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First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers

Also called: Security Director, Security Shift Supervisor, Security Supervisor, Shift Supervisor

Directly supervise and coordinate activities of security workers and security guards.

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Median pay BLS, 2025$55,940
Openings a year BLS, 2025–356,800
Typical education to start BLSHigh school diploma or equivalent
AI exposure BLS, Aug 2026 Moderate
Projected job growth BLS, 2025–35 +3.7%

What the data says: AI could halve the time on 8 of its 21 tasks, and jobs are projected to grow 3.7% by 2035. How to think about this →

About this projection

BLS builds AI into its projections where the research supports it: “BLS generally applies adjustments based on this research conservatively, where there is convincing evidence for a change.”

It also notes a limit: “BLS projection methods are not designed to capture extremely rapid technological change.”

On its AI exposure groups, BLS says exposure “does not imply job loss.”

Recent conditions

  • In 2024, 4.4% of people in this work were unemployed, against 3.8% across all occupations Census ACS 2024
  • From Sep 2025 to Aug 2026, 7.9 hires for every 10 job openings in professional and business services, which employs about 61% of people in this work, against 7.3 across all industries BLS JOLTS One box per opening, filled for each hire; hires beyond the openings are added in a lighter shade. Higher can mean openings get filled, or that people leave often; lower, that jobs go unfilled, or hiring is slow.

How to read these

Pay compared with all occupations BLS median wages Pays more than 42% of 825 occupations
lowest-paidhighest-paid

Median pay by state BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates

$43k$84knot published

Median pay in every state
StateMedianMiddle half earnJobs
Alabama$47,440$37,340 to $80,150850
Alaska$73,500$64,150 to $84,700260
Arizona$59,650$47,320 to $71,8001,550
Arkansas$54,000$41,980 to $82,010970
California$53,960$46,040 to $71,34010,850
Colorado$54,680$45,080 to $64,9801,520
Connecticut$55,990$45,710 to $73,320700
Delaware$62,840$47,510 to $83,770180
District of Columbia$83,710$73,800 to $96,610710
Florida$47,140$43,240 to $60,3706,560
Georgia$49,400$37,590 to $68,2202,540
Guam$42,550$28,040 to $82,45090
Hawaii$59,080$47,010 to $72,950590
Idaho$49,300$45,470 to $61,790230
Illinois$59,540$45,990 to $75,0702,370
Indiana$61,520$44,930 to $90,2601,620
Iowa$46,560$43,010 to $63,330390
Kansas$57,960$46,480 to $69,930480
Kentucky$50,260$38,290 to $64,540810
Louisiana$50,580$41,990 to $66,550890
Maine$57,200$50,500 to $65,930170
Maryland$63,690$46,270 to $75,4801,640
Massachusetts$57,890$49,590 to $70,3201,810
Michigan$54,500$41,260 to $63,4601,940
Minnesota$58,540$46,940 to $80,9101,260
Mississippi$43,410$35,270 to $56,250670
Missouri$58,200$48,400 to $73,6001,090
Montana$46,370$42,220 to $67,530210
Nebraska$45,700$43,870 to $61,930370
Nevada$53,210$43,290 to $63,3302,540
New Hampshire$66,780$59,060 to $81,220250
New Jersey$61,590$50,780 to $75,6802,200
New Mexico$62,330$49,080 to $81,500580
New York$59,890$47,490 to $78,2307,050
North Carolina$57,390$41,310 to $70,2902,730
North Dakota$57,720$50,210 to $66,930100
Ohio$53,020$46,380 to $63,9102,030
Oklahoma$51,400$44,320 to $63,4501,480
Oregon$60,940$54,640 to $73,670980
Pennsylvania$47,510$39,060 to $64,3803,160
Puerto Rico$22,640$22,360 to $27,9801,090
Rhode Island$51,090$47,360 to $65,680250
South Carolina$47,100$37,410 to $61,240770
South Dakota$57,880$51,490 to $67,96080
Tennessee$50,830$39,480 to $77,0301,850
Texas$46,740$36,150 to $62,2806,490
Utah$56,290$45,720 to $70,060380
Vermont$78,110$56,390 to $87,77060
Virgin Islands$49,710$41,590 to $64,99070
Virginia$60,790$52,420 to $78,1702,120
Washington$62,510$51,020 to $79,3401,800
West Virginia$45,850$37,270 to $58,870390
Wisconsin$55,270$44,530 to $69,070880
Wyoming$51,740$41,670 to $65,37090

Nationally: $55,940. Shades run from the lowest state median to the highest; a territory below that range takes the lightest. How to read this

How AI touches the work

What AI could speed up, task by task, and where people already use it.

