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Job outlook for security assistants in the United States
Security assistant job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected security assistant job growth rate is 3% from 2018-2028.
About 38,000 new jobs for security assistants are projected over the next decade.
Security assistant salaries have increased 20% for security assistants in the last 5 years.
There are over 30,571 security assistants currently employed in the United States.
There are 102,858 active security assistant job openings in the US.
The average security assistant salary is $38,261.
Are security assistant jobs in demand?
Security assistant job and salary trends over time
Security assistant jobs over time
Security assistant job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 30,571 | 0.01% |
| 2020 | 30,492 | 0.01% |
| 2019 | 32,574 | 0.01% |
| 2018 | 32,227 | 0.01% |
| 2017 | 31,968 | 0.01% |
Average security assistant salary over time
Security assistant salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $38,261 | $18.39 | +4.6% |
| 2025 | $36,573 | $17.58 | +4.2% |
| 2024 | $35,106 | $16.88 | +5.9% |
| 2023 | $33,147 | $15.94 | +4.4% |
| 2022 | $31,754 | $15.27 | +4.6% |
Security assistant jobs by state
Most common states for security assistants
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 165 | 24% |
| 2 | Delaware | 961,939 | 216 | 22% |
| 3 | Alaska | 739,795 | 163 | 22% |
| 4 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,356 | 20% |
| 5 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,090 | 20% |
| 6 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 211 | 20% |
| 7 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 186 | 18% |
| 8 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 228 | 17% |
| 9 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 1,617 | 16% |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 1,974 | 15% |
| 11 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 1,943 | 15% |
| 12 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 1,389 | 15% |
| 13 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 1,097 | 15% |
| 14 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 295 | 15% |
| 15 | Alabama | 4,874,747 | 678 | 14% |
| 16 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 436 | 14% |
| 17 | Ohio | 11,658,609 | 1,477 | 13% |
| 18 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 542 | 13% |
| 19 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 470 | 13% |
| 20 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 96 | 13% |
Most common cities for security assistants
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Battle Creek | 2 | 4% | $38,937 |
| 2 | Portland | 2 | 3% | $37,943 |
| 3 | Bangor | 1 | 3% | $34,450 |
| 4 | Huntsville | 4 | 2% | $27,794 |
| 5 | Boston | 4 | 1% | $54,332 |
| 6 | Kansas City | 3 | 1% | $37,183 |
| 7 | Urban Honolulu | 3 | 1% | $34,672 |
| 8 | Los Angeles | 2 | 0% | $44,601 |
| 9 | Minneapolis | 2 | 0% | $41,039 |
| 10 | Anchorage | 1 | 0% | $55,077 |
| 11 | Baltimore | 1 | 0% | $44,087 |
| 12 | Detroit | 1 | 0% | $40,806 |
Security Assistant job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of security assistant experts
Governors State University
Pennsylvania State University - Harrisburg
Georgia Southern University
Georgia Southern University
American University
Dr. Latarcia Barnes PhD
Chair of the Department of Criminal Justice and Sociology, Associate ProfessorWhat general advice would you give to a Security Assistant?
Dr. Latarcia Barnes PhD: Federal law enforcement is a great profession to enter. There is retirement after 20 years, great career advancement, and great benefits
What will help Security Assistants increase their earning potential?
Dr. Latarcia Barnes PhD: All skills can be beneficial in the criminal justice field because agencies are expanding job skills and qualifications to meet the changing needs of the world in relation to criminal justice. Many employed in this field hold degrees other than criminal justice. Federal criminal justice agencies are recruiting other majors because of those skill sets they possess. For example, accountants are being recruited for forensic accounting. Therefore with criminal justice majors, it is beneficial to make oneself more marketable by having a minor in another discipline.
Dr. Janet Brewer
Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice & SociologyGovernors State University
Criminal Justice And Corrections
What general advice would you give to a Security Assistant?
Dr. Janet Brewer: Market yourself as someone who can increase revenue or decrease workload for that entity. Use your school's alumni network to its fullest.
What will help Security Assistants increase their earning potential?
Dr. Janet Brewer: Think about skill sets and transferrable skills rather than traditional job labels. For example, I am someone who can advocate, critically analyze, and communicate persuasively rather than I am a lawyer.
