How to hire a security administrator

How to hire a security administrator, step by step

Here's a step-by-step security administrator hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a security administrator job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new security administrator
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a security administrator do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The security administrator hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a security administrator to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a security administrator that fits the bill.

   This list presents security administrator salaries for various positions.

   Type of Security Administrator	Description	Hourly rate
   Security Administrator	Computer networks are critical parts of almost every organization. Network and computer systems administrators are responsible for the day-to-day operation of these networks.	$25-55
   Information Technology Administrator	An Information Technology (IT) administrator is a professional responsible for managing the day-to-day operation of an organization's IT systems and ensuring that the systems are running effectively. IT administrators must conduct consistent analyses of the computer system and install updates when needed... Show more	$24-50
   Help Desk Administrator	Help desk administrator is responsible for handling activities related to system support for their company or organization. They are in charge of providing superb client experiences and working in resolving support issues in a professional and timely manner... Show more	$16-34

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Troubleshoot
   • Security Procedures
   • Data Entry
   • Security Policies
   • SCI
   • DOD
   • HR
   • Security Systems
   • Linux
   • JPAS
   • PowerPoint
   • IDS
   • SQL

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage updates and creation of intranet file.
   • Create, manage, and maintain corporate LAN.
   • Manage and monitor various tools and reporting tools relating to security and encryption.
   • Manage all network objects: computers, users, TCP/IP resources, printers, copier.
   • Manage staff to implement JCL procedure modifications.
   • Utilize PowerShell scripts to automate system administrative tasks.

   More security administrator duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the security administrator job description is a good way to get more applicants. A security administrator salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a security administrator in Missouri may be lower than in California, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level security administrator. Additionally, a security administrator with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average security administrator salary

   $79,564yearly

   $38.25 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level security administrator salary

   $54,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 18, 2025

   Average security administrator salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$110,251	$53
   2	Massachusetts	$96,788	$47
   3	New York	$86,535	$42
   4	Tennessee	$84,743	$41
   5	New Jersey	$84,316	$41
   6	Texas	$83,102	$40
   7	Arizona	$81,403	$39
   8	Minnesota	$77,352	$37
   9	Illinois	$76,066	$37
   10	North Carolina	$75,696	$36
   11	Virginia	$74,921	$36
   12	Kansas	$72,912	$35
   13	Georgia	$72,744	$35
   14	Maryland	$72,581	$35
   15	Alabama	$72,037	$35
   16	District of Columbia	$70,330	$34
   17	Colorado	$69,932	$34
   18	Utah	$68,994	$33
   19	Missouri	$65,831	$32

   Average security administrator salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Gap Inc.	$119,870	$57.63
   2	Roblox	$106,747	$51.32	3
   3	Broadcom	$104,346	$50.17	15
   4	Booz Allen Hamilton	$101,869	$48.98	84
   5	Crown Equipment	$98,452	$47.33	7
   6	Visionary Integration Professionals	$98,138	$47.18
   7	Bosch USA	$97,133	$46.70
   8	SonicWall	$96,809	$46.54
   9	Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory	$95,912	$46.11
   10	Farm Credit System	$95,735	$46.03	5
   11	Alexandria Real Estate Equities	$95,522	$45.92	2
   12	Los Alamos National Laboratory	$94,603	$45.48	4
   13	Live Nation Entertainment	$92,517	$44.48	54
   14	ADT Security Services	$92,320	$44.38	7
   15	University Health System Inc	$92,107	$44.28	1
   16	Life Tech International	$91,471	$43.98
   17	UPS	$90,721	$43.62	8
   18	Public Storage	$89,766	$43.16	1
   19	Microexcel	$89,577	$43.07
   20	Globe Life	$89,356	$42.96

4. Writing a security administrator job description

   A security administrator job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a security administrator job description:

   Security administrator job description example

   Allied Universal , North America's leading security and facility services company, provides rewarding careers that give you a sense of purpose. While working in a dynamic, diverse and inclusive workplace, you will be part of a team that fuels a culture that will reflect in our communities and customers we serve. We offer medical, dental and vision coverage, life insurance, 401K, employee assistance programs, company discounts, perks and more for all full-time positions!
   
   As an Administrative Specialist, you will perform a variety of administrative functions that may include: processing card access badges and Photo IDs, Incident Report processing, record keeping, filing, reception, compilation of data for reports, monitoring personnel compliance, data entry, processing payroll, processing Lost and Found, processing parking permits, handling cash funds, processing paperwork, and other miscellaneous and/or ancillary tasks as assigned by the Security Manager.
   Hiring Now!
   
   Pay: $27.00 / hour
   
   M-F 8am-4pm
   
   Great Benefits
   
   401k
   
   Paid Holidays
   
   COVID-19 vaccination is required for this position - the Company will provide accommodations as required by law for disability and religious-based reasons.
   
   QUALIFICATIONS: To perform this job successfully, the individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or experience required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
   
   * Be at least 18 years of age
   * Possess a high school diploma or equivalent, or 5 years verifiable experience
   * Possess effective written and oral communication and interpersonal skills with ability to deal with all levels of personnel and the general public in a professional and effective manner
   * As a condition of employment, employee must successfully complete a background investigation and a drug screen in accordance with all federal, state, and local laws
   * Display exceptional customer service and communication skills
   * Driving Positions: must possess a valid Driver's License with at least one year of driving experience, a clean driving record (no major violations within last 36 months, no more than 1 accident in last 24 months, no more than one minor moving violation in last 24 months), a minimum level of insurance as required by Company policy, and the ability to safely operate a vehicle required.
   
   Allied Universal is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race/ethnicity, age, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, genetic information, disability, protected veteran status or relationship/association with a protected veteran, or any other basis or characteristic protected by law. For more information: www.aus.com
   
   If you have any questions regarding Equal Employment Opportunity, Affirmative Action, Diversity and Inclusion, have difficulty using the online system and require an alternate method to apply, or require an accommodation at any time during the recruitment and/or employment process, please contact our local Human Resources department. To find an office near you, please visit: www.aus.com/offices.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right security administrator for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your security administrator job on Zippia to find and recruit security administrator candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as dice, engineering.com, stack overflow, it job pro.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit security administrators, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   If your interviews with security administrator applicants aren't enough to make a decision, you should also consider including a test project. These are often the best, most straightforward, and least bias-prone ways of determining who will likely succeed in the role. If you don't know how to design an appropriate test, you can ask someone else on the team to create it or take a look at these websites to get a few ideas:

   • TestDome
   • CodeSignal
   • Testlify
   • BarRaiser
   • Coderbyte

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new security administrator

   Once you have selected a candidate for the security administrator position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a security administrator?