SOC 339032

Security Guards

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).

National Median

$38,370

per year

National Salary Overview

Median Annual

$38,370

Entry Level (10th pct)

$29,800

Experienced (90th pct)

$59,580

Total Employed

1,241,770

Salary Distribution

Salary percentiles show the range from entry-level (10th) to top earners (90th)

Salary by Experience Level

Experience Level	Estimated Salary Range
Entry Level0-2 years experience	$29,800 - $35,100
Mid Career2-8 years experience	$35,100 - $46,660
Senior / Expert8+ years experience	$46,660 - $59,580

Highest Paying Locations for Security Guards

Kennewick-Richland, WA

$87,770

+128.7% vs national

Idaho Falls, ID

$79,470

+107.1% vs national

District of Columbia

$63,130

+64.5% vs national

Northwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area

$56,380

+46.9% vs national

Fairbanks-College, AK

$52,850

+37.7% vs national

Security Guards Salary by Location

Compare salaries across 50 metropolitan areas

Metropolitan Area	Median Salary	Employed
Kennewick-Richland, WA	$87,770	650
Idaho Falls, ID	$79,470	500
District of Columbia	$63,130	16,160
Northwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area	$56,380	320
Fairbanks-College, AK	$52,850	130
Kahului-Wailuku, HI	$51,320	660
Boulder, CO	$49,730	380
Alaska nonmetropolitan area	$49,400	760
Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA	$49,270	220
Walla Walla, WA	$48,700	50
Alaska	$48,620	2,050
Ithaca, NY	$48,480	250
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	$48,400	16,320
Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area	$48,300	850
North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous)	$48,270	790
Anchorage, AK	$48,260	1,120
Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area	$48,140	550
Washington	$48,010	24,820
Ann Arbor, MI	$47,680	760
Rochester, MN	$47,350	510
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA	$47,270	520
Northwestern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area	$47,270	330
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	$47,260	39,200
Hinesville, GA	$47,050	90
Greenville, NC	$47,050	310
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA	$46,740	25,400
Kokomo, IN	$46,710	80
Fort Collins-Loveland, CO	$46,450	900
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO	$46,270	11,100
Colorado	$46,080	16,830
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI	$46,080	10,620
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA	$46,030	530
Minnesota	$46,020	14,030
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA	$45,930	890
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	$45,930	10,150
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA	$45,860	570
Colorado Springs, CO	$45,680	2,130
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA	$45,650	1,530
Northern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area	$45,590	940
Watertown-Fort Drum, NY	$45,570	180
Barnstable Town, MA	$45,530	300
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH	$45,300	19,650
Pittsfield, MA	$45,190	250
Western Washington nonmetropolitan area	$45,050	1,020
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA	$44,960	8,260
Massachusetts	$44,950	24,100
Utica-Rome, NY	$44,790	860
St. George, UT	$44,610	160
Northern New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area	$44,600	230
New Hampshire	$44,510	2,630

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average salary for a Security Guards?

The national median annual salary for Security Guards is $38,370, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data. This means half of workers in this occupation earn more, and half earn less.

Where do Security Guardss earn the most?

The highest-paying metro area for Security Guardss is Kennewick-Richland, WA, with a median salary of $87,770.

How much can an experienced Security Guards make?

Top-earning Security Guardss (90th percentile) make $59,580 or more annually. This typically reflects workers with significant experience, specialized skills, or positions in high-paying regions.