Physical Security recruiters serving McAllen.
At a $45,210 median, security and fire alarm systems installers in McAllen earn 25% less than nationally; about 150 work in the metro. BLS counts 26 business locations of security systems integrators across the metro. Below: local pay for every role we staff, the state licensing rules that apply and the nearby markets competing for the same people.
Positions we recruit for in McAllen.
BLS counts about 900 people working in the occupations behind these roles across the McAllen metro, the largest group being electricians (about 670). Relative to the size of the local economy, security and fire alarm systems installers are less concentrated here than nationally (location quotient 0.90). Local headcount and pay for each role are below; role descriptions are on the Physical Security hub.
Security Systems Installer / Technician
McAllen: 150 employed · $45,210 median, 110th-highest of 110 metros
Access Control Technician
CCTV / Video Surveillance Technician
Low-Voltage Electrician (Security Specialty)
McAllen: 670 employed · $46,930 median, 112th-highest of 112 metros
Alarm Systems Technician
Security Systems Project Manager
McAllen: 500 employed · $83,450 median, 111th-highest of 111 metros
Security Systems Estimator
McAllen: 230 employed · $64,420 median, 109th-highest of 111 metros
Integration Engineer / Systems Integrator
McAllen: 80 employed · $62,320 median, 99th-highest of 106 metros
Field Service Technician
Security Systems Foreman / Crew Lead
McAllen: 800 employed · $60,370 median, 112th-highest of 112 metros
What Physical Security roles earn in McAllen.
Security and fire alarm systems installers in McAllen earn a median $45,210, 25% under the $60,070 national figure, and 110th of 110 metros. Pay runs $33,470 at the tenth percentile to $62,270 at the ninetieth. The best-paid role below is electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians, at $62,320 against $78,190 nationally.
| Role | McAllen median | Typical range | National median | vs. national | Employed locally |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Security Systems Installer / Technician · Access Control Technician · CCTV / Video Surveillance TechnicianSecurity and Fire Alarm Systems Installers (49-2098) | $45,210 | $33,470–$62,270 | $60,070 | −25% | 150 |
| Low-Voltage Electrician (Security Specialty)Electricians (47-2111) | $46,930 | $34,520–$71,850 | $63,190 | −26% | 670 |
| Security Systems Project ManagerConstruction Managers (11-9021) | $83,450 | $56,680–$156,460 | $114,990 | −27% | 500 |
| Security Systems EstimatorCost Estimators (13-1051) | $64,420 | $37,730–$103,920 | $78,740 | −18% | 230 |
| Integration Engineer / Systems IntegratorElectrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians (17-3023) | $62,320 | $43,680–$90,610 | $78,190 | −20% | 80 |
| Security Systems Foreman / Crew LeadFirst-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers (47-1011) | $60,370 | $39,580–$99,240 | $79,920 | −24% | 800 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, McAllen metro. Range is 10th to 90th percentile; management and office roles are metro-wide. A metro ranking counts only the metros where BLS publishes that occupation.
How McAllen's physical security market has changed since 2018.
The number of security systems integrators in McAllen rose from 18 in 2018 to 26 in 2023, up 44%, ahead of the 18% national rise. Headcount at those firms went down 3%, to about 228 people, so more firms are sharing fewer workers. Average annual pay there went from $43,172 to $47,574 (+10%), slower than the 26% national increase.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Security systems integrators: business locations | 18 | 26 | +44% |
| Security systems integrators: employment | 235 | 228 | −3% |
| Security systems integrators: average annual pay | $43,172 | $47,574 | +10% |
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, private employers, annual averages. A dash means BLS did not publish the figure.
Free Physical Security hiring resources.
Definitive Guide to Physical Security · 2026 Physical Security Salary Guide · 3-Step Interview Guide for Physical Security
McAllen runs 10% fewer physical security workers per job than the country as a whole — below the national concentration. Fewer per job means the people you want are already working, and usually for someone who would rather keep them.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 , Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers. Metro-wide figures for the base occupation; the wage table above is role-specific and commercial.
How McAllen's physical security market compares
Among the 99 metros we cover with published BLS figures, McAllen ranks 80th for headcount, 99th for median pay and 63rd for concentration for security and fire alarm systems installers. Pay here is among the lowest we see, which makes relocation offers from higher-paying metros a real retention risk.
| Metro | Employed | Median pay | Concentration | Commercial employers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 3,550 | $57,930 | 1.58 | 294 |
| Houston | 2,500 | $56,920 | 1.37 | 204 |
| San Antonio | 820 | $56,600 | 1.31 | 84 |
| Austin | 820 | $59,790 | 1.15 | 85 |
| El Paso | 480 | $55,420 | 2.55 | 33 |
| McAllen | 150 | $45,210 | 0.90 | 26 |
BLS OEWS occupation figures and QCEW business-location counts; a dash means not published.
