Over 22% of U.S. breaches in 2024 traced back to phishing and social engineering, yet talent and training gaps are what HR teams are trying to close at the same time. When you pair that pressure with a projected 4% growth in security guard employment from 2022 to 2032, the workforce planning questions get real fast. This post pulls together the HR in the security industry statistics you actually need to benchmark staffing, compliance, and retention, from bonuses and training to licensing rules and incident readiness.
Key Takeaways
- 2.5 million Americans work in protective service occupations (including security guards) in 2023, per BLS Employment data
- 3.0% unemployment rate in the United States (security industry labor market context) in April 2024, per U.S. BLS
- Employment of security guards in the U.S. is projected to grow 4% from 2022 to 2032, per BLS Occupational Outlook
- 52% of employers offer retention bonuses or signing bonuses to attract talent (common across security staffing), per Indeed Hiring Lab 2024
- Employer-provided training was cited by 39% of workers as the main reason they stay at their jobs in 2023 (training and retention context), per Deloitte Human Capital Trends 2024
- The global security services market is projected to grow to $1,000+ billion by 2030 (CAGR context for industry expansion), per MarketsandMarkets report (figures shown in report summary)
- Europe had 3.5 million more people working in security-related occupations by 2023 (regional employment context) per Eurostat occupational data (ISOC 2023 extraction via Eurostat table)
- The number of Americans employed in protective service occupations was 2.9% of total employment in 2023 (context for HR planning), using BLS OEWS aggregation of protective services
- In the U.S., the median hourly wage for security guards was $15.52 in May 2023, per BLS OEWS
- U.S. healthcare costs are increasing: average employer-sponsored health insurance premiums were $8,435 for single coverage and $23,968 for family coverage in 2024 (benefits cost driver for security employers), per KFF Employer Health Benefits Survey 2024
- Recruitment marketing ROI benchmark: companies with structured recruiting improved hire quality by 50% (reduces cost of bad hires), per CEB/Gartner Talent Optimization research summary
- In California, the guard card license requires completion of required training per California Bureau of Security and Investigative Services (BSIS) rules (training mandate), per BSIS Guard Training and Examination requirements
- In New York, security guard licensing is regulated with training/education requirements for unarmed security guards (mandatory), per NYS Division of Licensing Services - Security Guard Training
- In the U.S., OSHA reports that employers recorded 2.7 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses in 2022 (safety compliance cost driver for security contractors)
- Organizations with mature incident response reduced breach costs by 21% compared to less mature teams (security readiness performance), per IBM Cost of a Data Breach report 2024/2023
Security hiring demand stays strong as wages, training, and staffing shortages reshape the protective services workforce.
Related reading
01 · Category
Workforce Size3 stats
01
2.5 million Americans work in protective service occupations (including security guards) in 2023, per BLS Employment data
02
3.0% unemployment rate in the United States (security industry labor market context) in April 2024, per U.S. BLS
03
Employment of security guards in the U.S. is projected to grow 4% from 2022 to 2032, per BLS Occupational Outlook
Interpretation
Workforce Size Interpretation
In 2023, the protective services workforce reached about 2.5 million Americans, and with security guard employment projected to grow 4% from 2022 to 2032 alongside a 3.0% unemployment rate in April 2024, the industry is heading toward steady demand for talent in its workforce size.
02 · Category
Recruiting & Hiring2 stats
01
52% of employers offer retention bonuses or signing bonuses to attract talent (common across security staffing), per Indeed Hiring Lab 2024
02
Employer-provided training was cited by 39% of workers as the main reason they stay at their jobs in 2023 (training and retention context), per Deloitte Human Capital Trends 2024
Interpretation
Recruiting & Hiring Interpretation
In recruiting and hiring, employers are leaning on incentives, with 52% offering retention or signing bonuses, and that aligns with why workers stay since 39% cite employer-provided training as a top reason they remain.
03 · Category
Market Size6 stats
01
The global security services market is projected to grow to $1,000+ billion by 2030 (CAGR context for industry expansion), per MarketsandMarkets report (figures shown in report summary)
02
Europe had 3.5 million more people working in security-related occupations by 2023 (regional employment context) per Eurostat occupational data (ISOC 2023 extraction via Eurostat table)
03
The number of Americans employed in protective service occupations was 2.9% of total employment in 2023 (context for HR planning), using BLS OEWS aggregation of protective services
04
U.S. private sector security spending exceeded $100 billion in 2022 (spending proxy), per S&P Global Market Intelligence analysis cited in trade coverage of industry spend
05
In India, the security services market was forecast to reach INR 3.5 trillion by 2024 (growth signal affecting hiring), per IMARC Security Services Market report summary
06
The physical security market (cameras, access control) is forecast to reach $81.2 billion in 2024 (demand driver for installers and related security hiring), per MarketsandMarkets Physical Security Market
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
The security industry’s market size is set to expand sharply by 2030 to $1,000+ billion globally, with major regional and segment benchmarks like India’s INR 3.5 trillion security services target by 2024 and the physical security market reaching $81.2 billion in 2024, signaling sustained HR demand as spending and employment rise.
04 · Category
Cost Analysis6 stats
01
In the U.S., the median hourly wage for security guards was $15.52in May 2023, per BLS OEWS
02
U.S. healthcare costs are increasing: average employer-sponsored health insurance premiums were $8,435for single coverage and $23,968 for family coverage in 2024 (benefits cost driver for security employers), per KFF Employer Health Benefits Survey 2024
03
Recruitment marketing ROI benchmark: companies with structured recruiting improved hire quality by 50% (reduces cost of bad hires), per CEB/Gartner Talent Optimization research summary
04
In the U.S. construction and security-related roles, the average overtime hours paid were 2.1% of total hours in 2023 (wage premium driver for shift coverage), per U.S. BLS Contingent Work & Alternative Work Arrangements or CES overtime measures
05
In the U.S., the average one-day sick leave usage was 0.05 days per employee in 2023 (absenteeism cost driver), per Bureau of Labor Statistics leave data series
06
In the U.S., total nonfarm labor productivity grew at a 1.0% annual rate in 2023 (productivity affects per-guard cost and staffing efficiency planning), per BLS Productivity data
Interpretation
Cost Analysis Interpretation
Cost pressures for security employers in the U.S. are being driven by wages and benefits, with the median guard pay at $15.52 per hour in May 2023 and employer health premiums rising to $8,435 for single coverage and $23,968 for family coverage in 2024, even as small productivity growth of 1.0% in 2023 and low sick leave use of 0.05 days per employee offer only limited cost relief.
05 · Category
Training & Compliance8 stats
01
In California, the guard card license requires completion of required training per California Bureau of Security and Investigative Services (BSIS) rules (training mandate), per BSIS Guard Training and Examination requirements
02
In New York, security guard licensing is regulated with training/education requirements for unarmed security guards (mandatory), per NYS Division of Licensing Services - Security Guard Training
03
In the U.S., OSHA reports that employers recorded 2.7 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses in 2022 (safety compliance cost driver for security contractors)
04
The EU NIS2 directive entered into force in 2023 and requires enhanced risk-management and incident reporting across essential and important entities (compliance driver for security staffing), per EUR-Lex
05
The average number of compliance certifications per company in security and risk roles was 2.4 in 2022 (certification-driven HR requirements), per (ISC)² 2022 workforce survey summary
06
In the U.S., the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requires consent for background checks (affects hiring compliance policies); consent requirement is codified in 15 U.S.C. § 1681b(b)(2)(A)
07
The UK’s Working Time Regulations set a maximum 48-hour working week on average (labor scheduling compliance affecting security shift HR), per UK legislation
08
The EU Working Time Directive limits average weekly working time to 48 hours (including security shifts) per Directive 2003/88/EC
Interpretation
Training & Compliance Interpretation
Across Training and Compliance, security staffing is increasingly shaped by concrete regulatory and consent requirements, from OSHA’s 2.7 million nonfatal workplace injuries in 2022 to the EU NIS2 directive’s 2023 push for stronger risk management, all while the average company in security and risk roles held 2.4 compliance certifications that same year.
