Private Security in Croatia: Revenues Rise, Salaries Lag

The 2025 analysis of the private security sector conducted by the Ekonomski institut Zagreb for the Hrvatski ceh zaštitara shows that the security sector has outperformed the dynamics of the broader economy.

Revenues have increased to approximately €532 million, and profit after tax has risen to about €50 million. Behind these figures lies a market that is highly resilient to cycles but also labor-intensive. About 13,000 employees maintain services that operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, under contracted standards and often in sensitive environments. The average net salary remains below the national average, around €910, despite double-digit annual growth. In other words, the sector is growing faster than the economy, but the cost of that growth is still largely borne by human labor.

In physical security, which includes personal protection, this pressure is most visible. The subsector achieved around €301 million in revenue in 2024, with a very high concentration, as the two largest players, Securitas Hrvatska and Sokol, account for approximately one-third of market revenues. The average net salary in physical security is around €857 and is increasing, but the gap to the national average remains a source of fluctuation.

Without Specific Threats

In this context, personal protection occupies a visible but economically smaller niche. Securitas Hrvatska confirms that bodyguard services constitute a modest part of their portfolio and are mostly temporary in nature, with not-so-frequent inquiries. The profiles of clients are diverse, ranging from business people who need protection due to business-related threats or conflicts with former employees, to athletes during major events, and private clients in property-legal disputes.

Croatia, they say, does not record specific threats that would create a lasting wave of demand for bodyguards, and if you do need them, the engagement process at Securitas is structured and starts with a conversation.

– The process begins with an open conversation with the client to understand the reasons and actual needs for protection. Based on that, we conduct a risk assessment and propose optimal protection measures. The client provides a movement plan, and protection is built in layers, so-called rings, as needed. Everything is defined by a contract with clearly set parameters – they say.

They also add that the staffing standard is firm and that bodyguards are experienced employees who undergo internal theoretical-practical training and must meet fitness standards.

At the level of the security ecosystem, cooperation with institutions is established, and the company states that cooperation with state institutions is always at a high level, while the intensity of cooperation depends on the specific case – some jobs require close coordination, while others do not involve institutions.

The price is, understandably, individual and driven by logistics.

– Prices depend on several factors, such as the duration of the service, the level of risk, the number of employees involved, location, vehicles, and travel and accommodation costs – they say, adding that the current biggest challenge for the entire industry is the lack of quality labor force.

AKD Protection and Institutional Experience

AKD Protection offers a complementary but distinctly ‘institutional’ perspective on personal protection. For them, it is also a smaller but strategically important segment, while the primary focus of the company is on technical and physical protection of business entities, critical infrastructure, and state institutions.

From AKD Protection, they emphasize that Croatia is a safe country in the European context, but there are situations that raise the risk.

– These are mainly business disputes, high-value transactions, high public exposure, and international visits. Additionally, global trends are changing the landscape, as cyber threats and radicalization in the digital space create a new context in which physical and digital security increasingly overlap – they say.

That is why AKD emphasizes a methodical, documented process that includes a detailed risk assessment and life circumstances, the development of a security measures plan that combines the level of physical protection, movement protocols, and appropriate technical support, with active client involvement and adaptation to their lifestyle.

The company adds that in line with the times, the number of requests for integrated protection is increasing, where the physical component is coordinated with cybersecurity, either with their own teams or trusted partners.

– The boundary between physical and digital security is becoming thinner, so clients are seeking integrated solutions, for example, protection during business trips that includes safeguarding digital communications and data – they explain.

Prices, like those at Securitas, are the result of assessment, ranging from one-time events to 24/7 arrangements and depend on risk, duration, and resources, while the challenges they highlight go in three directions. These are the need for top-notch personnel, of which there are not many, rapid technological changes that outpace regulatory rhythms, and the need for the legislative framework to be more agile in response to new threat patterns.

The common denominator of the responses from both companies is clearly visible; personal protection is reputationally attractive but operationally demanding and niche service, which justifies the price only if the risk is thoroughly assessed and protocols are established. For clients, this means that security is not purchased ‘by the hour,’ but through the level of risk and measurable outcomes, with a readiness for coordination and, if necessary, the involvement of institutions. For service providers, this is a reminder that without continuous training, supervision, and a quality staffing ‘pipeline,’ there is no sustainable margin, and without technological support, there is no productivity that could finance salary growth.

Technical Protection and Technology

This brings us to technical protection, a part of the sector that has shown in recent years how knowledge and capital are transforming into a more stable cash flow. With around €230 million in revenue and approximately €22.6 million in profit, along with a significantly smaller number of employees than in physical security, technical protection generates multiple times higher revenue per employee and pays higher average salaries.

Integrators with IP competencies, video analytics, remote monitoring, and service contracts are less dependent on the sheer number of hours in the field and more easily protect margins at a time when labor costs are rising. This is also the most important message for 2025: wherever possible, physical presence should be supported by technology, and the price should be tied to the actual level of risk and measurable outcomes. Otherwise, revenue growth will remain on the edge of sustainability, and salary growth, which is necessary to retain people without support.