Security & Investigations · Director · 15 to 22 years typical
Practice Leader / Practice Director, Security Consulting Salary
Annual base compensation, national and by market, from 258 named sources. Every figure below says where it came from.
| Market | Multiplier | P25 | P50 | P75 | P90 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York City, NY | 1.40× | $260,000 | $315,000 | $380,000 | $455,000 |
| San Francisco, CA | 1.30× | $240,000 | $295,000 | $350,000 | $425,000 |
| Boston, MA | 1.25× | $230,000 | $280,000 | $340,000 | $405,000 |
| Palm Beach, FL | 1.25× | $230,000 | $280,000 | $340,000 | $405,000 |
| Miami, FL | 1.23× | $225,000 | $275,000 | $330,000 | $400,000 |
| Los Angeles, CA | 1.20× | $220,000 | $270,000 | $325,000 | $390,000 |
| Washington, DC | 1.20× | $220,000 | $270,000 | $325,000 | $390,000 |
| Seattle, WA | 1.15× | $215,000 | $260,000 | $310,000 | $375,000 |
| Chicago, IL | 1.05× | $195,000 | $235,000 | $285,000 | $340,000 |
| Dallas, TX | 1.00× | $185,000 | $225,000 | $270,000 | $325,000 |
Time to fill 18 weeks for comparable searches, estimated from rouka's benchmark set.
FTI Senior Director P90 $510K. Practice leaders earn 5-15% less than MDs. Bonus targets 25-40% of base.
What does a Practice Leader / Practice Director, Security Consulting do?
The Practice Leader / Practice 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 15 to 22 years of relevant experience. Classified at the Director level, this position draws from a very tight candidate market with an estimated pool of 30-70 qualified professionals, making targeted sourcing and competitive compensation critical for successful placements.
What drives Practice Leader / Practice Director, Security Consulting compensation?
The median (P50) compensation for a Practice Leader / Practice Director, Security Consulting is $225,000, with the 25th to 75th percentile range spanning $185,000 to $270,000. 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 8% year-over-year growth, which is putting upward pressure on compensation at all levels.
Practice Leader / Practice Director, Security Consulting career path
Professionals who move into Practice Leader / Practice 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 4.5 years, with an annual turnover rate of 14%.
Hiring a Practice Leader / Practice Director, Security Consulting?
A search playbook for this seat: compensation positioning against the band above, the sourcing map, and the interview framework.