Physical Security recruiters serving New York.
New York has 30% more security and fire alarm systems installers per job than the country as a whole, about 6,850 in the metro. BLS counts 657 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 New York.
BLS counts about 46,360 people working in the occupations behind these roles across the New York metro, the largest group being electricians (about 36,550). Relative to the size of the local economy, security and fire alarm systems installers are far more concentrated here than nationally (location quotient 1.30). Local headcount and pay for each role are below; role descriptions are on the Physical Security hub.
Security Systems Installer / Technician
New York: 6,850 employed · $59,280 median, 71st-highest of 110 metros
Access Control Technician
CCTV / Video Surveillance Technician
Low-Voltage Electrician (Security Specialty)
New York: 36,550 employed · $79,020 median, 12th-highest of 112 metros
Alarm Systems Technician
Security Systems Project Manager
New York: 12,120 employed · $158,000 median, 4th-highest of 111 metros
Security Systems Estimator
New York: 11,610 employed · $82,380 median, 21st-highest of 111 metros
Integration Engineer / Systems Integrator
New York: 2,960 employed · $82,000 median, 27th-highest of 106 metros
Field Service Technician
Security Systems Foreman / Crew Lead
New York: 28,220 employed · $103,990 median, 6th-highest of 112 metros
What Physical Security roles earn in New York.
Security and fire alarm systems installers in New York earn a median $59,280, level with the $60,070 national figure, and 71st of 110 metros. Pay runs $43,680 at the tenth percentile to $88,050 at the ninetieth. The best-paid role below is electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians, at $82,000 against $78,190 nationally.
| Role | New York 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) | $59,280 | $43,680–$88,050 | $60,070 | −1% | 6,850 |
| Low-Voltage Electrician (Security Specialty)Electricians (47-2111) | $79,020 | $46,170–$132,170 | $63,190 | +25% | 36,550 |
| Security Systems Project ManagerConstruction Managers (11-9021) | $158,000 | $91,740–$250,520 | $114,990 | +37% | 12,120 |
| Security Systems EstimatorCost Estimators (13-1051) | $82,380 | $52,000–$150,690 | $78,740 | +5% | 11,610 |
| Integration Engineer / Systems IntegratorElectrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians (17-3023) | $82,000 | $55,950–$119,260 | $78,190 | +5% | 2,960 |
| Security Systems Foreman / Crew LeadFirst-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers (47-1011) | $103,990 | $66,180–$154,540 | $79,920 | +30% | 28,220 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, New York 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 New York's physical security market has changed since 2018.
The number of security systems integrators in New York rose from 612 in 2018 to 657 in 2023, up 7%, behind the 18% growth nationally. Headcount at those firms went up 7%, to about 8,180 people. Average annual pay there went from $71,340 to $84,933 (+19%), slower than the 26% national increase.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Security systems integrators: business locations | 612 | 657 | +7% |
| Security systems integrators: employment | 7,657 | 8,180 | +7% |
| Security systems integrators: average annual pay | $71,340 | $84,933 | +19% |
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
New York runs 30% more physical security workers per job than the country as a whole — well above the national concentration. More per job means more people to reach, and more employers reaching 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 New York's physical security market compares
Among the 99 metros we cover with published BLS figures, New York ranks 1st for headcount, 66th for median pay and 34th for concentration for security and fire alarm systems installers.
| Metro | Employed | Median pay | Concentration | Commercial employers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 6,850 | $59,280 | 1.30 | 657 |
| Rochester | 400 | $60,520 | 1.46 | 33 |
| Albany | 290 | $62,420 | 1.15 | 18 |
| Buffalo | 240 | $60,920 | 0.79 | 26 |
| Syracuse | 230 | $61,410 | 1.37 | 17 |
BLS OEWS occupation figures and QCEW business-location counts; a dash means not published.
What this means for hiring:For physical security employers in New York, the pool is deep and still growing, so the constraint is competition rather than supply. Move fast on good candidates, because another local firm is probably talking to them too.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, New York metro. Employers are counted by business location.
Physical Security licensing in New York.
Businesses that install, service or maintain security or fire alarm systems need a state Security or Fire Alarm Installer license. Both the licensee and employees who help with installation or service must submit fingerprints. The same state rules apply in Buffalo, Rochester, Albany and Syracuse, so candidates licensed there can work in New York without re-qualifying. The New York metro crosses a state line, so check the rules in the neighboring state too for crews that work on both sides.
