Security & Investigations · Director

Practice Leader / Practice Director, Security Consulting Salary

Compensation benchmarks from 255 verified sources including industry surveys, published reports, and market intelligence.

National Compensation Range

P25

$135,000

25th percentile

P50

$225,000

Median

P75

$195,000

75th percentile

CANDIDATE MARKET

Very Tight

Scarcity: 8/10

EST. CANDIDATE POOL

30-70

Active candidates nationally

DEMAND TREND

Stable

8% year-over-year

RETENTION

4.5 yr avg tenure

14% annual turnover

Practice Leader / Practice Director, Security Consulting Salary by City

New York City, NY$315,000
San Francisco, CA$295,000
Palm Beach, FL$295,000
Boston, MA$280,000
Los Angeles, CA$270,000

Median (P50) adjusted for metro cost of labor.

Market Trends

FTI Senior Director P90 $510K. Practice leaders earn 5-15% less than MDs. Bonus targets 25-40% of base.

Also Known As

Practice Director, Security Practice Lead, Head of Security Practice

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 $135,000 to $195,000. 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 0.08% 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%.

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