Security Guards Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for security guards in the U.S. is $38,020 ($18.28 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $38,020
- Mean annual wage
- $42,470
- Median hourly wage
- $18.28
- Employment
- 1,283,470
1,283,470 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $30,210 | $14.52 |
| 25th percentile | $35,210 | $16.93 |
| Median (50th) | $38,020 | $18.28 |
| 75th percentile | $46,200 | $22.21 |
| 90th percentile | $58,840 | $28.29 |
Highest-paying states for security guards
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $64,210 | 15,880 |
| Alaska | $47,480 | 2,100 |
| Washington | $47,100 | 25,800 |
| Vermont | $45,550 | 930 |
| Oregon | $45,500 | 12,200 |
| New Hampshire | $45,200 | 2,450 |
| Colorado | $45,150 | 16,890 |
| Massachusetts | $44,670 | 23,930 |
| New York | $44,240 | 134,700 |
| Virginia | $43,640 | 34,870 |
Lowest-paying states
- West Virginia: $28,800 median annual wage
- Mississippi: $29,180 median annual wage
- Louisiana: $32,240 median annual wage
- Alabama: $33,720 median annual wage
- Georgia: $34,980 median annual wage
Related occupations
- Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$76,210
- Correctional Officers and Jailers$58,940
- Firefighters$59,280
About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.