Career
Security and fire alarm systems installers
Install security and fire alarm systems.
Here's what you actually need to know.
The work
What people in this job do
- Install, maintain, or repair security systems, alarm devices, or related equipment, following blueprints of electrical layouts and building plans.
- Mount and fasten control panels, door and window contacts, sensors, or video cameras, and attach electrical and telephone wiring to connect components.
- Demonstrate systems for customers and explain details, such as the causes and consequences of false alarms.
- Test and repair circuits and sensors, following wiring and system specifications.
- Feed cables through access holes, roof spaces, or cavity walls to reach fixture outlets, positioning and terminating cables, wires, or strapping.
The outlook
How the forecast changed this year
The deeper question
What kind of person does this path ask you to become?
What this work centers on
O*NET interest profile, scored 1–7.
The work
Do you want most of your days spent on objects & tools, then information & systems?
Responsibility
Are you willing to be the one responsible for this?
“Install, maintain, or repair security systems, alarm devices, or related equipment, following blueprints of electrical layouts and building plans.”
Development
What would you need to build over the next 5–10 years?
Installation, Critical Thinking, Speaking, Active Listening.
Trade-offs
What does it ask of you in exchange?
No degree beyond high school, though moderate-term on-the-job training is typical, for a median of $60,070 a year and 8,500 openings nationally each year.
Paths in
Degrees that lead here
- ElectricianCIP 46.0302
- Security System Installation, Repair, and Inspection Technology/TechnicianCIP 47.0110
Paths across
Careers that use similar skills
- Lighting Technicians$68,060 · -4.8%
- Electronic Equipment Installers and Repairers, Motor Vehicles$48,420 · -14.5%
- Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers, Transportation Equipment$84,890 · +5.4%
- Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$63,890 · -3.3%
- Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment$74,090 · +0.3%
Ask anything about this career.
“Would this make sense if I don't want to sit at a desk all day?” Answers will come from the sources on this page, with citations. Coming soon.
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Sources
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- BLS Employment Projections, 2024–34 (archived), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- O*NET 31.0 Database (August 2026), National Center for O*NET Development / U.S. Department of Labor. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk, NCES and BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-01.