DALLAS — Following the launch this summer of its Industry Research Center, the Electronic Security Association (ESA) has announced the release of its inaugural Industry Performance Index (IPI) report.
A new initiative aimed at “delivering economic and industry intelligence to the electronic security and life safety market,” according to the ESA announcement, the Research Center was developed in partnership with macroeconomic forecasting firm Beacon Economics.
It is designed “to provide integrators and dealers with data to better understand industry performance, growth trends, and future forecasts,” the announcement says.
Key takeaways from this inaugural report reveal that the electronic security services industry “has transformed markedly in the 21st century,” according to the ESA announcement. It has grown “faster and more steadily than the economy as a whole, with wage increases far outpacing economy-wide earnings growth.”
The industry’s stable growth is “reinforced by internal enthusiasm as well as momentum stemming from new technologies and emerging opportunities,” the announcement says.
How Was the ESA Industry Performance Index Built?
To accurately assess the industry’s core performance, this report “draws on comprehensive data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages,” which classifies firms into single industries, according to the ESA announcement.
Specifically, findings show that employment in the security system services industry grew from around 86,000 in 2001 to approximately 141,000 in 2025, an increase of approximately 2.00% CAGR, which is “much stronger” than overall private employment growth of 0.86%, the announcement says.
The report details that, apart from minor losses during three recessions, the industry “has grown at a consistent rate of 3,000 to 5,000 new jobs annually up to 2022,” according to the ESA announcement. Since then, employment in the industry has remained stable, even as tariffs, artificial intelligence and geopolitical concerns have brought uncertainty to the broader economy.
Trends in employee compensation “have been very positive,” the announcement says, growing in both nominal and real terms. Annualized nominal wages have risen to about $93,000 today. Over the past 25 years, real wages in the industry have grown at a CAGR of 1.85% compared to overall private real wage growth, which was at a CAGR of 0.99%.
“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,” says Jeremy Bates, ESA’s chairman of the board, in the association announcement.
“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,” he says. “The ESA Industry Research Center gives security integrators and dealers another powerful tool to help them plan for the future and position their businesses for continued growth.”
“For the first time, ESA and the industry have a dedicated resource focused on understanding the economic forces, business trends, and growth opportunities shaping electronic security and life safety integrators,” says ESA CEO Merlin Guilbeau in the announcement.
“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,” he says. “The findings reinforce the strength and resilience of our industry and underscore the significant opportunities ahead for the businesses and professionals who serve it.”
The inaugural ESA Industry Performance Index is available at no cost to both ESA members and non-members. Future ESA Industry Research Center reports will be available at no cost exclusively to ESA members.