AI could halve the time on 8 of its 21 tasks

3 · AI alone could halve the time 5 · AI + software built on it could 13 · Not much
AI ratingIts main tasks Share of Claude conversations
May 2026
Not much Investigate disturbances on the premises, such as security alarms, altercations, and suspicious activity. Not published
AI + software Monitor the behavior of security employees to ensure adherence to quality standards, deadlines, or procedures. Not published
Not much Monitor and authorize entry of employees, visitors, or other persons. Not published
Not much Patrol the premises to prevent or detect intrusion, protect property, or preserve order. Not published
AI + software Assign security personnel to posts or patrols. Not published
Not much Advise employees in handling problems or resolving complaints from customers, tenants, detainees, or other persons. Not published
See all 21 tasks
AI alone Explain company policies and procedures to staff using oral or written communication. under 0.01%
Not much Call police or fire departments in cases of emergency, such as fire, bomb threats, and presence of unauthorized persons. Not published
Not much Train security personnel on protective procedures, first aid, fire safety, and other duties. Not published
Not much Inspect and adjust security equipment to ensure it is operational or to detect evidence of tampering. Not published
AI alone Develop and document security procedures, policies, or standards. under 0.01%
AI alone Write reports documenting observations made while on patrol. Not published
Not much Secure entrances and exits by locking doors and gates. Not published
Not much Recruit, interview, and hire security personnel. Not published
Not much Apprehend or evict trespassers, rule violators, or other security threats from the premises. Not published
AI + software Schedule training or drills for emergencies, such as fires, bombs, and other threats. Not published
Not much Monitor closed-circuit television cameras. Not published
Not much Screen individuals and belongings to prevent passage of prohibited materials using walkthrough detectors, wands, or bag searches. Not published
AI + software Log items distributed to persons, such as keys and key cards. Not published
Not much Order materials or supplies, such as keys, uniforms, and badges. Not published
AI + software Write and present department budgets to upper management or other stakeholders. Not published

Ordered by how important O*NET's respondents rate each task (1 to 5) times the share who say it is part of their job. The ordering is ours. 2 of the 21 have a published share of Claude conversations; “not published” means too few conversations for Anthropic to publish a figure.

Where people already use AI

The tasks above say what AI could speed up. This shows what people are using it for. Its 21 tasks fall under 25 work activities that many occupations share, and Microsoft counted how often each one came up in 200,000 conversations with its Copilot assistant in 2024.

Tasks AI could speed up8 of 21 tasksEloundou et al. ratings (2023)
Its activities among the 50 people ask AI for help with most2 of 25 activities
  • #12 Explain regulations, policies, or procedures
  • #36 Purchase goods or services
Microsoft Copilot (2024), ranked among all 332 activities. The cut-off of 50 is ours.
Work activity This occupation's tasks under it People asked AI for help
in 10,000 conversations		 AI did it for them
in 10,000 conversations
Maintain safety or security 9.38#93 16#51
Monitor safety or security of work areas, facilities, or properties 1.39#218 1.50#142
Operate audiovisual or related equipment 3.12#164 0.45#211
Maintain operational records 2.92#170 0.49#209
Explain regulations, policies, or procedures 131#12 119#15
Purchase goods or services 47#36 0.39#220
Coordinate with others to resolve problems 14#75 5.59#81
Communicate with others about operational plans or activities 9.39#92 28#39
Show all 25 activities
Investigate criminal or legal matters 9.30#96 1.13#161
Schedule operational activities 4.88#128 2.89#116
Manage budgets or finances 4.12#143 0.51#203
Prepare financial documents, reports, or budgets 2.96#169 0.55#196
Notify others of emergencies or problems 2.78#172 4.95#92
Inspect facilities or equipment 2.73#174 0.73#181
Develop organizational policies, systems, or processes 2.70#175 1.31#148
Monitor operations to ensure compliance with regulations or standards 2.67#176 4.32#99
Train others on operational or work procedures 1.60#211 29#38
Assign work to others 1.46#215 0.18#247
Perform recruiting or hiring activities 0.99#237 0.43#217
Teach safety procedures or standards to others 0.92#241 5.98#78
Inspect commercial, industrial, or production systems or equipment 0.84#245 0.32#232
Manage human resources activities 0.71#255 0.19#244
Supervise personnel activities 0.56#266 0.05#283
Record information about legal matters 0.51#270 0.34#229
Train others on health or medical topics 0.47#272 5.29#84
Task: AI alone Task: AI + software Task: not much #: rank among all 332 activities Microsoft measured (#1 = most common; activities that never came up share last place, shown as “tied”)
Where the two sources differ: “Maintain operational records” holds 2 tasks rated AI + software or AI alone, yet people asked AI for help with it in 2.92 of every 10,000 conversations, #170 of 332.

How people in this work use Claude

What people in this work made with Claude % of conversations

  • An explanation or answer24%
  • A document or report23%
  • An email or message12%
  • An analysis or summary11%
  • Advice or a recommendation7%

How they worked with Claude

41% handed the task off59% worked on it together

83% of these conversations were about work. Anthropic Economic Index, May 2026.