What this means for hiring:For physical security employers in McAllen, the local pool is thin and local employers have been cutting headcount. Senior hires often come from outside the metro or from adjacent trades, so start searches earlier than you would elsewhere.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, McAllen metro. Employers are counted by business location.
Physical Security licensing in Texas.
Alarm installers and electronic access control device installers need individual licenses and must be affiliated with a company licensed by the department. Applicants go through fingerprint-based background checks. The same state rules apply in Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio, Austin and El Paso, so candidates licensed there can work in McAllen without re-qualifying.
Licensing authority: Texas Department of Public Safety, Private Security Program. Confirm current rules with the agency.
Nearby markets competing for McAllen talent.
The closest metro we cover is San Antonio, about 225 miles away, with roughly 820 security and fire alarm systems installers (5.5 times McAllen's 150). Austin pays the most nearby, a $59,790 median, 32% above McAllen. That is the number any McAllen offer is competing with when experienced people weigh a move. San Antonio has the deepest pool within reach, so a search for senior roles here usually extends there.
| Metro | Distance | Employed | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| McAllen | – | 150 | $45,210 |
| San Antonio | 223 mi | 820 | $56,600 |
| Austin | 282 mi | 820 | $59,790 |
BLS OEWS, May 2025; straight-line miles.
What else is competing for McAllen crews.
Not physical security work. These are the capital projects big enough to pull the same crews into McAllen in the months you are trying to fill a seat, each with the status its own market page reports.
- McAllen International Airport terminal + runway expansion$225M ($180M terminal + up to $45M runway)Multi-year buildout
90,000 sq ft of new terminal construction, bringing the airport to roughly 238,000 sq ft of gross building area, plus runway expansion - sustained airport-facility construction and MEP demand.
- DHR Health / University of Houston Medical Research and Education Center$15M state appropriationGroundbreaking April 2026
A new hub for clinical trials and physician training - added healthcare-adjacent construction volume alongside Driscoll's expansion.
- Driscoll Children's Hospital PICU expansion$9.1M+Opened
A completed, historical example of the healthcare-construction capacity this metro delivers - 15 additional Pediatric Intensive Care Unit beds, bringing PICU capacity to 23 beds and the hospital to 134 beds total.
Showing 3 of 4 projects tracked in this metro. The McAllen market page lists them all.
What credentials matter for physical security, and what kills offers in McAllen.
The 4 credentials that gate the work and the 4 things that most often end a physical security offer are the same in every market, kept in one place: Physical Security credentials and offer risks, each linked to the body that issues it. What is local is the licensing rule above and the pay further up this page.
Frequently asked - Physical Security hiring in McAllen.
What do security and fire alarm systems installers earn in McAllen?
BLS puts the McAllen median for security and fire alarm systems installers at $45,210 a year, 25% below the $60,070 national median. That ranks 110th of 110 metros with published figures, in the bottom quarter. Most of the market sits between $33,470 and $62,270, a 1.9x gap and a moderate spread, so a few thousand dollars over the median buys real experience. Within Texas, Austin pays more, at $59,790.
Is it hard to hire security and fire alarm systems installers in McAllen?
It is about average. Security and fire alarm systems installers are as common in McAllen as they are nationally (location quotient 0.90), with about 150 in the metro. The 26 security systems integrators here average about 8.8 employees per location. With 44% more of those firms than in 2018, more employers are competing for the same crews.
Which physical security roles pay the most in McAllen?
Of the roles we recruit for, Security Systems Project Manager pays the most in McAllen, a $83,450 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Integration Engineer / Systems Integrator at $62,320, 25% below it. Security Systems Installer / Technician is the lowest-paid field role at $45,210. Security Systems Project Manager trails national pay the most (27% below).
How many security systems integrators operate in McAllen?
BLS counted 26 security systems integrators in McAllen in 2023, employing about 228 people between them. Up from 18 in 2018, a 44% increase against 18% growth nationally. That averages 8.8 people per location. They pay an average of $47,574, 41% below the $80,288 national average for the same kind of employer.
Which nearby metros compete with McAllen for security and fire alarm systems installers?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are San Antonio (223 miles, about 820, $56,600 median) and Austin (282 miles, about 820, $59,790 median). San Antonio has the larger pool, so it is the first place to look for senior people willing to move. San Antonio pays 25% more, which is where McAllen employers tend to lose people.
The seat is open. The pipeline should not be.
26 security systems integrators in McAllen are drawing on the same 150 security and fire alarm systems installers. Let's get your next hire lined up first.
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