania$29,833$14.34
33New York$31,801$15.29
34Nebraska$30,183$14.51
35Virginia$28,443$13.67
36Michigan$29,446$14.16
37Alabama$25,863$12.43
38Hawaii$26,838$12.90
39Texas$27,890$13.41
40Indiana$26,614$12.80
41Louisiana$25,117$12.08
42Tennessee$25,058$12.05
43Mississippi$26,558$12.77
44South Carolina$23,922$11.50
45Florida$24,818$11.93
46North Carolina$24,852$11.95
47Oklahoma$24,250$11.66
48Georgia$24,013$11.54
49Ohio$24,361$11.71
50Kentucky$23,146$11.13
51Arkansas$19,519$9.38

Highest paying cities for alarm operators

The highest-paying cities for alarm operators are Kirkland, WA, Freeport, NY, and Ogden, UT.

RankCityAvg. salaryHourly rate
1Kirkland, WA$37,151$17.86
2Freeport, NY$31,805$15.29
3Ogden, UT$30,165$14.50
4Phoenix, AZ$29,202$14.04
5Rexburg, ID$28,777$13.84
6Austin, TX$27,730$13.33
7Enid, OK$24,483$11.77

Alarm operator salary details

An alarm operator's salary ranges from $25,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $34,000 at the 90th percentile.

Average alarm operator salary graph
Average alarm operator salary graph, trends, and summary

What is an alarm operator's salary?

PercentileAnnual salaryMonthly salaryHourly rate
90th Percentile$34,000$2,833$16
75th Percentile$31,000$2,583$15
Average$29,349$2,446$14
25th Percentile$27,000$2,250$13
10th Percentile$25,000$2,083$12

Highest paying alarm operator jobs

The highest paying types of alarm operators are emergency dispatch operator, 911 operator, and operations/dispatch.

Job titleAnnual salaryMonthly salaryHourly rateJob openings
Security Dispatcher$33,347$2,779$16.0382,349
Fire Dispatcher$37,441$3,120$18.007,959
Communications Dispatcher$35,153$2,929$16.9019,172
Police Dispatcher$37,402$3,117$17.986,964
Public Safety Dispatcher$35,063$2,922$16.8625,700
Call Taker$38,776$3,231$18.6411,539

Which companies pay alarm operators the most?

RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rate
1ASRC Federal$30,506$14.67
2U-Haul$29,457$14.16
3AvantGuard Monitoring Centers$29,398$14.13

Wage gap by gender, race and education

$30,000$29,800$29,600$29,400$29,200$29,000
MaleFemale

Alarm Operator salary by industry

The average alarm operator salary varies across industries:

  • The average alarm operator salary in the utilities industry is $33,657, the highest of any industry.
  • The average alarm operator salary in the finance industry is $32,308.
  • Alarm operators in the professional industry earn an average salary of $29,700, the lowest of any industry.

Highest paying industries for alarm operators

RankIndustryAverage salaryHourly rate
1Utilities$33,657$16.18
2Health Care$32,308$15.53
3Manufacturing$30,042$14.44
4Professional$29,700$14.28

High paying alarm operator jobs

Alarm operator salary trends

The average alarm operator salary has risen by $4,989 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average alarm operator earned $24,360 annually, but today, they earn $29,349 a year. That works out to a 11% change in pay for alarm operators over the last decade.

Compare alarm operator salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.

Average alarm operator salary over time

Compare alarm operator salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.

Alarm operator salary by year

YearAvg. salaryHourly rate% Change
2025$29,300$14.11+3.2%
2024$28,400$13.66+3.0%
2023$27,600$13.25+2.5%
2022$26,900$12.92+1.9%
2021$26,400$12.67+2.2%

Recently added alarm operator salaries

CompanyJobLocationDate addedSalary
Siemens CorporationAlarm Monitoring Operator-3Rd ShiftIrving, TX03/29/2025$34,300
Alarm Detection SystemsAlarm Operator-1St. ShiftAurora, IL12/04/2024$41,740
IwjvAlarm Monitor Dispatch OperatorAnniston, AL10/16/2024$38,255
EverstaffAlarm Monitoring OperatorPlymouth, MN09/20/2024$38,610
GardaworldAlarm Monitor OperatorLong Beach, CA09/08/2024$41,740
GardaworldAlarm Monitor OperatorDallas, TX09/08/2024$41,740
GardaworldAlarm Monitor OperatorLong Beach, CA07/20/2024$41,740
GardaworldAlarm Monitor OperatorDallas, TX07/20/2024$41,740
Walden SecurityAlarm Monitor Dispatch OperatorAnniston, AL05/17/2024$38,255
Walden SecurityAlarm Monitor Dispatch OperatorAnniston, AL05/17/2024$38,255

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