How to read this

Work activities come from O*NET, which links every task to the broader activities it involves. Microsoft's figures are for the activity across everyone who used Copilot, not for first-line supervisors of security workers specifically. Copilot is a general chat assistant; dedicated coding tools are not included, so programming help is under-counted here. Activities are listed by how many of this occupation's tasks fall under them.

The task ratings say whether AI could halve the time a task takes: on its own (“AI alone”), or with software built on it (“AI + software”). They were made by people in 2023 (Eloundou et al.). Claude's share is the task's share of all Claude.ai conversations in May 2026; Anthropic doesn't publish a task with too few conversations. None of these add up to the BLS exposure group, which combines five research measures.

More in the Guide: task ratings · task order · work activities · Copilot figures · Claude

High exposure doesn't mean fewer jobs

BLS projects most occupations in its two most exposed groups to grow: 141 of 206 rated Very high and 165 of 206 rated High. Each dot is one of the 831 occupations BLS rates.

AI exposure and projected job growth, 831 occupationsLow exposure: 134 of 213 occupations projected to grow. Moderate exposure: 151 of 206 occupations projected to grow. High exposure: 165 of 206 occupations projected to grow. Very high exposure: 141 of 206 occupations projected to grow.-20%-15%-10%-5%0%+5%+10%+15%+20%+25%Low134 of 213 growingModerate151 of 206 growingHigh165 of 206 growingVery high141 of 206 growing11 occupations outside −20% to +25% are drawn at the edge. Click a dot to see that occupation.First-line supervisors of security workers: +3.7%First-Line Supervisors of Security WorkersAI exposure and projected job growth, 831 occupationsLow exposure: 134 of 213 occupations projected to grow. Moderate exposure: 151 of 206 occupations projected to grow. High exposure: 165 of 206 occupations projected to grow. Very high exposure: 141 of 206 occupations projected to grow.-20%-15%-10%-5%0%+5%+10%+15%+20%+25%Low134 of 213Moderate151 of 206High165 of 206Very high141 of 20611 occupations outside −20% to +25% are drawn at the edge. Tap a dot.First-line supervisors of security workers: +3.7%First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers

Career moves into and out of this occupation

From moves between occupations found in online resumes, 2002–2016. Career changes only: a first job after school isn't a move.

Where people moved next

of 7,825 moves out

  1. 1 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 17%
  2. 2 Security Guards Moderate +0.9% 16%
  3. 3 General and Operations Managers High +5.0% 4%
  4. 4 Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Moderate +3.8% 3%
  5. 5 Private Detectives and Investigators High +5.5% 2%

Where people moved in from

of 7,744 moves in

  1. 1 Security Guards Moderate +0.9% 18%
  2. 2 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 10%
  3. 3 Protective Service Workers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 4%
  4. 4 Retail Salespersons Very high -0.3% 3%
  5. 5 First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers High -3.7% 3%

The resume data uses 2010 occupation codes. This occupation comes from “First-Line Supervisors of Protective Service Workers, All Other”, which today also includes the occupation still called “First-Line Supervisors of Protective Service Workers, All Other”, so these figures cover it too. Resumes over-represent younger, white-collar job-seekers and moves into management. Schubert, Stansbury and Taska (resume data).

Education and training for the occupation

Education people in it hold

O*NET survey of workers in this occupation

  • 28% high school
  • 5% postsecondary certificate
  • 26% some college
  • 30% associate's
  • 11% bachelor's

O*NET 31.0 survey of workers in this occupation · 26 people answered.

Census survey (American Community Survey)

  • 3% less than high school
  • 18% high school
  • 26% some college
  • 12% associate's
  • 27% bachelor's
  • 12% master's
  • 2% professional degree

Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation · 843 people surveyed.

Why the two can differ

O*NET asks about 20 people in each occupation, which makes its shares uncertain, but it reports the exact occupation and counts certificates. The Census survey reaches thousands, but it groups some occupations together and counts degrees only. More in the Guide

Median pay by highest degree full-time, year-round · Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation

Programs that prepare people for it (NCES)
5 programs, such as Security and Loss Prevention Services, Securities Services Administration/Management and Homeland Security, Other.
See all
  • Security and Loss Prevention Services
  • Securities Services Administration/Management
  • Homeland Security, Other
  • Security Science and Technology, General
  • Security Science and Technology, Other

Jobs that require a credential BLS Occupational Requirements Survey 2023

BLS publishes no credential figures for this occupation.

Look up certifications, training and licenses U.S. Department of Labor

These open in a new tab and send only the occupation's public code. More in the Guide

See where your own career could go Start by uploading your resume Browse careers

BLS AI exposure categories (Aug 2026) · BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 · O*NET 31.0 · Task ratings: Eloundou et al., Science (2024) · Microsoft "Working with AI" v1.1 · Anthropic Economic Index (2026-06-26) · Schubert, Stansbury and Taska · NCES CIP–SOC · Census ACS 2024 · BLS JOLTS

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