Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers
Install, program, maintain, and repair security and fire alarm wiring and equipment. Ensure that work is in accordance with relevant codes.
86,340 people do this job in the US. $60,070 a year.
of the working time. Estimate.
- 3%
- 1%
- 96%
Measured, from Anthropic's usage data (2025). Counts help on part of a task.
On the chosen pace and reliability. Estimate.
Share of the working time within reach, now to 2030
What each choice means: , , , , . Every pace starts from .
At this date and pace, models finish tasks up to 4.4 h long four times in five.
How far this has come
With GPT-4, measured in March 2023, 0% of this job's working time was within reach at . With Claude 3.7 Sonnet, measured in February 2025, 0%. With Claude Mythos Preview (early), measured in April 2026, 2%. Today's estimate: 3%.
A backcast: today's task data with the best model METR had measured by each date. It shows how fast the models have moved, not what anyone forecast at the time.
The tasks
Sorted by . 16 tasks from .
| Task | Kind | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Install, maintain, or repair security systems, alarm devices, or related equipment, following blueprints of electrical layouts and building plans.Done daily by most who do it. | 24% | 5 h1.7 h to 1.7 work days | Stays with people | |
| Feed cables through access holes, roof spaces, or cavity walls to reach fixture outlets, positioning and terminating cables, wires, or strapping.Done daily by most who do it. | 21% | 2.5 h50 min to 4.2 h | Stays with people | |
| Mount and fasten control panels, door and window contacts, sensors, or video cameras, and attach electrical and telephone wiring to connect components.Done daily by most who do it. | 16% | 3.3 h1.3 h to 6.7 h | Stays with people | |
| Test and repair circuits and sensors, following wiring and system specifications.Done daily by most who do it. | 13% | 1.7 h50 min to 3.3 h | Stays with people | |
| Examine systems to locate problems, such as loose connections or broken insulation.Done daily by most who do it. | 6% | 1.1 h25 min to 2.5 h | Stays with people | |
| Mount raceways and conduits and fasten wires to wood framing, using staplers.Done more than weekly by most who do it. | 4% | 1.7 h25 min to 3.3 h | Stays with people | |
| Inspect installation sites and study work orders, building plans, and installation manuals to determine materials requirements and installation procedures.Done more than monthly by most who do it. | 3% | 1.3 h25 min to 2.5 h | Stays with people | |
| Test backup batteries, keypad programming, sirens, or other security features to ensure proper functioning or to diagnose malfunctions.Done more than weekly by most who do it. | 3% | 38 min17 min to 1.7 h | Stays with people | |
| Drill holes for wiring in wall studs, joists, ceilings, or floors.Done daily by most who do it. | 3% | 38 min17 min to 1.7 h | Stays with people | |
| Adjust sensitivity of units, based on room structures and manufacturers' recommendations, using programming keypads.Done daily by most who do it. | 2% | 25 min13 min to 1.1 h | Stays with people | |
| Consult with clients to assess risks and to determine security requirements.Done daily by most who do it. | 1% | 50 min25 min to 1.7 h | Stays with people | |
| Demonstrate systems for customers and explain details, such as the causes and consequences of false alarms.Done more than weekly by most who do it. | 1% | 38 min17 min to 1.3 h | Stays with people |
Within reach, per task: the share of the task's time whose instances are short enough for a model to finish at the chosen date, pace and reliability. Half by: the date half of that time comes within reach.
Jobs that share skills with this one
From O*NET's related occupations. Within reach now and by the end of 2028, long-run pace, four in five.
- Lighting Technicians8% now, 12% by 2028
- Electronic Equipment Installers and Repairers, Motor Vehicles9% now, 9% by 2028
- Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers, Transportation Equipment8% now, 8% by 2028
- Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers11% now, 14% by 2028
- Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment14% now, 20% by 2028
- Electricians13% now, 17% by 2028
Where this job works
The industry groups that employ the most of it (BLS, May 2025).
Where the most of these jobs are
The metro areas with the most people in it (BLS, May 2025).