SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Guard, patrol, or monitor premises to prevent theft, violence, or infractions of rules. May operate x-ray and metal detector equipment. Excludes “Police Officers” (33-3050) and “Transportation Security Screeners” (33-9093).
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 33-9032.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $30,210 | $2,518 | $581 | $14.52 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $35,210 | $2,934 | $677 | $16.93 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $38,020 | $3,168 | $731 | $18.28 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $46,200 | $3,850 | $888 | $22.21 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $58,840 | $4,903 | $1,132 | $28.29 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Security Guards is $38,020, which is 25% lower. Among the 24 occupations of the field Protective Service, it ranks number 22 by median pay. With 1,283,470 jobs, it makes up about 83 of every 10,000 jobs in the country. The average ($42,470) is well above the median, a sign that a smaller group of high earners pulls the average up.
Security Guards pay by state
The highest median pay was in District of Columbia ($64,210), Alaska ($47,480) and Washington ($47,100). The lowest was in Puerto Rico ($21,840), Guam ($22,090) and West Virginia ($28,800). The most jobs were in California (199,480), New York (134,700) and Texas (106,210). The occupation is most concentrated in Virgin Islands, where its share of all jobs is 3.9 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 15,880 | $64,210 | $60,720 | $30.87 |
| Alaska | 2,100 | $47,480 | $54,140 | $22.83 |
| Washington | 25,800 | $47,100 | $50,770 | $22.64 |
| Vermont | 930 | $45,550 | $50,770 | $21.90 |
| Oregon | 12,200 | $45,500 | $46,420 | $21.88 |
| New Hampshire | 2,450 | $45,200 | $47,850 | $21.73 |
| Colorado | 16,890 | $45,150 | $45,870 | $21.71 |
| Massachusetts | 23,930 | $44,670 | $44,760 | $21.48 |
| New York | 134,700 | $44,240 | $46,450 | $21.27 |
| Virginia | 34,870 | $43,640 | $47,070 | $20.98 |
| Minnesota | 14,440 | $43,380 | $45,460 | $20.86 |
| New Mexico | 8,410 | $43,320 | $46,300 | $20.83 |
| California | 199,480 | $43,240 | $44,920 | $20.79 |
| Hawaii | 10,160 | $42,820 | $43,470 | $20.59 |
| Utah | 7,310 | $42,700 | $43,050 | $20.53 |
| Missouri | 18,630 | $40,390 | $45,100 | $19.42 |
| Connecticut | 12,100 | $39,920 | $45,180 | $19.19 |
| Nebraska | 4,700 | $39,840 | $45,000 | $19.15 |
| Illinois | 53,830 | $39,490 | $44,240 | $18.98 |
| North Dakota | 1,310 | $39,310 | $43,150 | $18.90 |
| Wyoming | 1,130 | $39,200 | $42,660 | $18.85 |
| Maine | 1,930 | $39,100 | $41,390 | $18.80 |
| New Jersey | 41,540 | $38,880 | $43,520 | $18.69 |
| Montana | 1,610 | $38,480 | $42,270 | $18.50 |
| Idaho | 3,750 | $38,300 | $44,100 | $18.41 |
| Arizona | 29,820 | $38,290 | $40,950 | $18.41 |
| Maryland | 27,670 | $38,220 | $44,530 | $18.37 |
| Wisconsin | 12,030 | $37,440 | $41,390 | $18.00 |
| Nevada | 26,680 | $37,310 | $39,770 | $17.94 |
| South Dakota | 1,460 | $37,150 | $40,250 | $17.86 |
| Iowa | 6,890 | $37,080 | $42,220 | $17.83 |
| Kansas | 7,150 | $37,080 | $40,350 | $17.83 |
| Michigan | 25,240 | $37,080 | $40,640 | $17.83 |
| Pennsylvania | 43,610 | $37,050 | $40,180 | $17.81 |
| Rhode Island | 3,160 | $36,940 | $40,320 | $17.76 |
| Indiana | 19,930 | $36,490 | $40,660 | $17.54 |
| Delaware | 3,430 | $36,360 | $43,750 | $17.48 |
| Oklahoma | 12,210 | $36,270 | $39,560 | $17.44 |
| Tennessee | 27,690 | $36,000 | $38,500 | $17.31 |
| Texas | 106,210 | $35,980 | $38,550 | $17.30 |
| Florida | 95,370 | $35,900 | $37,610 | $17.26 |
| Arkansas | 6,390 | $35,770 | $38,300 | $17.20 |
| Ohio | 34,450 | $35,770 | $39,950 | $17.20 |
| South Carolina | 16,610 | $35,460 | $37,060 | $17.05 |
| Kentucky | 13,580 | $35,420 | $38,540 | $17.03 |
| North Carolina | 29,830 | $35,010 | $39,090 | $16.83 |
| Georgia | 36,210 | $34,980 | $37,890 | $16.82 |
| Alabama | 15,210 | $33,720 | $34,680 | $16.21 |
| Louisiana | 17,210 | $32,240 | $36,080 | $15.50 |
| Virgin Islands | 1,030 | $31,990 | $32,610 | $15.38 |
| Mississippi | 10,160 | $29,180 | $31,750 | $14.03 |
| West Virginia | 5,200 | $28,800 | $31,320 | $13.85 |
| Guam | 800 | $22,090 | $25,530 | $10.62 |
| Puerto Rico | 26,100 | $21,840 | $22,590 | $10.50 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators$43,370 a year
- Protective Service Workers, All Other$42,540 a year
- Crossing Guards and Flaggers$38,100 a year
- School Bus Monitors$35,100 a year
- Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers$33,580 a year
Common questions
How much do Security Guards earn in the United States?
The median pay was $38,020 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $30,210 and the highest-paid 10% more than $58,840.
How many people work as Security Guards?
About 1,283,470 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.