You spent years standing watch, running patrols, and keeping people safe. Now you are out. And you are wondering how to turn that into a paycheck on the civilian side.

Private security is one of the most natural fits for veterans. The skills line up. The demand is high. And the pay can be solid if you know where to look and what to aim for.

But there is a big gap between knowing you could do the job and actually landing it. The private security world has its own rules, certifications, and hiring paths. Some pay $18 an hour to stand at a front desk. Others pay six figures to protect executives overseas. The difference comes down to how you position yourself.

I built Best Military Resume after spending 1.5 years applying for jobs with zero callbacks. I know what it feels like to have real skills and get ignored because your resume does not speak the right language. This guide breaks down the private security and executive protection career path so you can skip the guesswork.

Why Do Private Security Companies Want Veterans?

Private security firms hire veterans for reasons that go beyond "you know how to shoot." They want people who can stay calm when things go sideways. People who follow protocols without being babysat. People who can read a room and spot a threat before it becomes a problem.

Here is what makes veterans stand out in this field:

• Threat assessment training: You learned how to identify risks and act on them. Most civilian candidates have never done this under real pressure.
• Discipline and reliability: You showed up on time for years, even when the hours were brutal. Security companies value that more than they value a criminal justice degree.
• Weapons handling: Many security roles require armed personnel. Your military firearms training gives you a head start on licensing.
• Clearance eligibility: If you held a Secret or Top Secret clearance, that opens doors to high-end contracts. Read more about what your clearance is worth in salary.
• Team operations: You know how to work in a team under stress. Executive protection and corporate security both run on coordinated teams.

The big advantage is this. You already did the hard part. You trained for years in environments that civilian security guards never experience. The trick is proving it on paper and getting the right certifications.

What Private Security Jobs Can Veterans Get?

Private security is not one job. It is an entire industry with different pay levels, skill requirements, and lifestyles. Here are the main career paths open to veterans.

Corporate Security

Large companies hire security teams to protect their buildings, data, and employees. Think Fortune 500 companies, tech firms, and financial institutions. These roles focus on access control, surveillance systems, and emergency response planning.

Entry-level corporate security pays $40,000 to $55,000. A Security Manager or Director of Security at a large company can earn $90,000 to $130,000. Veterans with leadership experience move into management faster than most civilian candidates.

Security Consulting

Security consultants assess risk for companies and organizations. They review physical security, cybersecurity gaps, travel risks, and workplace violence prevention. Veterans with intelligence or operations backgrounds do well here.

Consulting roles often pay $70,000 to $120,000 depending on your specialty. Some consultants go independent and charge $150 to $300 per hour for contract work.

Armed Security and Protective Services

Armed security positions pay more than unarmed roles. They require state firearms licenses and often prefer or require military or law enforcement backgrounds. Think armored car services, nuclear facility security, and high-value asset protection.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the median pay for security guards and gaming surveillance officers at $36,530 per year. But that number includes every mall guard in America. Armed security with military experience starts much higher, typically $45,000 to $65,000.

Government Contract Security

This is where the big money lives. Companies like Constellis (formerly Academi/Blackwater), GardaWorld, and Triple Canopy hire veterans for overseas security contracts. These roles protect embassies, military bases, and government personnel in high-risk areas.

Overseas contract security can pay $100,000 to $200,000+ per year. But the work is demanding. You may deploy for 6 to 12 months at a time in places like the Middle East or Africa. Combat veterans with infantry, special operations, or military police backgrounds are preferred.

Loss Prevention and Investigations

Retail chains and corporations hire loss prevention specialists to reduce theft and fraud. Veterans with investigative backgrounds (military police, NCIS, CID, OSI) are strong fits. Pay ranges from $45,000 for specialists to $80,000+ for regional managers.

If you want to explore other law enforcement paths, check out our guides on military to FBI careers and military to Border Patrol.

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What Is Executive Protection and How Do You Break In?

Executive protection (EP) is the high end of private security. You protect individuals. CEOs, celebrities, politicians, wealthy families. The job is about prevention, not reaction. You plan routes, assess venues, coordinate with local law enforcement, and keep your principal safe without drawing attention.

This is not bodyguarding like you see in movies. Most EP work is quiet, professional, and detail-oriented. You blend in. You do not look like you are on a security detail.

How to Get Into Executive Protection

Breaking into EP from the military takes a clear plan. Here is what most successful transitions look like.

EP pay ranges widely. Entry-level EP agents earn $50,000 to $75,000. Experienced agents protecting high-profile clients earn $100,000 to $200,000+. Team leads and EP managers can earn even more. Your clearance status and overseas willingness both push the pay higher.

If federal protection interests you more, look into the Secret Service career path for veterans.

How Much Do Private Security Jobs Pay?

Pay in private security varies wildly depending on the role, location, and whether you carry a weapon. Here is a realistic breakdown.

The biggest factor in your pay is specialization. A guard card and a pulse gets you $15 an hour. Military experience plus EP training plus an active clearance gets you into six figures. It is that simple.

Location matters too. Security professionals in Washington DC, New York, Los Angeles, and Houston earn more because the demand is higher. If you are willing to travel or work overseas, your earning potential jumps significantly.

What Certifications Do You Need?

Every state has its own security licensing requirements. Beyond state licenses, there are industry certifications that separate the $35,000 guards from the $100,000+ professionals.