Jennifer Gibbs Ph.D.
Associate ProfessorPennsylvania State University - Harrisburg
School of Public Affairs, Criminal Justice Program
What skills stand out on Security Assistant resumes?
Jennifer Gibbs Ph.D.: Police officers need many skills to be successful on the job. The most important are written and oral communication skills and the ability to make ethical decisions with limited information quickly. Written communications skills are crucial. If a police report is poorly worded or incomplete, it can derail a criminal case. Police officers also need to talk to people of all ages from all walks of life in any circumstance. Often, police meet people on what may be the worst day of their lives when emotions are running high. Police need to be able to help calm a person while gathering information. Police need to be able to use their words and body language to empathize with someone who has been victimized, and they need to project authority, so people making poor decisions obey their commands.
This may be common sense, but research has demonstrated that communication and ethical decision-making skills are important for police officers. (See the research article published in 2017 in the Journal of Criminal Justice Education, entitled "An assessment of the relative importance of criminal justice learning objectives," by Baker and colleagues.) Baker and colleagues asked students, professionals, and college professors to rate the skills of hypothetical job applicants. These participants rated the following as the most important characteristics for criminal justice applicants (including law enforcement officers):
Ethics
Oral communication
Critical thinking
Sensitivity to diversity
Written communication skills
Logan Somers Ph.D.
Assistant ProfessorGeorgia Southern University
Criminal Justice and Criminology Department
What skills stand out on Security Assistant resumes?
Logan Somers Ph.D.: Skills and experiences that stand out on Law Enforcement Officer resumes are not too dissimilar from desirable qualities in other industries. First, even though the vast majority of police departments do not have an education requirement beyond high school, most recruits entering the academy do have at least some college experience. Therefore, having an associate's or bachelor's degree will make you competitive. Further, policing in today's society requires officers to be elite communicators, critical thinkers, and problem-solvers. Any prior work experience that can be used to demonstrate how you performed those skills under pressure should be highlighted. Lastly, any prior community service and or mentoring should be included. Having these experiences displays your commitment to improving your community and bettering the lives of those around you.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Security Assistants?
Logan Somers Ph.D.: A significant portion of an officer's day can often be spent filling out paperwork. Every stop, citation, warrant, arrest, or use of force incident typically requires forms that need to be filled out and sent to supervisors for review. This makes the ability to write proficiently and provide a descriptive narrative of events crucial for day-to-day police work.
Amanda Graham Ph.D.
Assistant ProfessorGeorgia Southern University
Criminal Justice & Criminology
What soft skills should all Security Assistants possess?
Amanda Graham Ph.D.: Verbal Communication - The ability to talk to/hold a conversation with a stranger is essential in the human enterprise of policing. It is one of the best tools and officer has with them to address any situation.
Ethical Decision-Making (Using Discretion Appropriately) - The ability to make the best decision in a given situation is absolutely critical in policing. Not only do officers need to have sound and logical judgment, but also the capacity to make ethically sound decisions helps to prevent the introduction of bias into the criminal justice system.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Security Assistant job market given the pandemic?
Trace Lasley Ph.D.: The pandemic will have less of an impact than the change in administration and budget negotiations with Congress. Hiring seems to have slowed at the end of the last administration, but will likely pick up again. Even as administration priorities in the Department of Homeland Security shift, they will be offset by hiring in the wider homeland security enterprise including those at the federal, state, and local levels as well as contractor positions.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Security Assistants?
Trace Lasley Ph.D.: There are a lot of good courses. The best programs to look for are those that offer practical skills alongside the substantive knowledge. That means writing, briefing, project management, and other skills that are valuable regardless of the position. Substantively, right now, I would say domestic terrorism and cybersecurity, but you can't neglect the fundamentals about the history of homeland security and transnational terrorism.
How have salaries changed over time for Security Assistants?
Trace Lasley Ph.D.: Federal salaries are an open record. Check out the Office of Personnel Management https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/#url=2021. You can see the salaries for the last 10 years, and there's a link that will take you back to 1949. For a Masters level homeland security practitioner, you're generally looking at a GS-9 salary, which will vary by location.