Security officer demographics and statistics in the US
Security officer demographics research summary. Zippia estimates security officer demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our security officer estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about security officers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 889,232 security officers currently employed in the United States.
- 28.4% of all security officers are women, while 71.6% are men.
- The average security officer age is 43 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of security officers is White (54.5%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (19.6%), Black or African American (12.7%) and Asian (6.3%).
- In 2022, women earned 99% of what men earned.
- 6% of all security officers are LGBT.
- Security officers are 83% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Security officer demographics by:
Security officer gender statistics
28.4% of security officers are women and 71.6% of security officers are men.
- Male, 71.6%
- Female, 28.4%
Security officer gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 71.6% |
| Female | 28.4% |
Security officer gender pay gap
Women earn 99¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$31,852
Female income
$31,541
Security officer gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in security officer positions over time. Currently, 28.4% of security officers are female.
Security officer gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 74.29% | 25.71% |
| 2011 | 72.97% | 27.03% |
| 2012 | 74.26% | 25.74% |
| 2013 | 74.38% | 25.62% |
| 2014 | 73.49% | 26.51% |
| 2015 | 74.25% | 25.75% |
| 2016 | 73.84% | 26.16% |
| 2017 | 72.52% | 27.48% |
| 2018 | 73.43% | 26.57% |
| 2019 | 72.91% | 27.09% |
| 2020 | 70.64% | 29.36% |
| 2021 | 71.55% | 28.45% |
Security officer related jobs gender ratio
We compared security officers with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, rescue boat operator and bodyguard have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Playground Monitor | 18% | 82% |
| School Crossing Guard | 21% | 79% |
| Crossing Guard | 23% | 77% |
| Security Officer | 72% | 28% |
| Bouncer | 94% | 6% |
| Bodyguard | 96% | 4% |
| Rescue Boat Operator | 98% | 2% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Security officer demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among security officers is White, which makes up 54.5% of all security officers. Comparatively, 19.6% of security officers are Hispanic or Latino and 12.7% of security officers are Black or African American.
- White, 54.5%
- Hispanic or Latino, 19.6%
- Black or African American, 12.7%
- Asian, 6.3%
- Unknown, 5.3%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6%
Security officer race
| Security officer race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 54.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 19.6% |
| Black or African American | 12.7% |
| Asian | 6.3% |
| Unknown | 5.3% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.6% |
Security officer race and ethnicity over time
See how security officer racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Security officer race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 64.05% | 13.04% | 5.09% | 14.44% |
| 2011 | 62.00% | 12.98% | 5.07% | 16.02% |
| 2012 | 61.66% | 13.26% | 4.99% | 16.13% |
| 2013 | 61.99% | 12.82% | 5.25% | 16.22% |
| 2014 | 60.68% | 13.66% | 4.96% | 16.55% |
| 2015 | 60.31% | 13.10% | 5.44% | 17.01% |
| 2016 | 59.94% | 12.86% | 5.22% | 17.88% |
| 2017 | 59.84% | 13.78% | 4.89% | 17.68% |
| 2018 | 60.09% | 12.66% | 5.09% | 17.69% |
| 2019 | 59.08% | 13.38% | 5.91% | 17.56% |
| 2020 | 54.41% | 13.94% | 5.96% | 18.94% |
| 2021 | 54.53% | 12.71% | 6.29% | 19.58% |
Security officer wage gap by race
According to our data, white security officers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Unknown security officers have the lowest average salary at $31,469.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $31,469 |
| White | $32,058 |
| Black or African American | $31,924 |
| Asian | $32,038 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $31,778 |
Average security officer age
See how the average age of security officers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Security officer age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 45 | 41 |
| Unknown | 37.5 | 39 |
| Asian | 45 | 44 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 36 | 36.5 |
| White | 45 | 47 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 38.5 | 37 |
Security officer age breakdown
The average age of security officers is 40+ years years old, representing 56% of the security officer population.
Security officer age breakdown
| Security Officer Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 56% |
| 30-40 years | 21% |
| 20-30 years | 22% |
Security officer educational attainment
The most common degree for security officers is high school diploma, with 36% of security officers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 24% and bachelor's degree degree at 23%.
- High School Diploma, 36%
- Bachelor's, 24%
- Associate, 23%
- Diploma, 10%
- Other Degrees, 7%
Security officers by degree level
| Security officer degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 36% |
| Bachelor's | 24% |
| Associate | 23% |
| Diploma | 10% |
| Other Degrees | 7% |
Security officer jobs you might like
Security officer wage gap by degree level
According to the data, security officers with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $35,414 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, security officers earn a median annual income of $33,077 compared to $31,397 for security officers with an Associate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $35,414 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $30,428 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $33,077 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $31,397 |
Security officer employment statistics
Most security officers work for a private in the utilities industry.
Company size where security officers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where security officers work.
Security officer jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 6% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 12% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 23% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 16% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 27% |
| > 10,000 employees | 16% |
Security officer jobs by company type
Employees with the security officer job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most security officers prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Security officer jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 2% |
| Public | 11% |
| Private | 83% |
| Government | 4% |
Security officer jobs by industry
The most common industries for security officers are utilities, professional and hospitality.
Security officer industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Utilities | 23% |
| Professional | 21% |
| Hospitality | 10% |
| Manufacturing | 7% |
| Government | 5% |
| Fortune 500 | 5% |
| Technology | 5% |
| Transportation | 3% |
| Finance | 3% |
| Retail | 3% |
| Media | 2% |
| Internet | 2% |
| Construction | 2% |
| Health Care | 2% |
| Education | 2% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
Security officer turnover and employment statistics
Security officer unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for security officers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Security officer unemployment rate by year
| Year | Security officer unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 12.24% |
| 2011 | 11.62% |
| 2012 | 10.40% |
| 2013 | 9.08% |
| 2014 | 8.18% |
| 2015 | 7.21% |
| 2016 | 6.47% |
| 2017 | 5.77% |
| 2018 | 5.47% |
| 2019 | 4.75% |
| 2020 | 6.85% |
| 2021 | 7.46% |
Average security officer tenure
The average security officer stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 352,430 security officers resumes in Zippia's database.
Security officer tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 29% |
| 1-2 years | 32% |
| 3-4 years | 13% |
| 5-7 years | 16% |
| 8-10 years | 5% |
| 11+ years | 5% |
Security officer LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of security officers that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Construction Flagger | 3.84% | 29,023 |
| Security Officer | 6.29% | - |
| Surveillance System Monitor | 7.17% | 18,039 |
| Ski Patrol | 7.20% | 20,950 |
| Bail Bond Agent | 8.27% | 26,182 |
| Security Screener | 15.51% | 45,041 |
Similar security officer jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Construction Flagger | 3.84% | 29,023 |
| Surveillance System Monitor | 7.17% | 18,039 |
| Ski Patrol | 7.20% | 20,950 |
| Bail Bond Agent | 8.27% | 26,182 |
| Security Screener | 15.51% | 45,041 |
Foreign languages spoken by security officers
The most common foreign language among security officers is Spanish at 68.3%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 10.0% and Arabic is the third-most popular at 4.2%.
- Spanish, 68.3%
- French, 10.0%
- Arabic, 4.2%
- German, 2.6%
- Russian, 2.0%
- Other, 12.9%
Security officer languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 68.3% |
| French | 10.0% |
| Arabic | 4.2% |
| German | 2.6% |
| Russian | 2.0% |
| Other | 12.9% |
