Security Guards Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for security guards is $38,020, or $18.28 per hour. About 1,283,470 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $64,210 in District of Columbia to $28,800 in West Virginia.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 51 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $64,210 | $30.87 | 15,880 | 2.74 |
| 2 | Alaska | $47,480 | $22.83 | 2,100 | 0.78 |
| 3 | Washington | $47,100 | $22.64 | 25,800 | 0.88 |
| 4 | Vermont | $45,550 | $21.90 | 930 | 0.37 |
| 5 | Oregon | $45,500 | $21.88 | 12,200 | 0.75 |
| 6 | New Hampshire | $45,200 | $21.73 | 2,450 | 0.43 |
| 7 | Colorado | $45,150 | $21.71 | 16,890 | 0.71 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $44,670 | $21.48 | 23,930 | 0.80 |
| 9 | New York | $44,240 | $21.27 | 134,700 | 1.68 |
| 10 | Virginia | $43,640 | $20.98 | 34,870 | 1.03 |
| 11 | Minnesota | $43,380 | $20.86 | 14,440 | 0.59 |
| 12 | New Mexico | $43,320 | $20.83 | 8,410 | 1.17 |
| 13 | California | $43,240 | $20.79 | 199,480 | 1.33 |
| 14 | Hawaii | $42,820 | $20.59 | 10,160 | 1.96 |
| 15 | Utah | $42,700 | $20.53 | 7,310 | 0.51 |
| 16 | Missouri | $40,390 | $19.42 | 18,630 | 0.77 |
| 17 | Connecticut | $39,920 | $19.19 | 12,100 | 0.86 |
| 18 | Nebraska | $39,840 | $19.15 | 4,700 | 0.56 |
| 19 | Illinois | $39,490 | $18.98 | 53,830 | 1.07 |
| 20 | North Dakota | $39,310 | $18.90 | 1,310 | 0.37 |
| 21 | Wyoming | $39,200 | $18.85 | 1,130 | 0.49 |
| 22 | Maine | $39,100 | $18.80 | 1,930 | 0.36 |
| 23 | New Jersey | $38,880 | $18.69 | 41,540 | 1.17 |
| 24 | Montana | $38,480 | $18.50 | 1,610 | 0.38 |
| 25 | Idaho | $38,300 | $18.41 | 3,750 | 0.53 |
| 26 | Arizona | $38,290 | $18.41 | 29,820 | 1.12 |
| 27 | Maryland | $38,220 | $18.37 | 27,670 | 1.21 |
| 28 | Wisconsin | $37,440 | $18.00 | 12,030 | 0.50 |
| 29 | Nevada | $37,310 | $17.94 | 26,680 | 2.08 |
| 30 | South Dakota | $37,150 | $17.86 | 1,460 | 0.39 |
| 31 | Michigan | $37,080 | $17.83 | 25,240 | 0.69 |
| 32 | Kansas | $37,080 | $17.83 | 7,150 | 0.60 |
| 33 | Iowa | $37,080 | $17.83 | 6,890 | 0.54 |
| 34 | Pennsylvania | $37,050 | $17.81 | 43,610 | 0.87 |
| 35 | Rhode Island | $36,940 | $17.76 | 3,160 | 0.76 |
| 36 | Indiana | $36,490 | $17.54 | 19,930 | 0.75 |
| 37 | Delaware | $36,360 | $17.48 | 3,430 | 0.86 |
| 38 | Oklahoma | $36,270 | $17.44 | 12,210 | 0.87 |
| 39 | Tennessee | $36,000 | $17.31 | 27,690 | 1.02 |
| 40 | Texas | $35,980 | $17.30 | 106,210 | 0.91 |
| 41 | Florida | $35,900 | $17.26 | 95,370 | 1.16 |
| 42 | Ohio | $35,770 | $17.20 | 34,450 | 0.75 |
| 43 | Arkansas | $35,770 | $17.20 | 6,390 | 0.59 |
| 44 | South Carolina | $35,460 | $17.05 | 16,610 | 0.87 |
| 45 | Kentucky | $35,420 | $17.03 | 13,580 | 0.82 |
| 46 | North Carolina | $35,010 | $16.83 | 29,830 | 0.73 |
| 47 | Georgia | $34,980 | $16.82 | 36,210 | 0.90 |
| 48 | Alabama | $33,720 | $16.21 | 15,210 | 0.87 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $32,240 | $15.50 | 17,210 | 1.08 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $29,180 | $14.03 | 10,160 | 1.06 |
| 51 | West Virginia | $28,800 | $13.85 | 5,200 | 0.90 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do security guards make?
The median annual wage for security guards in the United States is $38,020, or $18.28 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $30,210, and the top 10% earn $58,840.
How many security guards are employed in the U.S.?
About 1,283,470 people work as security guards nationwide.
Which state pays security guards the most?
District of Columbia pays the most at a median of $64,210, followed by Alaska ($47,480) and Washington ($47,100).
Which state pays security guards the least?
West Virginia has the lowest median at $28,800.
Where are security guards jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is District of Columbia at 2.74×.