Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$30,210
- 25th Percentile — Junior$35,210
- 50th Percentile — Median$38,020
- 75th Percentile — Senior$46,200
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$58,840
The top 10% of Security Guards earn $58,840 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $30,210, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
What Security Guards Do
Role, training and entry requirements
Security guards patrol and protect property against theft, vandalism, and other illegal activity. They monitor alarms and cameras, control access to buildings, write reports, and respond to incidents in offices, stores, hospitals, schools, and events.
How to become one
Most states require guards to be registered or licensed, which typically involves a background check and short training. Armed guards need additional firearms training and a separate license.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $60,720 | +43.0% |
| Alaska | $54,140 | +27.5% |
| Vermont | $50,770 | +19.5% |
| Washington | $50,770 | +19.5% |
| New Hampshire | $47,850 | +12.7% |
| Virginia | $47,070 | +10.8% |
| New York | $46,450 | +9.4% |
| Oregon | $46,420 | +9.3% |
| New Mexico | $46,300 | +9.0% |
| Colorado | $45,870 | +8.0% |
| Minnesota | $45,460 | +7.0% |
| Connecticut | $45,180 | +6.4% |
| Missouri | $45,100 | +6.2% |
| Nebraska | $45,000 | +6.0% |
| California | $44,920 | +5.8% |
| Massachusetts | $44,760 | +5.4% |
| Maryland | $44,530 | +4.9% |
| Illinois | $44,240 | +4.2% |
| Idaho | $44,100 | +3.8% |
| Delaware | $43,750 | +3.0% |
| New Jersey | $43,520 | +2.5% |
| Hawaii | $43,470 | +2.4% |
| North Dakota | $43,150 | +1.6% |
| Utah | $43,050 | +1.4% |
| Wyoming | $42,660 | +0.4% |
| Montana | $42,270 | -0.5% |
| Iowa | $42,220 | -0.6% |
| Maine | $41,390 | -2.5% |
| Wisconsin | $41,390 | -2.5% |
| Arizona | $40,950 | -3.6% |
| Indiana | $40,660 | -4.3% |
| Michigan | $40,640 | -4.3% |
| Kansas | $40,350 | -5.0% |
| Rhode Island | $40,320 | -5.1% |
| South Dakota | $40,250 | -5.2% |
| Pennsylvania | $40,180 | -5.4% |
| Ohio | $39,950 | -5.9% |
| Nevada | $39,770 | -6.4% |
| Oklahoma | $39,560 | -6.9% |
| North Carolina | $39,090 | -8.0% |
| Texas | $38,550 | -9.2% |
| Kentucky | $38,540 | -9.3% |
| Tennessee | $38,500 | -9.3% |
| Arkansas | $38,300 | -9.8% |
| Georgia | $37,890 | -10.8% |
| Florida | $37,610 | -11.4% |
| South Carolina | $37,060 | -12.7% |
| Louisiana | $36,080 | -15.0% |
| Alabama | $34,680 | -18.3% |
| Mississippi | $31,750 | -25.2% |
| West Virginia | $31,320 | -26.3% |
What Factors Affect Security Guards Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Security Guards is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: District of Columbia pays an average of $60,720, while West Virginia pays $31,320 — a gap of $29,400 per year.
Armed guards, guards at government facilities, and those working directly for a company (rather than a contract security firm) usually earn more. Overtime, overnight shifts, and supervisory roles add to pay.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
Compare with Similar Jobs
Related career salary benchmarks
- Firefighters $63,630/yr United States +49.8% vs this role
- First-Line Supervisors of Police $112,190/yr United States +164.2% vs this role
- Detectives and Criminal Investigators $99,430/yr United States +134.1% vs this role
- First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting $96,930/yr United States +128.2% vs this role
- Correctional Officers and Jailers $63,630/yr United States +49.8% vs this role
- Private Detectives and Investigators $60,150/yr United States +41.6% vs this role
- Registered Nurses $101,420/yr United States +138.8% vs this role
- Nurse Practitioners $137,300/yr United States +223.3% vs this role
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Security Guards?
The average salary for Security Guards in the United States is $42,470 per year, with a median of $38,020.
What is the starting salary for Security Guards?
Entry-level Security Guards typically earn between $30,210 and $35,210 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Security Guards the most?
District of Columbia pays Security Guards the most at $60,720 per year on average, followed by Alaska ($54,140) and Vermont ($50,770).
How much do Security Guards make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $42,470, Security Guards earn approximately $20.42 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Security Guards a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 1,283,470 Security Guards jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $42,470 and a median of $38,020 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
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