Security Systems Services (except Locksmiths) Revenue Benchmarks
The average security systems services (except locksmiths) business in the United States generates $2.5M in annual revenue, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB 2021). There are 5,788 security systems services (except locksmiths) businesses in the U.S., employing 125,389 workers with an average profit margin of 8.0%. The average employee in this industry earns $80K per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW 2023).
What Does a Security Systems Business Actually Do?
Alarm monitoring, camera systems, and integrated security. Include national brands (ADT, Vivint) and local providers.
Who buys: Homeowners, small businesses, commercial property owners.
Average Revenue
$2.5M
per year
Profit Margin
8.0%
industry average
Revenue / Employee
$116K
per year
Total Businesses
5,788
in the US
Est. Owner Income
$202K
small business avg
Labor Cost
55.0%
of revenue
Avg Employee Wage
$80K
per year (BLS)
Market Saturation
1.7
firms per 100K people
How Much Do Security Systems Services (except Locksmiths) Charge?
Alarm monitoring companies (ADT, SimpliSafe) charge equipment + monthly monitoring.
| Service | Typical range |
|---|---|
Monitoring fee (basic) | $25–50/month |
Monitoring (advanced/smart) | $40–100/month |
Equipment install (one-time) | $0–2,500 |
Contract length (typical) | 3 years standard |
Ranges based on industry rate surveys and typical published pricing. Actual quotes vary by city, business size, and job complexity.
Complete security systems business plan
A 12-section data-backed business plan for a security systems services (except locksmiths) business — executive summary, market analysis, competitive landscape, revenue model, 3-year financial projections, operations, marketing, staffing, funding request. Pre-populated with real Census, IRS, and BLS data on this industry. Free to view.
Cost Structure — Where Every $100 in Revenue Goes
Approximate P&L breakdown for the security systems services (except locksmiths) industry. Labor share and net profit are grounded in Census SUSB and IRS SOI data. Other lines are split using sector-typical ratios.
| Category | Per $100 revenue | Per typical business | What's in it |
|---|---|---|---|
Direct service costs | $7 | $186K | Cleaning supplies, uniforms, equipment consumables — depends on service type. |
Wages & benefits | $55 | $1.4M | Payroll for all employees at the business (owner comp not included for small owner-operators). |
Rent & facilities | $6 | $140K | Rent or mortgage on business location plus utilities tied to the space. |
Marketing & advertising | $4 | $93K | Google/Meta ads, SEO, print, referral fees, event sponsorships. |
Other operating costs | $20 | $513K | Insurance, background checks, training, transportation, admin. |
Net profit | $8 | $202K | What remains for the owner or shareholders after all business expenses. |
Directionally accurate for a typical business in the industry. Individual businesses vary widely — a franchise may run a very different cost mix from an independent, and older established businesses often have lower labor share than newer ones.
Average Revenue by Business Size
Industry Dynamics (Census BDS 2023)
New Business Rate
10.72%
openings/year
Closure Rate
8.92%
closings/year
Net Job Growth
+4.51%
annual
Businesses Closed
1,757
in 2023
Firm Count Trend
Should You Start a Security Systems Business?
Startup Cost
$50K – $250K
Break-Even
9 months
5-Year Survival Rate
50.0%
Related Industries
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a security systems services (except locksmiths) business do?
- Alarm monitoring, camera systems, and integrated security. Include national brands (ADT, Vivint) and local providers. Homeowners, small businesses, commercial property owners.
- How much do security systems services (except locksmiths) charge?
- Alarm monitoring companies (ADT, SimpliSafe) charge equipment + monthly monitoring. See the pricing table above for typical rates by service type.
- How much does the average security systems services (except locksmiths) make per year?
- The average security systems services (except locksmiths) business generates $2.5M in annual revenue, based on U.S. Census Bureau data (SUSB 2021). After expenses, the estimated owner profit is $202K per year at a 8.0% profit margin.
- How many security systems services (except locksmiths) businesses are there in the US?
- There are 5,788 security systems services (except locksmiths) businesses operating in the United States, employing a total of 125,389 workers.
- How much does it cost to start a security systems services (except locksmiths) business?
- Startup costs for a security systems services (except locksmiths) business typically range from $50K to $250K, with a 5-year survival rate of 50.0%.
- What is the average salary in the security systems services (except locksmiths) industry?
- The average employee in the security systems services (except locksmiths) industry earns $80K per year, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data (QCEW 2023).
Industry Growth & Survival
The security systems services (except locksmiths) industry is actively growing — adding jobs at a net rate of 4.5% per year. New establishments are opening faster than existing ones close (10.7% entry vs 8.9% exit), indicating healthy demand.
Approximately 63% of security systems services (except locksmiths) businesses survive their first 5 years. This is above the national average (~50%), making it a relatively safe industry to enter. In 2023, 1,757 firms in this industry closed permanently.
Employment & Wages
The average employee in the security systems services (except locksmiths) industry earns $80,288/year. This is significantly above the national average of ~$65K, reflecting the skilled nature of this work. With 10,929 establishments employing 141,536 people, the typical business has about 13 employees.
Industry Trend (2000–2023)
The security systems services (except locksmiths) industry has grown 23% since 2000 (from 15,525 to 19,038 firms).
See full historical statistics →Compare Security Systems Services (except Locksmiths) revenue with other industries: