Security Guards Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for security guardss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
National mean salary $42,470 ≈ $20/hr
National median salary $38,020
Total employment 1,283,470 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth +0.4%
Slower than average
Annual openings 161,000 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 1,262,100 → 1,267,100 (+5,100)
Typical entry education High school diploma or equivalent
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- District of Columbia$60,720
- Alaska$54,140
- Vermont$50,770
- Washington$50,770
- New Hampshire$47,850
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- West Virginia$31,320
- Mississippi$31,750
- Alabama$34,680
- Louisiana$36,080
- South Carolina$37,060
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $60,720 | $64,210 | $29 | +43% | 15,880 |
| 2 | Alaska | $54,140 | $47,480 | $26 | +27.5% | 2,100 |
| 3 | Vermont | $50,770 | $45,550 | $24 | +19.5% | 930 |
| 4 | Washington | $50,770 | $47,100 | $24 | +19.5% | 25,800 |
| 5 | New Hampshire | $47,850 | $45,200 | $23 | +12.7% | 2,450 |
| 6 | Virginia | $47,070 | $43,640 | $23 | +10.8% | 34,870 |
| 7 | New York | $46,450 | $44,240 | $22 | +9.4% | 134,700 |
| 8 | Oregon | $46,420 | $45,500 | $22 | +9.3% | 12,200 |
| 9 | New Mexico | $46,300 | $43,320 | $22 | +9% | 8,410 |
| 10 | Colorado | $45,870 | $45,150 | $22 | +8% | 16,890 |
| 11 | Minnesota | $45,460 | $43,380 | $22 | +7% | 14,440 |
| 12 | Connecticut | $45,180 | $39,920 | $22 | +6.4% | 12,100 |
| 13 | Missouri | $45,100 | $40,390 | $22 | +6.2% | 18,630 |
| 14 | Nebraska | $45,000 | $39,840 | $22 | +6% | 4,700 |
| 15 | California | $44,920 | $43,240 | $22 | +5.8% | 199,480 |
| 16 | Massachusetts | $44,760 | $44,670 | $22 | +5.4% | 23,930 |
| 17 | Maryland | $44,530 | $38,220 | $21 | +4.9% | 27,670 |
| 18 | Illinois | $44,240 | $39,490 | $21 | +4.2% | 53,830 |
| 19 | Idaho | $44,100 | $38,300 | $21 | +3.8% | 3,750 |
| 20 | Delaware | $43,750 | $36,360 | $21 | +3% | 3,430 |
| 21 | New Jersey | $43,520 | $38,880 | $21 | +2.5% | 41,540 |
| 22 | Hawaii | $43,470 | $42,820 | $21 | +2.4% | 10,160 |
| 23 | North Dakota | $43,150 | $39,310 | $21 | +1.6% | 1,310 |
| 24 | Utah | $43,050 | $42,700 | $21 | +1.4% | 7,310 |
| 25 | Wyoming | $42,660 | $39,200 | $21 | +0.4% | 1,130 |
| 26 | Montana | $42,270 | $38,480 | $20 | -0.5% | 1,610 |
| 27 | Iowa | $42,220 | $37,080 | $20 | -0.6% | 6,890 |
| 28 | Maine | $41,390 | $39,100 | $20 | -2.5% | 1,930 |
| 29 | Wisconsin | $41,390 | $37,440 | $20 | -2.5% | 12,030 |
| 30 | Arizona | $40,950 | $38,290 | $20 | -3.6% | 29,820 |
| 31 | Indiana | $40,660 | $36,490 | $20 | -4.3% | 19,930 |
| 32 | Michigan | $40,640 | $37,080 | $20 | -4.3% | 25,240 |
| 33 | Kansas | $40,350 | $37,080 | $19 | -5% | 7,150 |
| 34 | Rhode Island | $40,320 | $36,940 | $19 | -5.1% | 3,160 |
| 35 | South Dakota | $40,250 | $37,150 | $19 | -5.2% | 1,460 |
| 36 | Pennsylvania | $40,180 | $37,050 | $19 | -5.4% | 43,610 |
| 37 | Ohio | $39,950 | $35,770 | $19 | -5.9% | 34,450 |
| 38 | Nevada | $39,770 | $37,310 | $19 | -6.4% | 26,680 |
| 39 | Oklahoma | $39,560 | $36,270 | $19 | -6.9% | 12,210 |
| 40 | North Carolina | $39,090 | $35,010 | $19 | -8% | 29,830 |
| 41 | Texas | $38,550 | $35,980 | $19 | -9.2% | 106,210 |
| 42 | Kentucky | $38,540 | $35,420 | $19 | -9.3% | 13,580 |
| 43 | Tennessee | $38,500 | $36,000 | $19 | -9.3% | 27,690 |
| 44 | Arkansas | $38,300 | $35,770 | $18 | -9.8% | 6,390 |
| 45 | Georgia | $37,890 | $34,980 | $18 | -10.8% | 36,210 |
| 46 | Florida | $37,610 | $35,900 | $18 | -11.4% | 95,370 |
| 47 | South Carolina | $37,060 | $35,460 | $18 | -12.7% | 16,610 |
| 48 | Louisiana | $36,080 | $32,240 | $17 | -15% | 17,210 |
| 49 | Alabama | $34,680 | $33,720 | $17 | -18.3% | 15,210 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $31,750 | $29,180 | $15 | -25.2% | 10,160 |
| 51 | West Virginia | $31,320 | $28,800 | $15 | -26.3% | 5,200 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 519 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Idaho Falls, ID | $78,680 | $68,260 | 570 |
| 2 | Northwestern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $61,530 | $56,520 | 360 |
| 3 | Fairbanks-College, AK | $60,400 | $60,120 | 130 |
| 4 | Kennewick-Richland, WA | $54,670 | $59,640 | 500 |
| 5 | Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $51,170 | $55,360 | 410 |
| 6 | Ithaca, NY | $49,540 | $49,800 | 240 |
| 7 | Lynchburg, VA | $49,480 | $52,570 | 570 |
| 8 | Northwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $48,840 | $51,280 | 370 |
| 9 | Hinesville, GA | $48,780 | $49,710 | 120 |
| 10 | Walla Walla, WA | $48,770 | $46,260 | 60 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing security guardss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Natural Gas Distribution | $94,030 | $91,540 | 70 |
| 2 | Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers | $74,840 | $61,650 | — |
| 3 | Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | $73,160 | $69,590 | 920 |
| 4 | Nondepository Credit Intermediation | $68,840 | $68,520 | 90 |
| 5 | Other Nondepository Credit Intermediation | $68,670 | $70,550 | 50 |
| 6 | Nuclear Electric Power Generation | $68,030 | $66,460 | 4,130 |
| 7 | Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution | $67,980 | $68,440 | 4,610 |
| 8 | Utilities | $66,720 | $68,330 | 4,740 |
| 9 | Sector 22 - Utilities | $66,720 | $68,330 | 4,740 |
| 10 | Monetary Authorities-Central Bank | $66,670 | $67,630 | 760 |
| 11 | Monetary Authorities-Central Bank | $66,670 | $67,630 | 760 |
| 12 | Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing | $66,560 | $72,350 | 200 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do security guards make in the U.S.?
The median security guards salary in the United States is $38,020 per year (mean $42,470), and about 80% earn between $30,210 and $58,840.
How much do security guards make per hour?
Roughly $20 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $42,470 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays security guards the most?
District of Columbia has the highest average pay for security guards at $60,720 per year (median $64,210).
What is the job outlook for security guards?
Employment is projected to change +0.4% from 2024 to 2034 (Slower than average), with about 161,000 openings per year.