by our College Data Analytics TeamA major in Security Science and Technology, General covers A Program Of Study That Focuses On The General Application Of Science And Technology To Security. Read on to learn the key facts every security science and technology, general major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering security science and technology, general programs.
Across the country, security science and technology, general is a widely-pursued major, with 31 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Security Science and Technology, General Schools ranking analyzes these 1 schools to determine the best overall colleges for security science and technology, general students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of security science and technology, general programs later in this article.
Studies in Security Science and Technology, General emphasize a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations security science and technology, general graduates commonly enter.
The skill set built by a security science and technology, general program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Per O*NET surveys, a security science and technology, general major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several security science and technology, general degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 31 |
People currently working in careers related to security science and technology, general tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| 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% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in security science and technology, general careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Majoring in security science and technology, general opens doors to many career paths. Here are some of the most common occupations related to security science and technology, general.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to security science and technology, general.
| 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% |
Federal data tracks median earnings of security science and technology, general graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $51,422 |
| 4 years | $49,125 |
| 5 years | $55,237 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for security science and technology, general graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers security science and technology, general grads often go into.
| 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 |
With 1 different security science and technology, general programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased security science and technology, general school rankings to help you.
Students interested in security science and technology, general, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