Required Licenses (State Level)

• Guard Card / Security License: Required in every state. Cost ranges from $50 to $200. Training requirement varies from 8 to 40 hours depending on the state.
• Armed Guard Permit: Required if you carry a weapon on duty. Involves firearms qualification and additional training. Veterans with military firearms records often qualify faster.
• Concealed Carry Permit: Some EP roles require this in addition to your armed guard license. LEOSA (Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act) does not apply to most veterans unless you were military police.

Industry Certifications That Boost Your Pay

• CPP (Certified Protection Professional): From ASIS International. The gold standard for security management. Requires 7 years of security experience (military counts). Costs about $400 for the exam.
• PPS (Physical Security Professional): Also from ASIS. Focuses on physical security systems and design. Good for corporate security paths.
• PSP (Personal Security Professional): From the Executive Protection Institute. Specific to EP work. Combines coursework with practical training.
• CPR/AED and First Aid: Required for almost every security position. Get it through the Red Cross or American Heart Association. Takes one day.
• Defensive/Evasive Driving: Required for EP roles. BSR (Bill Scott Raceway) and Tony Scotti Associates are two well-known programs.

Your security clearance status also functions like a certification in this industry. An active TS/SCI clearance can be worth $10,000 to $30,000 more per year in government contract security roles.

How to Write a Private Security Resume That Gets Calls

Your military experience is valuable. But if your resume reads like a military service record, civilian hiring managers will skim past it. You need to translate your experience into language the security industry understands.

What to Highlight

• Security-specific experience: Force protection, base security, access control, personnel screening, threat assessments, convoy security, perimeter defense. Use these terms directly.
• Leadership with numbers: "Supervised 12-person security team across 3 entry control points" is better than "Led soldiers in security operations."
• Weapons qualifications: List your military firearms qualifications. Include weapon types if relevant to the role.
• Clearance level: State your clearance level and status (active, current, or inactive with dates).
• Certifications: Put your CPP, guard card, CPR, and any EP training right at the top of the resume.

Resume Format Tips

Keep your resume to 2 pages. Use a clean format with clear section headers. Both PDF and Word formats work fine for submission.

Put your certifications and clearance level near the top. Security hiring managers scan for those first. If they do not see a guard card, CPP, or clearance in the first few seconds, they move on.

Use BMR's career crosswalk tool to find the exact civilian job titles that match your military background. Then tailor your resume to those titles.

Where to Find Private Security Jobs for Veterans

Knowing where to look is half the battle. Private security jobs are posted in different places depending on the level and type of work.

Job Boards and Websites

• ClearanceJobs.com: The top site for security positions requiring clearances. If you have an active clearance, start here.
• ASIS International Career Center: Job board run by the security industry's main professional association.
• LinkedIn: Search "executive protection," "corporate security," or "security manager" and filter by veteran-friendly companies.
• Company career pages: Apply directly to Securitas, Allied Universal, Garda World, Constellis, and Gavin de Becker.

Networking That Actually Works

Private security, especially executive protection, runs on referrals. Many of the best EP jobs never get posted publicly. Here is how to build your network.

• ASIS International chapters: Join your local chapter. Attend meetings. These are the people who hire security professionals.
• EP training courses: The classmates you train with become your professional network. Many get hired through connections they made in training.
• Veteran service organizations: Groups like American Corporate Partners pair veterans with mentors in their target industry.
• LinkedIn groups: Join executive protection and corporate security groups. Be active. Post about your training and background.

If you want to explore your full range of career options based on your MOS or rating, use our jobs by MOS matching tool.

Which Military Backgrounds Fit Best?

Some military jobs translate more directly into private security than others. Here are the backgrounds that security companies target most.

• Military Police (Army 31B, Marines 5811): Direct match for armed security, corporate security, and investigations.
• Infantry (Army 11B, Marines 0311): Strong fit for contract security overseas and armed protective details.
• Special Operations (Army SF, Navy SEALs, MARSOC, PJs): Top candidates for executive protection and high-risk contracts.
• Intelligence (Army 35 series, Navy IS/CT): Great for security consulting, corporate intelligence, and threat assessment roles.
• Security Forces (Air Force 3P0X1): Direct match for base and facility security roles in the civilian sector.

But any veteran can break into this field with the right certifications and resume. Your branch and MOS matter less than your training, attitude, and willingness to earn the certs.

You might also consider related federal career paths. Our guides cover corrections officer careers for veterans and other law enforcement routes.

What to Do Next

Private security is a real career path for veterans. Not a fallback. The industry needs people with your training, your discipline, and your ability to operate under pressure.

Here is your action plan:

1. Research your state's security licensing requirements and start the application process.
2. Decide if you want general security, corporate security, or executive protection. Each has a different certification path.
3. Get your CPR/First Aid and any required firearms qualifications.
4. If EP is your goal, enroll in a recognized training program and use your GI Bill to cover the cost.
5. Build your resume using civilian security language. Translate your military experience into terms this industry uses.

BMR's Resume Builder handles the military-to-civilian translation automatically. Paste a security job posting and it tailors your resume to match. Built by veterans who have been on both sides of the hiring desk.

Your career transition takes time. Start now. Get the certs. Build the network. The security industry is waiting for people with exactly your background.

And when you are ready to prep for interviews, check out our guide on the 15 most common veteran interview questions.