Physical Security recruiters serving Washington, D.C..
Security and fire alarm systems installers in Washington, D.C. earn a $66,790 median, 11% above the national figure, and about 1,610 of them work in the metro. BLS counts 197 business locations of security systems integrators across the metro. We recruit Physical Security talent in Washington, D.C. from a standing, credential-verified pipeline. 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 Washington, D.C..
BLS counts about 20,780 people working in the occupations behind these roles across the Washington, D.C. metro, the largest group being electricians (about 16,580). Relative to the size of the local economy, security and fire alarm systems installers are less concentrated here than nationally (location quotient 0.92). Local headcount and pay for each role are below; role descriptions are on the Physical Security hub.
Security Systems Installer / Technician
Washington, D.C.: 1,610 employed · $66,790 median, 12th-highest of 110 metros
Access Control Technician
CCTV / Video Surveillance Technician
Low-Voltage Electrician (Security Specialty)
Washington, D.C.: 16,580 employed · $75,930 median, 26th-highest of 112 metros
Alarm Systems Technician
Security Systems Project Manager
Washington, D.C.: 6,630 employed · $129,650 median, 15th-highest of 111 metros
Security Systems Estimator
Washington, D.C.: 3,780 employed · $89,330 median, 9th-highest of 111 metros
Integration Engineer / Systems Integrator
Washington, D.C.: 2,590 employed · $84,090 median, 22nd-highest of 106 metros
Field Service Technician
Security Systems Foreman / Crew Lead
Washington, D.C.: 14,660 employed · $83,540 median, 30th-highest of 112 metros
What Physical Security roles earn in Washington, D.C..
Security and fire alarm systems installers in Washington, D.C. earn a median $66,790, 11% over the $60,070 national figure, and 12th of 110 metros. Pay runs $47,960 at the tenth percentile to $94,160 at the ninetieth. The best-paid role below is electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians, at $84,090 against $78,190 nationally.
| Role | Washington, D.C. 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) | $66,790 | $47,960–$94,160 | $60,070 | +11% | 1,610 |
| Low-Voltage Electrician (Security Specialty)Electricians (47-2111) | $75,930 | $44,690–$121,570 | $63,190 | +20% | 16,580 |
| Security Systems Project ManagerConstruction Managers (11-9021) | $129,650 | $86,530–$207,160 | $114,990 | +13% | 6,630 |
| Security Systems EstimatorCost Estimators (13-1051) | $89,330 | $53,890–$142,310 | $78,740 | +13% | 3,780 |
| Integration Engineer / Systems IntegratorElectrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians (17-3023) | $84,090 | $60,200–$125,640 | $78,190 | +8% | 2,590 |
| Security Systems Foreman / Crew LeadFirst-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers (47-1011) | $83,540 | $60,720–$129,260 | $79,920 | +5% | 14,660 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Washington, D.C. 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 Washington, D.C.'s physical security market has changed since 2018.
The number of security systems integrators in Washington, D.C. rose from 174 in 2018 to 197 in 2023, up 13%, behind the 18% growth nationally. Headcount and pay for those firms are withheld in Washington, D.C., so the occupation figures above are the better guide to what hiring costs.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Security systems integrators: business locations | 174 | 197 | +13% |
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
Washington, D.C. runs 8% 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 Washington, D.C.'s physical security market compares
Among the 99 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Washington, D.C. ranks 7th for headcount, 12th for median pay and 62nd for concentration for security and fire alarm systems installers.
What this means for hiring:For physical security employers in Washington, D.C., the pool is about the national norm for its size, so difficulty depends on the role more than the market.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, Washington, D.C. metro. Employers are counted by business location.
Physical Security licensing in District of Columbia.
Security alarm dealers need a District license that requires a police criminal history report. Individual alarm agents are licensed separately and must submit fingerprints. The Washington, D.C. metro crosses a state line, so check the rules in the neighboring state too for crews that work on both sides.
Licensing authority: Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection. Confirm current rules with the agency.
We have not closed a physical security search in Washington, D.C. 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 Washington, D.C. than imply a record in this trade that we do not have yet.
- Dispatcher / Service CoordinatorA coordinator used to 80-100 calls a day and 20-30 technicians, placed in twelve days.
- Commercial HVAC TechnicianRooftop units, VAV boxes, air handlers and water source heat pumps - covered in twelve days.
- IT TechnicianEarly-career IT talent with a fresh degree, placed into a technician seat with room to grow.
Nearby markets competing for Washington, D.C. talent.
The closest metro we cover is Baltimore, about 35 miles away, with roughly 1,220 security and fire alarm systems installers (0.8 times Washington, D.C.'s 1,610). Washington, D.C. pays more than every metro we cover within reach ($66,790 median), which helps when recruiting people in from Lancaster at $58,290. Washington, D.C. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington, D.C. | – | 1,610 | $66,790 |
| Baltimore | 36 mi | 1,220 | $62,130 |
| Lancaster | 88 mi | 90 | $58,290 |
| Richmond | 95 mi | 500 | $59,560 |
| Harrisburg | 96 mi | 60 | $59,990 |
| Philadelphia | 124 mi | 1,290 | $61,870 |
BLS OEWS, May 2025; straight-line miles.
What else is competing for Washington, D.C. crews.
Not physical security work. These are the capital projects big enough to pull the same crews into Washington, D.C. in the months you are trying to fill a seat, each with the status its own market page reports.
- Northern VA data center expansion (Loudoun + Prince William)$10B+ rollingOngoing through 2030
Northern Virginia is the largest US data center market by far. Adjacent to DC MSA boundary but pulls trades from the entire Capital region.
- Federal building modernization (GSA pipeline)scale not independently verified2024-2030
GSA building portfolio modernization - HVAC, electrical, security infrastructure upgrades. Federal contractor procurement rules apply.
- Inova Health System's Franconia-Springfield Hospital expansion$2.5B (Inova only, not a 3-system aggregate)Through 2028
Multi-system hospital expansion. Hospital-grade mechanical + medical gas in tight supply.
Showing 3 of 6 projects tracked in this metro. The Washington, D.C. market page lists them all.
What credentials matter for physical security, and what kills offers in Washington, D.C..
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 Washington, D.C..
What do security and fire alarm systems installers earn in Washington, D.C.?
BLS puts the Washington, D.C. median for security and fire alarm systems installers at $66,790 a year, 11% above the $60,070 national median. That ranks 12th of 110 metros with published figures, in the top quarter. Most of the market sits between $47,960 and $94,160, a 2.0x gap and a moderate spread, so a few thousand dollars over the median buys real experience.
Is it hard to hire security and fire alarm systems installers in Washington, D.C.?
It is about average. Security and fire alarm systems installers are as common in Washington, D.C. as they are nationally (location quotient 0.92), with about 1,610 in the metro. With 13% more of those firms than in 2018, more employers are competing for the same crews.
Which physical security roles pay the most in Washington, D.C.?
Of the roles we recruit for, Security Systems Project Manager pays the most in Washington, D.C., a $129,650 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Integration Engineer / Systems Integrator at $84,090, 35% below it. Security Systems Installer / Technician is the lowest-paid field role at $66,790. Relative to national pay, Low-Voltage Electrician (Security Specialty) is the strongest-paying role here (20% above).
How many security systems integrators operate in Washington, D.C.?
BLS counted 197 security systems integrators in Washington, D.C. in 2023. Up from 174 in 2018, a 13% increase against 18% growth nationally. BLS withholds their combined headcount and pay here, which it does when a category is small enough that the figures could identify individual employers.
Which nearby metros compete with Washington, D.C. for security and fire alarm systems installers?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Baltimore (36 miles, about 1,220, $62,130 median), Lancaster (88 miles, about 90, $58,290 median) and Richmond (95 miles, about 500, $59,560 median). Washington, D.C. out-pays Baltimore, Lancaster and Richmond, an advantage when recruiting from there.
The seat is open. The pipeline should not be.
197 security systems integrators in Washington, D.C. are drawing on the same 1,610 security and fire alarm systems installers. Let's get your next hire lined up first.
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