Security System Services NAICS 561621

May 12, 2025 - Security-Cleared Employees Make Big Money

• Employment in the security system services industry stayed flat throughout 2024, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, while wages increased 7% over the previous year as the demands of the industry in the face of growing cybersecurity breaches push pay higher for retention. Security-cleared professionals, those dealing with sensitive government information, are the highest paid in the profession and earn an average of about $119K a year (per the ClearanceJobs 2025 Security Clearance Compensation Report). About 68% of cleared security talent received raises last year, and 1 in 10 of those was raised 10% or more. Virginia pays the highest salaries for security-cleared workers ($113K), largely at the CIA, followed by Maryland ($130K) and Colorado ($126K). Federal hiring freezes and layoffs could be a roadblock to hiring this year, which could inject instability into the security systems industry.
• Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) and healthcare companies are among the most targeted cyber crime victims, according to the 2025 Annual Cyber Threat Report by security firm SonicWall. Ransomware attacks in particular are on the rise - up 8% in North America last year - aided by more sophisticated AI and automotion technology. About 95% of all healthcare security breaches come from ransomware, with the average ransom payment topping $850,000 and costing $4.9 million in downtime and recovery. SonicWall estimates that 198 million Americans have been impacted by healthcare cyber attacks. On the SMB side, limited budgets and a slowness to adapt to threats has increased vulnerabilities to cloud-based attacks, ransomware, and business email compromise (the last is the most common SMB cyber security threat).

• Security system services insiders expect AI to play a significant role in industry advancements in 2025. Key innovations include leveraging AI to integrate remote video monitoring (RVM) systems and analytics with access control, alarms, and environmental sensors to provide more comprehensive security services. Current capabilities of AI-enabled systems include distinguishing between human motion, vehicle movement, and movements caused by environmental factors. The next advancements in AI-driven systems will be determining how to respond to what’s been detected by RMV systems, such as providing a vehicle’s color or a description of a suspect’s clothing. Machine learning models are expected to refine these capabilities over time, including analyzing outcomes, to improve future responses and deterrence.
• Incidents of shoplifting appear to be on the rise, according to two studies released in November by the Council on Criminal Justice (CCJ). However, due to different data sources – two within the FBI – getting accurate data is challenging, according to reporting by Retail Dive. In the first half of 2024, shoplifting in 23 US metropolitan areas increased 24% compared to the same period in 2023. FBI data shows conflicting pictures of the state of shoplifting in the US. The Bureau’s Statistics from the Summary Reporting System suggest current shoplifting rates are about even with 2019 levels. However, the FBI’s National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) shows that shoplifting has risen 93% since 2019. The CCJ notes that the NIBRS is the newer system, and more agencies are beginning to report into it, which could be spiking the numbers. The CCJ suggests that the Summary Reporting System is likely the most accurate measure of shoplifting activity for now.