Security Guards salary
Public safety · OCC code 33-9032 · gross annual wage · BLS OEWS May 2024
Security Guards in the US earn a median of $38,370 per year (mean $42,890) as of the BLS OEWS May 2024 survey — that is -22.5% versus the $49,500 median for all US jobs, below the US median wage for all jobs. The middle half earn between $35,100 and $46,660; the top 10% earn $59,580 or more. The median hourly wage is $18.45. About 1,241,770 are employed nationally. The highest-paying state is District of Columbia ($63,130). Wages are gross (pre-tax) and vary by employer, experience and location.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. Data as of OEWS May 2024 (BLS), retrieved June 2026.
Security Guards pay range (national percentiles)
What security guards earn across the pay distribution, nationally (BLS OEWS, May 2024):
| Pay level | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (lowest-paid 10%) | $29,800 |
| 25th percentile | $35,100 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $38,370 |
| Mean (average) | $42,890 |
| 75th percentile | $46,660 |
| 90th percentile (highest-paid 10%) | $59,580 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. Data as of OEWS May 2024 (BLS), retrieved June 2026.
A dash (—) means BLS did not release that figure; a plus (+) means the wage is at or above the BLS top code of $239,200/yr. See what wage percentiles mean or check where your salary ranks.
Security Guards salary by state
Median and mean wage for security guards in each of the 51 states with published data, highest median first. The national median is $38,370.
| # | State | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $63,130 | $60,420 | 16,160 |
| 2 | Alaska | $48,620 | $54,720 | 2,050 |
| 3 | Washington | $48,010 | $52,940 | 24,820 |
| 4 | Colorado | $46,080 | $47,850 | 16,830 |
| 5 | Minnesota | $46,020 | $50,110 | 14,030 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $44,950 | $45,680 | 24,100 |
| 7 | New Hampshire | $44,510 | $47,720 | 2,630 |
| 8 | California | $43,930 | $45,970 | 185,510 |
| 9 | Oregon | $43,680 | $46,110 | 11,550 |
| 10 | Virginia | $43,440 | $47,650 | 33,440 |
| 11 | Vermont | $42,800 | $43,830 | 830 |
| 12 | New York | $42,680 | $45,920 | 132,140 |
| 13 | Utah | $42,440 | $43,130 | 7,000 |
| 14 | Hawaii | $41,770 | $43,310 | 9,790 |
| 15 | Maine | $41,400 | $42,310 | 1,760 |
| 16 | Missouri | $40,680 | $45,880 | 19,180 |
| 17 | Idaho | $40,610 | $48,350 | 2,710 |
| 18 | Connecticut | $39,990 | $43,150 | 12,040 |
| 19 | North Dakota | $39,970 | $42,080 | 1,230 |
| 20 | Wisconsin | $39,110 | $43,000 | 11,670 |
| 21 | Nebraska | $38,940 | $43,260 | 4,440 |
| 22 | Rhode Island | $38,900 | $39,540 | 3,190 |
| 23 | New Jersey | $38,720 | $43,270 | 37,970 |
| 24 | New Mexico | $38,650 | $45,330 | 8,240 |
| 25 | Illinois | $38,630 | $43,850 | 53,560 |
| 26 | Maryland | $38,590 | $44,850 | 27,220 |
| 27 | Arizona | $38,560 | $41,260 | 26,720 |
| 28 | Nevada | $38,340 | $39,880 | 25,610 |
| 29 | Montana | $38,300 | $39,130 | 1,440 |
| 30 | Michigan | $38,120 | $40,100 | 25,760 |
| 31 | Delaware | $37,690 | $44,940 | 3,230 |
| 32 | Pennsylvania | $37,680 | $40,770 | 43,710 |
| 33 | Indiana | $37,560 | $42,650 | 17,900 |
| 34 | Iowa | $37,380 | $40,310 | 6,450 |
| 35 | West Virginia | $37,220 | $39,430 | 6,290 |
| 36 | Arkansas | $37,090 | $38,670 | 6,680 |
| 37 | South Dakota | $37,010 | $39,340 | 1,420 |
| 38 | Oklahoma | $36,580 | $40,500 | 12,320 |
| 39 | Wyoming | $36,330 | $38,560 | 1,020 |
| 40 | Ohio | $36,180 | $40,500 | 34,590 |
| 41 | Florida | $36,090 | $39,000 | 95,350 |
| 42 | Kansas | $36,090 | $41,440 | 6,790 |
| 43 | Tennessee | $36,090 | $39,630 | 28,260 |
| 44 | North Carolina | $35,900 | $40,600 | 29,360 |
| 45 | Georgia | $35,670 | $39,720 | 35,410 |
| 46 | Kentucky | $35,520 | $36,760 | 13,500 |
| 47 | South Carolina | $34,820 | $36,030 | 16,180 |
| 48 | Texas | $33,390 | $37,500 | 99,370 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $31,660 | $35,530 | 15,780 |
| 50 | Alabama | $31,210 | $34,640 | 15,050 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $29,710 | $32,750 | 9,600 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. Data as of OEWS May 2024 (BLS), retrieved June 2026.
Highest median: District of Columbia ($63,130). Lowest: Mississippi ($29,710).
Similar-paying jobs
| Occupation | Median wage | Mean wage | vs US median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Security Guards (this job) | $38,370 | $42,890 | -22.5% |
| Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers | $38,090 | $40,880 | -23.1% |
| Barbers | $38,960 | $47,800 | -21.3% |
| Receptionists and Information Clerks | $37,230 | $38,480 | -24.8% |
| Nursing Assistants | $39,530 | $41,270 | -20.1% |
| Cooks, Restaurant | $36,830 | $37,730 | -25.6% |
Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers · Barbers · Receptionists and Information Clerks · Nursing Assistants · Cooks, Restaurant
Frequently asked questions
How much do security guards make?
Security Guards earn a national median of $38,370 per year (mean $42,890) as of the BLS OEWS May 2024 survey. The middle half earn between $35,100 (25th percentile) and $46,660 (75th percentile); the top 10% earn $59,580 or more and the bottom 10% earn under $29,800. These are gross, pre-tax wages.
What is the hourly wage for security guards?
The median hourly wage is $18.45 and the mean is $20.62 (BLS OEWS, May 2024). BLS reports some occupations only as annual wages, in which case hourly figures are shown as a dash.
Which state pays security guards the most?
District of Columbia has the highest median wage for security guards at $63,130, versus a national median of $38,370. State pay reflects local cost of living, demand and industry mix. See the full state table on this page.
How many security guards are there in the US?
BLS estimates about 1,241,770 security guards are employed in the US (OEWS, May 2024). Among the 124 occupations tracked here, this job ranks #113 of 124 by median pay.
Keep exploring
Sources & accuracy
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 (OCC 33-9032), gross annual wages, U.S. public domain, retrieved June 2026. OEWS figures are survey estimates and reflect pay before tax. Your actual pay depends on employer, experience, certifications, industry and location. This is information, not financial or career advice — see our methodology and disclaimer.
Last updated: 2026-06-20