The Electronic Security Association has released its inaugural Industry Performance Index, providing new data on employment, wages and long-term growth in the electronic security services industry.

The report is the first issued through the ESA Industry Research Center, an initiative launched this summer in partnership with macroeconomic forecasting firm Beacon Economics. The research center is intended to provide electronic security and life safety integrators and dealers with economic and industry data on market performance, growth trends and forecasts.

According to the inaugural report, employment in the security system services industry increased from about 86,000 in 2001 to approximately 141,000 in 2025. That represents a compound annual growth rate of approximately 2%, compared with 0.86% for overall private employment during the same period.

The report draws on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, which classifies firms into individual industries.

ESA’s analysis found that, aside from minor employment losses during three recessions, the security system services industry consistently added between 3,000 and 5,000 jobs annually through 2022. Employment has remained stable since then, according to the report.

Compensation has also increased. Annualized nominal wages in the industry have risen to about $93,000, while inflation-adjusted wages grew at a compound annual rate of 1.85% during the past 25 years. Overall private-sector real wages increased at a 0.99% compound annual rate during the same period, according to the report.

“Reliable industry data is essential to making informed business decisions, and this report provides a valuable new perspective on the performance and trajectory of the electronic security services industry,” said Jeremy Bates, ESA chairman of the board. “The growth in employment and wages highlighted in this report demonstrates the important economic contribution of our industry and the opportunities it continues to create.”

Bates said the Industry Research Center is intended to give security integrators and dealers another resource for business planning and evaluating future growth.

ESA CEO Merlin Guilbeau said the research initiative gives the association and industry a dedicated resource for examining the economic forces, business trends and growth opportunities affecting electronic security and life safety integrators.

“This inaugural report establishes an important foundation for the ESA Industry Research Center and gives our members meaningful data they can use to better understand where our industry has been, where it is today, and where it is headed,” Guilbeau said.

The inaugural Industry Performance Index is available at no cost to ESA members and non-members. ESA said future Industry Research Center reports will be available at no cost exclusively to association members.