Security Director Compensation?

[Security]

I was just wondering if anyone knew how much, on average, security directors make? I'm aware that it varies on a number of different things (industry, experience, location, etc.), but what sort of money can a typical security director expect to earn? (Please no salary.com links.)

Thanks,
Erik

[CorpSec]

We do not have a director, but manager pay ranges from $85,000 on the very low end to $115,000 on the high end.

What will throw off the number is the outfits that like to throw around titles instead of money. I am guessing that most malls employ a security "director" at a wage of about 40K a year.

Like you said, it varies widely based on the industry you are talking about.

[N. A. Corbier]

It also depends, what you would call a site supervisor, some firms will call a Director of _________, and make the client feel good.

If its a contract security firm, you're not a "Director," i.e. a member of actual management, you are a site supervisor with a fancy title.

I'm looking at you, Valor.

[SecTrainer]

A "real" security director (which can be defined in somewhat simplistic terms as an executive-level or upper management individual who is responsible for the planning, management and execution of the security function) will make anywhere from around $65K to upwards of $200K - "depending". Most, of course, are clustered toward the lower range of $75K to $120K. The "mode" (highest number of respondents if you conducted a survey) would probably be around $80-85K.

The variables are simply enormous, so I don't see how this is useful to you, but that's about as close as we can get to your question without drilling down to some detail, starting with things like region of the country, a number of different metrics about the organization he works for, the type-number-distribution of facilities, type of industry, special risk factors, whether it is a "global" organization, etc.

One very critical variable is the scope of responsibilities. Some security directors do just that - security. Others have much greater risk management responsibilities, including safety, involvement in facility design, insurance and other aspects of RM, etc. These positions are the ones you find in the upper ranges.

Another variant is the hybrid "HR-Security Director" or "Facility Manager-Security Director" position. In some organizations, IT security and physical security are managed by one individual. As you can imagine, the salary ranges for these hybrid positions are really all over the map.

[SecTrainer]

It also depends, what you would call a site supervisor, some firms will call a Director of _________, and make the client feel good.

If its a contract security firm, you're not a "Director," i.e. a member of actual management, you are a site supervisor with a fancy title.

I'm looking at you, Valor.

Site supervisor = "Director"? I don't know if I could sign the contract with a vendor like that, I'd be laughing so hard.

[FireEMSPolice]

Our malls have a Security Manager and then at the corporate level we have a Security Director. I think our Security Manager makes $4x,xxx and is on salary. The Assistant Security Manager and Shift Supervisors are Salary Non-Exempt.

[Security]

Thank you, everyone, who replied to my question.

One more quick question. Does anyone in the healthcare industry have an idea how much hospital security directors earn?

Thanks,
Erik

[T202]

Thank you, everyone, who replied to my question.

One more quick question. Does anyone in the healthcare industry have an idea how much hospital security directors earn?

Thanks,
Erik

Check out page 28. That should answer some of your questions.

http://www.iahss.org/pdf/GEIndustryStudy.pdf

[Security]

Check out page 28. That should answer some of your questions.

http://www.iahss.org/pdf/GEIndustryStudy.pdf

T202- Thanks!!!

[NRM_Oz]

Where I was working during the y2k BS - the Director of security for our parent company was making well over $1.5 mil US and had full company perks but his buttocks was owned by the company as mine was partially. You could be in 1 country for a meeting and be told - a plane is waiting for you to go to _______________ NOW. Worst of all was the "we need a video conference NOW so come to work for a meeting with the USA or UK - at 0300 on a Sunday morning.

Director of Security is what I would call a person who was at the top of the food chain ........... not a site manager or supervisor or co-ordinator and yes often there are fancy titles such as Asset Protection Manager for an LPM in order to entice people to work for less money but with a fancy title.

Hospital security managers earn crap incomes here - but I an aussie colleague who married a yank sheila, did 12 months in a university hospital (could have been in Texas probably Houston) and made a fortune with the perks of a rented house, car and other things for his wife to utilise as well.

[Lawson]

Try visiting www.salary.com

































Just kidding. While browsing some security jobs, I was looking at a Director of Security job in TX for a power plant, it was something like $76k.

[N. A. Corbier]

Site supervisor = "Director"? I don't know if I could sign the contract with a vendor like that, I'd be laughing so hard.

Mall security.

Large firm, too.

Director of Public Safety

[CorpSec]

Malls are famous for putting the security director tag on someone and paying very non director like wages. I knew a guy that was bragging that he was security director of a large mall around here. His salary was a whopping 37K a year! Wow, I have officers making a lot more than that.

I think the big mall companies, IPC, Valor, etc. are pretty much all birds of a feather.

[Security]

Malls are famous for putting the security director tag on someone and paying very non director like wages. I knew a guy that was bragging that he was security director of a large mall around here. His salary was a whopping 37K a year! Wow, I have officers making a lot more than that.

I think the big mall companies, IPC, Valor, etc. are pretty much all birds of a feather.

How do SOs make more than 37K a year?? Are they armed or do they have some sort of special training or something? I do believe you that they are making that much... but I would just like to know how they are making that much?

Thanks,
Erik

[CorpSec]

We are an in house corporate security department that values our officers. Brand new officers start out in the mid 30's. If they are assigned to an after hours shift, they get a 10 percent differential.

We try to keep the overtime down, but with training, call offs, special events, there is always some overtime available through the course of the year. Some officers supplement their pay by several thousand dollars a year through overtime.

Holidays are paid at triple time. We pay based on merit and good officers can expect good yearly increases. We also have profit sharing which has averaged 8% in recent years.

I had one officer make about $60,000 last year when all forms of cash compensation are considered. That is on the very high end though. I would say the average falls in the mid $40's. I would be hard pressed to name any of our officers that are under 37K after all is said and done.

We are unarmed and don't really get involved in confrontations. We carry mace but nobody has ever had to use it. Officers do respond to medical calls and required required to be trained as First Responders.

The hiring process generally takes several months and includes multiple interviews. Applicants that make it through the process of interviews are scheduled for a day long assessment which includes various tests and psychological profiles. Also included is a face to face interview with a psychologist which can last for several hours. One officer recounted spending over 4 and a half hours talking to the shrink.

The cost of the day long assessment runs us into the low four figures, but it weeds out approximately 50% of applicants as well.