Licensing authority: New York Department of State, Division of Licensing Services. Confirm current rules with the agency.
We have not closed a physical security search in New York yet. Here is what we have closed.
These are other trades in the same market. We would rather show you the searches we have actually run in New York than imply a record in this trade that we do not have yet.
- HVAC Service TechnicianTwo months to find a technician who could run commercial, public and industrial service calls alone - the seniority bar is what made it long.
- HVAC Service TechnicianFifteen years across VRV/VRF, rooftop units and controls integration.
- HVAC Service TechnicianA second seat for the same contractor, filled with a strong diagnostician earlier in his independent career.
Nearby markets competing for New York talent.
The closest metro we cover is Bridgeport, about 55 miles away. Hartford pays the most nearby, a $73,740 median, 24% above New York. That is the number any New York offer is competing with when experienced people weigh a move. New York is the largest market for this work in the region, so nearby metros tend to recruit from here rather than the other way round.
| Metro | Distance | Employed | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | – | 6,850 | $59,280 |
| Bridgeport | 53 mi | – | – |
| Allentown-Bethlehem | 78 mi | 300 | $61,280 |
| Philadelphia | 81 mi | 1,290 | $61,870 |
| Scranton | 99 mi | 110 | $56,790 |
| Hartford | 100 mi | 220 | $73,740 |
BLS OEWS, May 2025; straight-line miles.
What else is competing for New York crews.
Not physical security work. These are the capital projects big enough to pull the same crews into New York in the months you are trying to fill a seat, each with the status its own market page reports.
- JFK Airport Terminal 6 + Terminal 1 redevelopment$13-14B combinedThrough 2030
Massive MEP scope across both terminals. Airport-grade mechanical, electrical, baggage systems. Multi-year crew demand for senior trades.
- LaGuardia Airport rebuild$4-5.3BCompleted January 2025
Now complete - a historical example of the mechanical and finish trades capacity this metro delivers under a project labor agreement, not an active current driver.
- NYC Local Law 97 climate compliance retrofit wave$15-20B across buildings 25k+ sq ft2024-2030 enforcement
Largest commercial HVAC retrofit driver in US history. Building owners must hit carbon caps - driving heat pump installs, control system upgrades, building electrification. Mechanical PMs with retrofit + commissioning experience in extreme demand.
Showing 3 of 6 projects tracked in this metro. The New York market page lists them all.
What credentials matter for physical security, and what kills offers in New York.
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 New York.
What do security and fire alarm systems installers earn in New York?
BLS puts the New York median for security and fire alarm systems installers at $59,280 a year, about the same as the $60,070 national median. That ranks 71st of 110 metros with published figures, in the middle of the pack. Most of the market sits between $43,680 and $88,050, a 2.0x gap and a moderate spread, so a few thousand dollars over the median buys real experience. Within New York, Albany pays more, at $62,420.
Is it hard to hire security and fire alarm systems installers in New York?
Not by national standards. Security and fire alarm systems installers make up 30% more of the New York workforce than they do nationally, about 6,850 people. The 657 security systems integrators here average about 12 employees per location.
Which physical security roles pay the most in New York?
Of the roles we recruit for, Security Systems Project Manager pays the most in New York, a $158,000 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Integration Engineer / Systems Integrator at $82,000, 48% below it. Security Systems Installer / Technician is the lowest-paid field role at $59,280. Relative to national pay, Security Systems Project Manager is the strongest-paying role here (37% above).
How many security systems integrators operate in New York?
BLS counted 657 security systems integrators in New York in 2023, employing about 8,180 people between them. Up from 612 in 2018, a 7% increase against 18% growth nationally. That averages 12 people per location. They pay an average of $84,933, 6% above the $80,288 national average for the same kind of employer.
Which nearby metros compete with New York for security and fire alarm systems installers?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Allentown-Bethlehem (78 miles, about 300, $61,280 median), Philadelphia (81 miles, about 1,290, $61,870 median) and Scranton (99 miles, about 110, $56,790 median).
Plenty of people. Few of them looking.
New York has one of the deeper pools of security and fire alarm systems installers we cover, but the best of them are already working. Let's find the ones ready to move.
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