Physical Security recruiters serving Virginia Beach.
About 370 security and fire alarm systems installers work in the Virginia Beach metro, at a $60,440 median. BLS counts 38 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 Virginia Beach.
BLS counts about 7,540 people working in the occupations behind these roles across the Virginia Beach metro, the largest group being electricians (about 5,740). Relative to the size of the local economy, security and fire alarm systems installers are less concentrated here than nationally (location quotient 0.88). Local headcount and pay for each role are below; role descriptions are on the Physical Security hub.
Security Systems Installer / Technician
Virginia Beach: 370 employed · $60,440 median, 57th-highest of 110 metros
Access Control Technician
CCTV / Video Surveillance Technician
Low-Voltage Electrician (Security Specialty)
Virginia Beach: 5,740 employed · $62,350 median, 59th-highest of 112 metros
Alarm Systems Technician
Security Systems Project Manager
Virginia Beach: 1,400 employed · $105,240 median, 73rd-highest of 111 metros
Security Systems Estimator
Virginia Beach: 1,440 employed · $80,850 median, 31st-highest of 111 metros
Integration Engineer / Systems Integrator
Virginia Beach: 1,430 employed · $96,870 median, 5th-highest of 106 metros
Field Service Technician
Security Systems Foreman / Crew Lead
Virginia Beach: 6,140 employed · $80,950 median, 42nd-highest of 112 metros
What Physical Security roles earn in Virginia Beach.
Security and fire alarm systems installers in Virginia Beach earn a median $60,440, level with the $60,070 national figure, and 57th of 110 metros. Pay runs $42,160 at the tenth percentile to $75,900 at the ninetieth. The best-paid role below is electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians, at $96,870 against $78,190 nationally.
| Role | Virginia Beach 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) | $60,440 | $42,160–$75,900 | $60,070 | +1% | 370 |
| Low-Voltage Electrician (Security Specialty)Electricians (47-2111) | $62,350 | $43,970–$81,280 | $63,190 | −1% | 5,740 |
| Security Systems Project ManagerConstruction Managers (11-9021) | $105,240 | $77,250–$161,840 | $114,990 | −8% | 1,400 |
| Security Systems EstimatorCost Estimators (13-1051) | $80,850 | $52,340–$122,420 | $78,740 | +3% | 1,440 |
| Integration Engineer / Systems IntegratorElectrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians (17-3023) | $96,870 | $59,290–$131,210 | $78,190 | +24% | 1,430 |
| Security Systems Foreman / Crew LeadFirst-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers (47-1011) | $80,950 | $55,110–$99,510 | $79,920 | +1% | 6,140 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Virginia Beach 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 Virginia Beach's physical security market has changed since 2018.
The number of security systems integrators in Virginia Beach rose from 37 in 2018 to 38 in 2023, up 3%, behind the 18% growth nationally. Their combined payroll headcount barely moved, at about 334. Average annual pay there went from $50,163 to $62,842 (+25%), in step with the 26% national increase.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Security systems integrators: business locations | 37 | 38 | +3% |
| Security systems integrators: employment | 329 | 334 | +2% |
| Security systems integrators: average annual pay | $50,163 | $62,842 | +25% |
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
Virginia Beach runs 12% 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 Virginia Beach's physical security market compares
Among the 99 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Virginia Beach ranks 49th for headcount, 53rd for median pay and 67th for concentration for security and fire alarm systems installers.
| Metro | Employed | Median pay | Concentration | Commercial employers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond | 500 | $59,560 | 1.37 | 39 |
| Virginia Beach | 370 | $60,440 | 0.88 | 38 |
BLS OEWS occupation figures and QCEW business-location counts; a dash means not published.
What this means for hiring:For physical security employers in Virginia Beach, the local pool is thin but growing. Expect a mix of local candidates and people recruited in from nearby metros, and budget for relocation on senior roles.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, Virginia Beach metro. Employers are counted by business location.
Physical Security licensing in Virginia.
Electronic security businesses need a private security services business license, and technicians must register. Registration requires 14 hours of entry-level training and fingerprinting. The same state rules apply in Richmond, so candidates licensed there can work in Virginia Beach without re-qualifying. The Virginia Beach metro crosses a state line, so check the rules in the neighboring state too for crews that work on both sides.
Licensing authority: Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services. Confirm current rules with the agency.
