Average Security Guards Salary in the United States
The national median salary for Security Guards is $38,370 per year. The middle 50% earn between $35,100 and $46,660, with 1,241,770 workers employed nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2024 estimates . Data covers 51 states and 391 metro areas.
Wage range
Pay distribution
Here is how Security Guards pay is distributed across workers nationally. The 10th percentile typically reflects entry-level or early-career pay, the median is the midpoint, and the 90th percentile represents the top earners in the field.
- 10th
- $29,800
- 25th
- $35,100
- Median
- $38,370
- 75th
- $46,660
- 90th
- $59,580
All values are percentiles of annual wages.
This is a lower-wage occupation relative to the US labor market. Pay is below the national median for all workers.
The spread between entry-level and top-end pay is typical for US occupations. Experience and specialization matter, but the range is not unusually wide.
BLS projections
Job outlook
BLS projects employment for security guards from 2024 to 2034. Growth is below the US average of roughly 4% across all occupations. The field is relatively stable but not expanding quickly.
- Projected growth
- +0.4%
- 5,100 net jobs over the projection period.
- Annual openings
- 161,000
- Includes growth plus replacements for workers who leave. Annual openings reflect typical replacement demand alongside any growth.
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
A high-school diploma is typically sufficient for entry, with much of the training happening on the job.
Where Security Guards earn the most
Location matters a lot. The gap between top-paying and bottom-paying states is large, so where security guards work can reshape their total compensation. Right now, the top-paying state is District of Columbia at $63,130, about 64.5% above the national median. At the metro level, Kennewick-Richland, WA leads with a median of $87,770.
By state
Top-paying states
| State | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $63,130 | 16,160 |
| Alaska | $48,620 | 2,050 |
| Washington | $48,010 | 24,820 |
| Colorado | $46,080 | 16,830 |
| Minnesota | $46,020 | 14,030 |
| Massachusetts | $44,950 | 24,100 |
| New Hampshire | $44,510 | 2,630 |
| California | $43,930 | 185,510 |
By metro
Top-paying metros
| Metro area | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | $87,770 | 650 |
| Idaho Falls, ID | $79,470 | 500 |
| Fairbanks-College, AK | $52,850 | 130 |
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $51,320 | 660 |
| Boulder, CO | $49,730 | 380 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $49,270 | 220 |
| Walla Walla, WA | $48,700 | 50 |
| Ithaca, NY | $48,480 | 250 |
Compare two locations side by side
Pick two states or metros to see security guards pay in each, along with a cost-of-living adjusted view.
Salary trend and related occupations
Between 2019 and 2024, the national median salary for Security Guards rose from $29,680 to $38,370, a gain of +29.3% in nominal dollars.
Over the same period, US consumer prices rose by +22.7%. Just to keep pace with inflation, the 2019 median of $29,680 would need to be worth $36,417 in 2024 dollars.
The actual 2024 median of $38,370 is $1,953 above that inflation-adjusted benchmark, a real change of +5.4% in purchasing power.
Real wages have outpaced inflation by 5.4%, a modest but real gain in purchasing power.
- Nominal change
- +29.3%
- 2019–2024
- Cumulative inflation
- +22.7%
- US CPI, 2019–2024
- Real change
- +5.4%
- After adjusting for inflation
Annual history
Median salary over time
Security Guards median pay by year, going back through the available BLS releases.
- 2019
- $29,680
- 2020
- $31,050
- 2021
- $31,470
- 2022
- $34,750
- 2023
- $37,070
- 2024
- $38,370
Similar jobs
Related occupations
Other occupations in the same field, with median pay for comparison.
- Crossing Guards And Flaggers
- $37,700
- School Bus Monitors
- $34,980
- Animal Control Workers
- $45,830
Common salary questions for Security Guards
What does the median salary mean? +
The median is the midpoint of all wages. Half of Security Guards workers earn more and half earn less. It is a better measure of typical pay than the average, which can be skewed by very high or very low earners.
Why does pay vary so much by location? +
Local labor markets, cost of living, industry concentration, and employer competition all affect wages. High-cost metros like San Francisco and New York often pay more in nominal terms, though some of that premium is offset by higher living costs.
How current is this salary data? +
This page uses the May 2024 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics release. BLS publishes OEWS data once per year, typically in the spring for the previous May reference period.
What do the percentile ranges tell me? +
The 10th and 90th percentiles show the full pay band. The 25th to 75th percentile range, the middle 50%, is where most workers fall. A wide spread usually means experience, specialization, or location matter a lot for this occupation.