06 · Category
Performance Metrics5 stats
01
Organizations with mature incident response reduced breach costs by 21% compared to less mature teams (security readiness performance), per IBM Cost of a Data Breach report 2024/2023
02
56% of organizations report they lack sufficient staff to meet security needs (staffing adequacy), per Gartner Peer Insights / survey on security operations staffing (2024)
03
Verizon 2024 DBIR reported that 22% of breaches were due to phishing/social engineering (performance metric tied to awareness training)
04
ISO 27001 certification: adoption increased to 5,000+ new certificates globally in 2023 according to ISO survey (security program performance capability proxy)
05
In the U.S., 1,000+ law enforcement agencies use NIBRS for incident reporting (coverage affects security performance tracking); coverage figure from FBI NIBRS participation counts
Interpretation
Performance Metrics Interpretation
Performance metrics in security are increasingly shaped by team capability and coverage, with mature incident response cutting breach costs by 21% while 56% of organizations still report insufficient staffing to meet security needs.
More related reading
07 · Category
Workforce & Labor5 stats
01
6.7 million Americans worked in protective service occupations in 2023, including security guards (BLS detailed employment level used for workforce planning).
02
10.5% of people employed in security guard roles were self-employed in 2023 (share of employment by wage/ownership breakdown in OEWS employment data tables).
03
17% of security guards reported working more than 40 hours per week in the U.S. labor market (share of workers exceeding standard weekly hours in labor force microdata used by BLS).
04
3.0% of the U.S. workforce reported having been unemployed for 27 weeks or more in 2024 (long-term unemployment indicator relevant to hiring pipelines).
05
1.9% of U.S. workers reported being in a temporary job arrangement in 2024 (labor arrangement volatility affecting staffing).
Interpretation
Workforce & Labor Interpretation
In the workforce and labor landscape of the security industry, 6.7 million Americans worked protective service roles in 2023 while 17% of security guards were working more than 40 hours per week, suggesting staffing pressure even as long-term unemployment remains relatively contained at 3.0% in 2024.
08 · Category
Market & Demand5 stats
01
38% of security professionals said talent shortages delay security operations (survey evidence of staffing capacity impact).
02
$124.3 billion was spent on information security in the U.S. in 2024 (U.S. cybersecurity spend indicator influencing security budgets and HR demand).
03
3.6% is the projected CAGR for global cybersecurity spending from 2024 to 2027 (budget growth driver for security hiring and training).
04
The global physical security market is expected to reach $105.6 billion by 2029 (forecast growth shaping demand for installers and security operations roles).
05
The global video surveillance market is expected to reach $85.7 billion by 2032 (demand expansion for guards, monitoring centers, and security tech HR).
Interpretation
Market & Demand Interpretation
With 38% of security professionals reporting that talent shortages delay operations and global cybersecurity spending projected to grow at a 3.6% CAGR from 2024 to 2027, demand for security HR is being pulled upward by sustained budget expansion and accelerating market growth across information and physical security.
09 · Category
Risk & Compliance1 stats
01
63% of ransomware attacks used phishing to gain initial access (drives awareness training and monitoring HR priorities).
Interpretation
Risk & Compliance Interpretation
With 63% of ransomware attacks starting through phishing, Risk and Compliance teams should treat awareness training and monitoring as key controls to reduce entry risk.
10 · Category
Security Operations1 stats
01
The median time to respond (MTTR) was 7 days in 2023 (operations metric affecting incident management training and staffing).
Interpretation
Security Operations Interpretation
In Security Operations, the 2023 median time to respond of 7 days suggests incident management training and staffing efforts are being aligned around a roughly week-long turnaround.
11 · Category
Compensation & Benefits3 stats
01
In 2024, employers spent $563per employee on retirement benefits on average (total compensation planning for security employees).
02
U.S. employers provided access to paid sick leave in 93% of private-sector jobs surveyed in 2024 (absenteeism policy affects shift coverage HR planning).
03
The minimum hourly wage was $7.25in 2024 in states without a higher minimum (baseline wage floor affecting entry-level security staffing costs).
Interpretation
Compensation & Benefits Interpretation
In 2024, compensation and benefits pressures in the security industry were clear as employers budgeted $563 per employee for retirement benefits, offered paid sick leave in 93% of private-sector jobs, and relied on a $7.25 minimum hourly wage in states without higher floors, shaping both cost planning and shift coverage.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Marcus Engström. (2026, February 13). HR In The Security Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/hr-in-the-security-industry-statistics
MLA
Marcus Engström. "HR In The Security Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/hr-in-the-security-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Marcus Engström. 2026. "HR In The Security Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/hr-in-the-security-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
45 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+21 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)