Facility Security Officer labor category
Facility Security Officer is a government contracting labor category with levels I through IV. That's what the government pays the contractor, not your salary.
Updated Oct 21, 2026 · Data: GSA CALC+
What a Facility Security Officer does
This role involves managing personnel security clearances, overseeing physical security at corporate facilities, and ensuring adherence to federal security protocols such as the National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual. For transitioning service members, this career path often aligns with roles previously held as a Security Manager, Force Protection Officer, or personnel security specialist. Positions are typically categorized by levels ranging from entry-level administrative support to senior-level program management. Progression usually depends on the size of the cleared facility and the complexity of the contracts supported. Candidates generally need a strong understanding of regulatory compliance, documentation standards, and effective communication skills to guide staff through the complexities of federal security requirements while mitigating organizational risk.
Typical Facility Security Officer duties
- Manage the end to end personnel security clearance process for employees, including initiation of background investigation requests and tracking status.
- Perform annual internal audits to ensure physical security and information protection standards meet government contractual requirements.
- Provide regular security training and briefings to staff members regarding cyber hygiene, insider threat awareness, and travel security.
- Develop and maintain comprehensive security documentation and standard operating procedures for the facility.
- Serve as the lead interface for government security inspectors during routine compliance reviews and facility assessments.
Facility Security Officer levels, requirements, and GSA CALC+ rates
Levels map to years of relevant experience. A degree can substitute for years (about 2 years per step).
| Level | Experience | Most common education | GSA ceiling rate, 25th–75th ($/hr) | GSA ceiling rate, median ($/hr) | Rough salary estimate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level I | 0–3 yrs | Bachelors | Not enough data | Not enough data | — |
| Level II | 4–7 yrs | Bachelors | Not enough data | Not enough data | — |
| Level III | 8–12 yrs | Bachelors | Not enough data | Not enough data | — |
| Level IV | 13+ yrs | Bachelors | Not enough data | Not enough data | — |
- Most common education
- Bachelors
- GSA ceiling, 25th–75th
- Not enough data
- GSA ceiling, median
- Not enough data
- Rough salary estimate
- —
- Most common education
- Bachelors
- GSA ceiling, 25th–75th
- Not enough data
- GSA ceiling, median
- Not enough data
- Rough salary estimate
- —
- Most common education
- Bachelors
- GSA ceiling, 25th–75th
- Not enough data
- GSA ceiling, median
- Not enough data
- Rough salary estimate
- —
- Most common education
- Bachelors
- GSA ceiling, 25th–75th
- Not enough data
- GSA ceiling, median
- Not enough data
- Rough salary estimate
- —
GSA ceiling rate: what the government pays the contractor, not your salary. It includes overhead, benefits, and profit. Source: GSA CALC+, current contract year, synced Oct 25, 2026, 16 rates.
Common certifications: ASIS Certified Protection Professional (CPP), ASIS Physical Security Professional (PSP), Security+, OSHA 30-Hour General Industry Certification, FEMA Emergency Management Institute Certification, OSHA 30-Hour General Industry, Certified Water Treatment Plant Operator, HAZWOPER 40-Hour Certification
Clearance for this labor category
About 0% of Facility Security Officer GSA rates require a clearance. Put your clearance on the very first line of your resume, under your name and contact info. Level and status only. Never list program names, SCI caveats, or classified details. Use the free Clearance Formatter.
Military codes that map to Facility Security Officer
Sample Facility Security Officer resume bullets
Public-safe, quantified examples. Replace the numbers with your own.
- Managed a portfolio of 150+ active personnel security clearances, achieving a 98 percent compliance rate during federal audits.
- Reduced security documentation processing time by 20 percent by implementing a new digital tracking system for a $5M annual contract portfolio.
- Coordinated physical security upgrades for a 50,000 square foot facility, ensuring full alignment with federal safety protocols and regulatory standards.
What level Facility Security Officer are you?
Enter your years, education, certifications, and clearance. Get your likely level, the GSA rate range for that level, and what would move you up.
With 0 years of relevant experience and a no degree, your effective experience is about 0 years. Under the common GSA CALC+ rule that a degree step substitutes for roughly 2 years, that maps to Level I. Verify against the specific contract.
Move up · To reach Level II, add about 4 more years of relevant experience, or earn a certification the contract requires (e.g. Security+, PMP) that the contract requires.
Not enough GSA CALC+ rate data for this level yet (fewer than 20 rates). The level estimate still applies; pay ranges appear once more rates are synced.
No account needed. Opens the free translator prefilled with Facility Security Officer. Share link encodes only your selections, no names.
Facility Security Officer labor category: quick answers
Do I need a security clearance to work as an FSO?
Yes, FSOs are almost always required to hold an active security clearance because they manage sensitive personnel data and classified material access for the company.
How does my military experience map to this role?
Experience in roles such as Physical Security, Force Protection, or Personnel Security transition directly into the FSO field. You likely already possess the foundational knowledge of security procedures and operational discipline required for this work.
What is the typical education requirement?
While many companies prefer a Bachelors degree, significant specialized experience in the security field or military service can often substitute for educational requirements in many government contracting positions.
Are there different levels of FSOs?
Yes, roles are typically tiered based on the complexity of the facility and the volume of cleared employees. Senior level positions often manage larger programs, multiple sites, or international security requirements.
Reviewed by the Good to Go team · Last updated 2026-10-21 · Sources: GSA CALC+, O*NET
More about this roleShow
This role involves managing personnel security clearances, overseeing physical security at corporate facilities, and ensuring adherence to federal security protocols such as the National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual. For transitioning service members, this career path often aligns with roles previously held as a Security Manager, Force Protection Officer, or personnel security specialist. Positions are typically categorized by levels ranging from entry-level administrative support to senior-level program management. Progression usually depends on the size of the cleared facility and the complexity of the contracts supported. Candidates generally need a strong understanding of regulatory compliance, documentation standards, and effective communication skills to guide staff through the complexities of federal security requirements while mitigating organizational risk.
Each contract defines its own labor categories and levels, so confirm the fit against the posting. Pay figures here are estimates from GSA CALC+ ceiling rates, not a guarantee.
Find your Facility Security Officer level
Enter your years, education, certifications, and clearance. Get your likely level and the GSA rate range for it.
Open the Level Calculator