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Security Guard salary
Average security guard salary
$15.38
How much does a security guard make?
The average security guard salary in the United States is $31,983. Security guard salaries typically range between $25,000 and $40,000 yearly. The average hourly rate for security guards is $15.38 per hour.
Security guard salary is impacted by location, education, and experience. Security guards earn the highest average salary in Hawaii.
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Where can a Security Guard earn more?
Security Guard Salaries By Experience Level
Security Guard salary estimates from across the web
Average security guard salary by state
Highest paying states for security guards
Rank  | State | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $42,908 | $20.63 |
| 2 | Minnesota | $36,914 | $17.75 |
| 3 | Washington | $41,518 | $19.96 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $36,208 | $17.41 |
| 5 | Oregon | $36,599 | $17.60 |
| 6 | New York | $35,393 | $17.02 |
| 7 | Alaska | $36,132 | $17.37 |
| 8 | California | $36,363 | $17.48 |
| 9 | Rhode Island | $32,081 | $15.42 |
| 10 | Utah | $33,438 | $16.08 |
| 11 | Nevada | $32,124 | $15.44 |
| 12 | North Dakota | $35,067 | $16.86 |
| 13 | Illinois | $32,347 | $15.55 |
| 14 | Wyoming | $33,449 | $16.08 |
| 15 | Missouri | $32,061 | $15.41 |
| 16 | Vermont | $33,117 | $15.92 |
| 17 | District of Columbia | $40,485 | $19.46 |
| 18 | Maine | $33,364 | $16.04 |
| 19 | Connecticut | $32,998 | $15.86 |
| 20 | New Hampshire | $31,947 | $15.36 |
| 21 | New Jersey | $32,178 | $15.47 |
| 22 | Pennsylvania | $29,888 | $14.37 |
| 23 | Colorado | $34,032 | $16.36 |
| 24 | Arizona | $30,575 | $14.70 |
| 25 | Nebraska | $30,941 | $14.88 |
| 26 | Idaho | $32,151 | $15.46 |
| 27 | Wisconsin | $31,178 | $14.99 |
| 28 | South Dakota | $31,379 | $15.09 |
| 29 | Virginia | $33,160 | $15.94 |
| 30 | Delaware | $30,076 | $14.46 |
| 31 | Indiana | $29,826 | $14.34 |
| 32 | Ohio | $29,082 | $13.98 |
| 33 | North Carolina | $28,944 | $13.92 |
| 34 | Kansas | $30,238 | $14.54 |
| 35 | Montana | $28,522 | $13.71 |
| 36 | Oklahoma | $28,990 | $13.94 |
| 37 | Iowa | $29,199 | $14.04 |
| 38 | Michigan | $28,794 | $13.84 |
| 39 | New Mexico | $28,867 | $13.88 |
| 40 | Maryland | $31,087 | $14.95 |
| 41 | Kentucky | $28,331 | $13.62 |
| 42 | Tennessee | $27,494 | $13.22 |
| 43 | Texas | $27,376 | $13.16 |
| 44 | Alabama | $25,446 | $12.23 |
| 45 | Florida | $26,174 | $12.58 |
| 46 | Mississippi | $23,962 | $11.52 |
| 47 | Georgia | $26,032 | $12.52 |
| 48 | South Carolina | $26,952 | $12.96 |
| 49 | West Virginia | $26,597 | $12.79 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $25,621 | $12.32 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $23,482 | $11.29 |
Highest paying cities for security guards
The highest-paying cities for security guards are Lakewood, WA, San Francisco, CA, and Minneapolis, MN.
| Rank | City | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lakewood, WA | $41,745 | $20.07 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $37,614 | $18.08 |
| 3 | Minneapolis, MN | $36,935 | $17.76 |
| 4 | Portland, OR | $36,525 | $17.56 |
| 5 | Lexington, MA | $36,249 | $17.43 |
| 6 | New York, NY | $35,309 | $16.98 |
| 7 | Boulder, CO | $34,220 | $16.45 |
| 8 | Salt Lake City, UT | $33,419 | $16.07 |
| 9 | Portland, ME | $33,411 | $16.06 |
| 10 | Reno, NV | $33,140 | $15.93 |
| 11 | Chicago, IL | $32,421 | $15.59 |
| 12 | Kansas City, MO | $32,363 | $15.56 |
| 13 | Glendale, AZ | $30,672 | $14.75 |
| 14 | Kansas City, KS | $30,446 | $14.64 |
| 15 | Reading, PA | $29,954 | $14.40 |
| 16 | Cleveland, OH | $29,785 | $14.32 |
| 17 | Columbus, IN | $29,251 | $14.06 |
| 18 | Albuquerque, NM | $28,996 | $13.94 |
| 19 | Oklahoma City, OK | $28,984 | $13.93 |
| 20 | Grand Rapids, MI | $28,830 | $13.86 |
Security Guards are the most in-demand in these five cities:
Security Guard salary details
A security guard's salary ranges from $25,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $40,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a security guard's salary?
