Security & Investigations · C-Suite · 18 to 25 years typical
Managing Director, Security Consulting Salary
Annual base compensation, national and by market, from 257 named sources. Every figure below says where it came from.
| Market | Multiplier | P25 | P50 | P75 | P90 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York City, NY | 1.40× | $320,000 | $385,000 | $455,000 | $560,000 |
| San Francisco, CA | 1.30× | $300,000 | $360,000 | $425,000 | $520,000 |
| Boston, MA | 1.25× | $290,000 | $345,000 | $405,000 | $500,000 |
| Palm Beach, FL | 1.25× | $290,000 | $345,000 | $405,000 | $500,000 |
| Miami, FL | 1.23× | $280,000 | $335,000 | $400,000 | $490,000 |
| Los Angeles, CA | 1.20× | $275,000 | $330,000 | $390,000 | $480,000 |
| Washington, DC | 1.20× | $275,000 | $330,000 | $390,000 | $480,000 |
| Seattle, WA | 1.15× | $265,000 | $315,000 | $375,000 | $460,000 |
| Chicago, IL | 1.05× | $240,000 | $290,000 | $340,000 | $420,000 |
| Dallas, TX | 1.00× | $230,000 | $275,000 | $325,000 | $400,000 |
Time to fill 20 weeks for comparable searches, estimated from rouka's benchmark set.
FTI Consulting MD P90 total comp $626K-$638K. Security practice MDs 15-25% below financial advisory MDs. Bonuses 50-100%+ of base for top originators.
What does a Managing Director, Security Consulting do?
The Managing Director, Security Consulting operates providing executive protection, threat assessment, and security operations for high-net-worth families, corporate principals, or private organizations. Professionals in this role typically bring 18 to 25 years of relevant experience. Classified at the C-Suite level, this position draws from a very tight candidate market with an estimated pool of 20-50 qualified professionals, making targeted sourcing and competitive compensation critical for successful placements.
What drives Managing Director, Security Consulting compensation?
The median (P50) compensation for a Managing Director, Security Consulting is $275,000, with the 25th to 75th percentile range spanning $230,000 to $325,000. Pay variation across this range is primarily driven by principal risk profile, domestic vs. international travel requirements, team size managed, security clearance level, and specialized training in surveillance detection or threat mitigation. Demand for this role is trending upward with 11% year-over-year growth, which is putting upward pressure on compensation at all levels.
Managing Director, Security Consulting career path
Professionals who move into Managing Director, Security Consulting roles most commonly come from military special operations, federal law enforcement, intelligence agencies, or corporate security departments. From this position, the typical trajectory leads toward director of security for large family offices, corporate security leadership, or independent security consulting. The average tenure in this role is approximately 4.6 years, with an annual turnover rate of 13%.
Hiring a Managing Director, Security Consulting?
A search playbook for this seat: compensation positioning against the band above, the sourcing map, and the interview framework.