SOC 33-9032 · May 2025
Security Guard Salary
Security Guards in the US earn a median of $38,020 a year ($20.42 an hour on average), according to the BLS May 2025 wage survey. Average Security Guard pay climbed from $33,030 in 2019 to $42,470 in 2025, a +28.6% change in 6 years.
Median annual
$38,020
Half of all Security Guards in the United States earn more than this figure, half earn less. From the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release.
Wage trend
+28.6% since 2019 · -1.0% YoY
Hourly
$20.42
Job growth 2025-35
+0.9%
US workers
1,283,470
BLS series
Annual median wage for Security Guards in All Industries in the United States
Salary range
From entry to top decile
The 10th-to-90th percentile spread for Security Guards is $30,210 – $58,840.
Percentile distribution
USD · annual
10th
$30,210
25th
$35,210
Median
$38,020
75th
$46,200
90th
$58,840
Percentile bands
Where your pay would sit
Percentile bands
Annual wages at each point of the BLS distribution for Security Guards. Where you sit depends on experience, employer, location and credentials.
| Percentile | What it means | Annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | 10% earn less. Common for new entrants | $30,210 |
| 25th percentile | A quarter earn less | $35,210 |
| Median | Half earn more, half earn less | $38,020 |
| 75th percentile | A quarter earn more | $46,200 |
| 90th percentile | 10% earn more. Often senior or specialist staff | $58,840 |
Geography
Security Guard pay by state
Security Guards earn the most in D.C. ($64,210, +69% against the national median) and the least in West Virginia ($28,800). BLS publishes a May 2025 estimate for this occupation in 51 of 51 states and D.C.
National median
$38,020
Highest-paying states for security guards
| State | Annual median | vs national | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| D.C. | $64,210 | +69% | 15,880 |
| Alaska | $47,480 | +25% | 2,100 |
| Washington | $47,100 | +24% | 25,800 |
| Vermont | $45,550 | +20% | 930 |
| Oregon | $45,500 | +20% | 12,200 |
| New Hampshire | $45,200 | +19% | 2,450 |
| Colorado | $45,150 | +19% | 16,890 |
| Massachusetts | $44,670 | +17% | 23,930 |
| New York | $44,240 | +16% | 134,700 |
| Virginia | $43,640 | +15% | 34,870 |
All 51 states, highest to lowest
| State | Annual median | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| D.C. | $64,210 | 15,880 |
| Alaska | $47,480 | 2,100 |
| Washington | $47,100 | 25,800 |
| Vermont | $45,550 | 930 |
| Oregon | $45,500 | 12,200 |
| New Hampshire | $45,200 | 2,450 |
| Colorado | $45,150 | 16,890 |
| Massachusetts | $44,670 | 23,930 |
| New York | $44,240 | 134,700 |
| Virginia | $43,640 | 34,870 |
| Minnesota | $43,380 | 14,440 |
| New Mexico | $43,320 | 8,410 |
| California | $43,240 | 199,480 |
| Hawaii | $42,820 | 10,160 |
| Utah | $42,700 | 7,310 |
| Missouri | $40,390 | 18,630 |
| Connecticut | $39,920 | 12,100 |
| Nebraska | $39,840 | 4,700 |
| Illinois | $39,490 | 53,830 |
| North Dakota | $39,310 | 1,310 |
| Wyoming | $39,200 | 1,130 |
| Maine | $39,100 | 1,930 |
| New Jersey | $38,880 | 41,540 |
| Montana | $38,480 | 1,610 |
| Idaho | $38,300 | 3,750 |
| Arizona | $38,290 | 29,820 |
| Maryland | $38,220 | 27,670 |
| Wisconsin | $37,440 | 12,030 |
| Nevada | $37,310 | 26,680 |
| South Dakota | $37,150 | 1,460 |
| Michigan | $37,080 | 25,240 |
| Iowa | $37,080 | 6,890 |
| Kansas | $37,080 | 7,150 |
| Pennsylvania | $37,050 | 43,610 |
| Rhode Island | $36,940 | 3,160 |
| Indiana | $36,490 | 19,930 |
| Delaware | $36,360 | 3,430 |
| Oklahoma | $36,270 | 12,210 |
| Tennessee | $36,000 | 27,690 |
| Texas | $35,980 | 106,210 |
| Florida | $35,900 | 95,370 |
| Ohio | $35,770 | 34,450 |
| Arkansas | $35,770 | 6,390 |
| South Carolina | $35,460 | 16,610 |
| Kentucky | $35,420 | 13,580 |
| North Carolina | $35,010 | 29,830 |
| Georgia | $34,980 | 36,210 |
| Alabama | $33,720 | 15,210 |
| Louisiana | $32,240 | 17,210 |
| Mississippi | $29,180 | 10,160 |
| West Virginia | $28,800 | 5,200 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, state estimates, May 2025, all industries.
What affects this salary
Pay drivers for Security Guards
Security guards patrol property, monitor surveillance systems, and respond to incidents in commercial buildings, retail locations, residential complexes, and event venues. Most states require a license that includes background checks and basic training. Armed positions, executive protection, and specialized facility security (hospitals, government, transit) command meaningful pay premiums above the unarmed retail and event-venue baseline.
The 10th-to-90th percentile spread is $30,210 – $58,840. That gap reflects experience, certification, employer type, geographic cost of living, and shift differentials where applicable.
Geography matters. The best-paying states for this role are D.C., Alaska and Washington. Pay in D.C. runs 2.2 times the level in West Virginia, before any adjustment for cost of living.
Getting in. BLS lists the typical entry-level education as high school diploma or equivalent, and projects about 156,000 openings a year over 2025-35. Employment is projected to grow 0.9% over the same period, against 3.5% for all occupations.
Frequently asked
Questions readers ask
Frequently asked
What is the average Security Guard salary in the US?
How much does a Security Guard make an hour?
How much do Security Guards make at the low and high end?
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Is Security Guard a growing career?
Open positions
Open Security Guard roles hiring now
Browse current Security Guard listings on Indeed and ZipRecruiter, filtered to your role.
Source & methodology
Wage and employment figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, May 2025 release. Standard Occupational Classification: 33-9032. Figures represent the national median, mean, and percentile distribution across all employers and industries. Hourly equivalents assume a 2,080-hour work year. Job growth, annual openings and typical education are from the BLS Employment Projections program, 2025-35; see the Occupational Outlook Handbook entry. Read our methodology for details on how the data is sourced, transformed, and refreshed.