| Percentile | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $40,000 | $3,333 | $19 |
| 75th Percentile | $36,000 | $3,000 | $17 |
| Average | $31,983 | $2,665 | $15 |
| 25th Percentile | $28,000 | $2,333 | $13 |
| 10th Percentile | $25,000 | $2,083 | $12 |
Highest paying security guard jobs
The highest paying types of security guards are security specialist, lead security officer, and armed guard.
| Job Title | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enforcement Officer | $38,446 | $3,204 | $18.48 | 82,142 |
| Protective Officer | $40,529 | $3,377 | $19.49 | 103,885 |
| Community Services Officer | $38,039 | $3,170 | $18.29 | 181,257 |
| Public Safety Officer | $36,596 | $3,050 | $17.59 | 122,048 |
| Safety And Security Officer | $35,427 | $2,952 | $17.03 | 133,260 |
| Protection Security Officer | $35,926 | $2,994 | $17.27 | 122,427 |
Top companies hiring security guards now:
Which companies pay security guards the most?
Security guard salaries at Basin Electric Power Cooperative and University of California, Berkeley are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average security guard salary at companies like Andersen and New York State Restaurant Association are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Basin Electric Power Cooperative | $46,204 | $22.21 |
| 2 | University of California-Berkeley | $42,232 | $20.30 |
| 3 | Andersen | $40,032 | $19.25 |
| 4 | New York State Restaurant Association | $39,727 | $19.10 |
| 5 | WestRock | $39,053 | $18.78 |
| 6 | City of Detroit | $39,049 | $18.77 |
| 7 | Oakland University | $39,040 | $18.77 |
| 8 | United Service Technologies | $38,471 | $18.50 |
| 9 | Safer Foundation | $38,395 | $18.46 |
| 10 | Capital City Club | $38,311 | $18.42 |
| 11 | Encompass Health | $38,226 | $18.38 |
| 12 | BP America Inc | $37,867 | $18.21 |
| 13 | Tucson Electric Power | $37,746 | $18.15 |
| 14 | Vista Outdoor | $37,723 | $18.14 |
| 15 | Covenant | $37,703 | $18.13 |
| 16 | City of Austin | $37,636 | $18.09 |
| 17 | The Culinary Institute of America | $37,600 | $18.08 |
| 18 | University of Washington | $37,568 | $18.06 |
| 19 | R+L Carriers | $37,456 | $18.01 |
| 20 | Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center | $37,350 | $17.96 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Security Guard salary trends
The average security guard salary has risen by $7,365 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average security guard earned $24,618 annually, but today, they earn $31,983 a year. That works out to a 20% change in pay for security guards over the last decade.
Compare security guard salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average security guard salary over time
Compare security guard salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
- National Average
- Columbus, OH
Security Guard salary by year
| Year | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $32,000 | $15.38 | +4.4% |
| 2024 | $30,600 | $14.70 | +4.0% |
| 2023 | $29,300 | $14.11 | +5.6% |
| 2022 | $27,700 | $13.32 | +4.2% |
| 2021 | $26,500 | $12.76 | +4.4% |
Recently added security guard salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date Added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Arizona | Security Guard I (Multiple Positions) | Phoenix, AZ | 12/18/2024 | $31,305 |
| Warner Bros Discovery Inc. | Firefighter Guard Auxiliary | Burbank, CA | 12/17/2024 | $37,566 |
| Grand Canyon Education, Inc. | Campus Safety Guard | Phoenix, AZ | 12/17/2024 | $38,088 |
| Billings Public Schools | Crosswalk Guard | Billings, MT | 12/17/2024 | $31,305 |
| ABM | Alarm Mobile Response Guard | New York, NY | 12/16/2024 | $39,653 |
| Brookdale Senior Living | Security Guard | Charlotte, NC | 12/16/2024 | $26,108 |
| Macy's Inc. | Asset Protection Security Guard, Kings Plaza | New York, NY | 12/16/2024 | $34,436 |
| Macy's | Seasonal Asset Protection Security Guard, Freehold Raceway | Freehold, NJ | 12/16/2024 | $31,576 |
| Macy's | Asset Protection Security Guard | Trumbull, CT | 12/16/2024 | $32,745 |
| Universal Health Services Inc. | Security Guard | Ione, WA | 12/16/2024 | $38,630 |
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