How long does it take to become a Security?

It takes 3 years of professional experience to become a security. That is the time it takes to learn specific security skills, but does not account for time spent in formal education.

How much does it cost to start a security company?

On average, you can launch a security company with a minimum of $10,000 in upfront investment. A big part of this upfront investment includes office space. That price can vary greatly depending on where you want to locate your security company.

How to get a cybersecurity internship

Getting a cybersecurity internship can be accomplished by tailoring your resume and applying at the right time. The field of cybersecurity is growing at a rapid rate resulting in many opportunities for summer internships.

What is a security and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted Expert

Jill Myers

A security is a financial instrument that represents ownership in a company or entity. It can take the form of stocks, bonds, or other types of investments. Securities are bought and sold on exchanges, with prices fluctuating based on supply and demand. They provide investors with the opportunity to earn a return on their investment through dividends, interest payments, or capital gains. They play a crucial role in the financial markets by providing investors with access to capital and helping companies raise funds.

What general advice would you give to a Security?

Jill Myers

Director of the School of Law Enforcement and Justice Administration

The more skill sets you have the better prepared you will be for future advancement and salary increases. Having a solid education, a bachelor of science degree in criminal justice and a masters degree will sometimes result in increased wages. Having federal certifications and competencies will enhance your opportunities and create potential marketability for your career. It is always a great skill set to have people skills, communication in both written and oral formats. It will enhance your ability to explain yourself in court, in the warrants one prepares, and with dealing with the public in all circumstances from victims and witnesses and suspects, to legislators, the funding sources like mayors and city council and the public at large.

ScoreSecurityUS Average

Salary

2.5

Avg. Salary $31,836

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

8.6

Growth Rate 3%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

10.0

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.58%

Asian 5.70%

Black or African American 12.38%

Hispanic or Latino 19.97%

Unknown 5.30%

White 55.07%

Gender

female 25.13%

male 74.87%

Age - 43

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 43

Stress Level

8.6

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

4.9

Complexity Level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

9.4

Work Life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a Security?

Pros

Job security
Opportunity for advancement
Good pay and benefits
Opportunities for overtime and flexible schedules
Sense of pride in protecting people and property

Cons

Risk of physical harm or injury
Long hours, including nights, weekends, and holidays
High stress situations and potential for violence
Need to remain alert and attentive for extended periods of time
Dealing with difficult people or situations on a regular basis

Key steps to become a security

Explore security education requirements

Most common security degrees

High School Diploma

40.4 %

Bachelor's

22.4 %

Associate

18.3 %

Start to develop specific security skills

Skills	Percentages
Patrol	22.35%
Ladders	8.84%
Property Damage	8.04%
Good Judgment	7.43%
Customer Service	4.94%

Complete relevant security training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New securities learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a security based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real security resumes.

Obtain the necessary licensing

Becoming a licensed security usually doesn't require a college degree. However, you don't need to pass an exam to become a licensed security in most of states. 30 states require securities to have license for their work. You can see the list of states below.

State	Education	Exam	License Url
Alabama	-	-	Licensed Personal Security Officer
Maryland	-	-	GUARDS
Alaska	Specific course required	-	Security Guard
Arkansas	Specific course required	State exam required	Private Security Officer (PSO)
California	Specific course required	State exam required	Security Guard Registration

Research security duties and responsibilities

Administer first aide as needed and CPR.
Practice assertive alertness and interaction with guests and staff.
Job require driving, walking, and climbing stairs and ladders.
Gain training in CPR, first aid, and defibrillator usage.

Prepare your security resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your security resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a security resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Security Resume templates

Build a professional Security resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Security resume.

Apply for security jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a security job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do securities rate their job?

-/5

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

Security reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2022

Pros

Meeting a lot of different people have helped people in this job

Cons

The pay is not worth what you have to do sometimes

A zippia user wrote a review on Nov 2021

Pros

Protecting people and the property where I’m sign at.

Cons

There’s nothing about the officer that I don’t like

A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2020

Pros

Yes because is a job that deal with helping people that your help and there's a wonderful happiness while working properly and helping people at the sometime.

Cons

One sometimes people will not like you but they need a help from you but to me a don't call it anything now because I know the status of the job even in a building I have work in that area as a security guard department with my license from United Arab Emirates.

What is a security and how to become one

What general advice would you give to a Security?

What are the pros and cons of being a Security?

Security career paths

Key steps to become a security

Explore security education requirements

Most common security degrees

Start to develop specific security skills

Complete relevant security training and internships

Obtain the necessary licensing

Research security duties and responsibilities

Prepare your security resume

Choose From 10+ Customizable Security Resume templates

Apply for security jobs

How Did You Land Your First Security Job

Average security salary

How do securities rate their job?

Security reviews

Security FAQs

How long does it take to become a Security?

How much does it cost to start a security company?

How to get a cybersecurity internship

Search for security jobs

Security jobs by state