Nearby markets competing for Virginia Beach talent.
The closest metro we cover is Richmond, about 95 miles away, with roughly 500 security and fire alarm systems installers (1.4 times Virginia Beach's 370). Washington, D.C. pays the most nearby, a $66,790 median, 11% above Virginia Beach. That is the number any Virginia Beach offer is competing with when experienced people weigh a move. Washington, D.C. has the deepest pool within reach, so a search for senior roles here usually extends there.
| Metro | Distance | Employed | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach | – | 370 | $60,440 |
| Richmond | 95 mi | 500 | $59,560 |
| Washington, D.C. | 152 mi | 1,610 | $66,790 |
| Raleigh | 166 mi | 600 | $59,580 |
| Baltimore | 172 mi | 1,220 | $62,130 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill | 173 mi | 80 | $47,050 |
BLS OEWS, May 2025; straight-line miles.
What else is competing for Virginia Beach crews.
Not physical security work. These are the capital projects big enough to pull the same crews into Virginia Beach in the months you are trying to fill a seat, each with the status its own market page reports.
- FY2026 Navy shipbuilding program$47.4BFY2026, largest single-year US shipbuilding investment since the Cold War
Triggers major construction and outfitting activity at public shipyards, with a distributed manufacturing model spanning 11 states. Newport News Shipbuilding, Virginia's largest industrial employer, is a primary beneficiary.
- Virginia-class and Columbia-class submarine contracts (combined)~$76.6B combinedMulti-year build program
HII's own reporting cites this as one combined figure across both concurrent submarine programs (Virginia-class: 9 boats plus material for a 10th; Columbia-class: 5 boats) rather than a per-class split. Sustained, large-scale demand for structural and pipe welders, marine pipefitters, and industrial electricians at Newport News Shipbuilding.
- HII shipbuilding work outsourcing2.5M+ hours in 2026 (+30% YoY)2026, across 25 locations in 11 states
Newport News Shipbuilding's parent company is outsourcing a record volume of shipbuilding work, signaling the regional labor pool cannot keep pace with the Navy's build schedule on its own.
Showing 3 of 4 projects tracked in this metro. The Virginia Beach market page lists them all.
What credentials matter for physical security, and what kills offers in Virginia Beach.
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 Virginia Beach.
What do security and fire alarm systems installers earn in Virginia Beach?
BLS puts the Virginia Beach median for security and fire alarm systems installers at $60,440 a year, about the same as the $60,070 national median. That ranks 57th of 110 metros with published figures, in the middle of the pack. Most of the market sits between $42,160 and $75,900, a 1.8x gap and a moderate spread, so a few thousand dollars over the median buys real experience. No other Virginia metro we cover pays more for this work (Richmond: $59,560).
Is it hard to hire security and fire alarm systems installers in Virginia Beach?
It is about average. Security and fire alarm systems installers are as common in Virginia Beach as they are nationally (location quotient 0.88), with about 370 in the metro. The 38 security systems integrators here average about 8.8 employees per location.
Which physical security roles pay the most in Virginia Beach?
Of the roles we recruit for, Security Systems Project Manager pays the most in Virginia Beach, a $105,240 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Integration Engineer / Systems Integrator at $96,870, 8% below it. Security Systems Installer / Technician is the lowest-paid field role at $60,440. Relative to national pay, Integration Engineer / Systems Integrator is the strongest-paying role here (24% above). Security Systems Project Manager trails national pay the most (8% below).
How many security systems integrators operate in Virginia Beach?
BLS counted 38 security systems integrators in Virginia Beach in 2023, employing about 334 people between them. Up from 37 in 2018, a 3% increase against 18% growth nationally. That averages 8.8 people per location. They pay an average of $62,842, 22% below the $80,288 national average for the same kind of employer.
Which nearby metros compete with Virginia Beach for security and fire alarm systems installers?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Richmond (95 miles, about 500, $59,560 median), Washington, D.C. (152 miles, about 1,610, $66,790 median) and Raleigh (166 miles, about 600, $59,580 median). Washington, D.C. has the larger pool, so it is the first place to look for senior people willing to move. Washington, D.C. pays 11% more, which is where Virginia Beach employers tend to lose people.
The seat is open. The pipeline should not be.
38 security systems integrators in Virginia Beach are drawing on the same 370 security and fire alarm systems installers. Let's get your next hire lined up first.
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