by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 6 U.S. colleges awarded 60 degrees and certificates in Security Science and Technology, General. Master’s degrees are the most popular award, at 78% of graduates. Graduates earn a median $51,422 one year after completing, rising to $69,868 after four years.
A major in Security Science and Technology, General covers A Program Of Study That Focuses On The General Application Of Science And Technology To Security.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings. Data as of: July 2026.
Across the country, security science and technology, general is a widely-pursued major, with 60 degrees awarded annually. 6 colleges award security science and technology, general degrees, an average of 10 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 46.
By level, the 60 awards include 7 associate degrees, 6 bachelor’s degrees and 47 master’s degrees.
Women earned 20% of security science and technology, general degrees and certificates in the latest year (12 of 60). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (26) and Hispanic or Latino (11), and international students earned 1.
The most common security science and technology, general credential is the master’s degree: 47 of the 60 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to security science and technology, general call most for Active Listening, Speaking and Critical Thinking, and for knowledge of Public Safety and Security, Law and Government and Customer and Personal Service, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Oral Expression, Oral Comprehension and Problem Sensitivity.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a security science and technology, general degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 7 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 6 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 47 |
High school diploma or equivalent is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to security science and technology, general, at 35.8%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| High school diploma or equivalent | 35.8% |
| Some college courses | 22.4% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 19.7% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 13.7% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 4.0% |
| Master’s degree | 2.3% |
| Doctoral degree | 1.5% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 0.5% |
| First professional degree | 0.1% |
Source: O*NET Online.
4 occupations are related to Security Science and Technology, General, with an average median salary of $62,965; the strongest outlook belongs to Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary, at 12.0% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Shift Supervisor, Safety Supervisor, Security Director and Security Guard Supervisor.
The occupation related to security science and technology, general with the most projected jobs is First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers, at 489,192.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers | 489,192 | 4.7% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | 290,410 | 11.9% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Protective Service Workers, All Other | 148,156 | 2.6% |
| Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary | 52,113 | 12.0% |
Security Science and Technology, General graduates earn a median $51,422 one year after completing their program, $69,868 after four years and $58,543 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $51,422 |
| 4 years | $69,868 |
| 5 years | $58,543 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The same occupation is also the highest-paying one related to security science and technology, general, with a median salary of $91,449.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary | $91,449 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers | $75,304 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | $52,907 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Protective Service Workers, All Other | $32,201 |
Security Science and Technology, General has 8 similar majors in the Law Enforcement & Firefighting field, which together award 10,474 degrees a year; the largest are Forensic Science and Technology (5,123), Cyber/Computer Forensics and Counterterrorism (2,476) and Cybersecurity Defense Strategy/Policy (1,714). Browse all Law Enforcement & Firefighting majors or the full list of college majors.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Forensic Science and Technology | 5,123 |
| Cyber/Computer Forensics and Counterterrorism | 2,476 |
| Cybersecurity Defense Strategy/Policy | 1,714 |
| Criminalistics and Criminal Science | 632 |
| Financial Forensics and Fraud Investigation | 286 |
| Law Enforcement Intelligence Analysis | 223 |
| Geospatial Intelligence | 19 |
| Security Science and Technology, Other | 1 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.