The average salary for a security guard in the United States is around $27,321 per year.
Avg Salary
Security guards earn an average yearly salary of $27,321.
Wages typically start from $19,469 and go up to $38,340.
57% below national average Updated in 2019
Security guard earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level security guard earnings begin at:
$18.43 per hour
$38,340 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level security guard earnings begin at:
$15.70 per hour
$32,654 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level security guard earnings begin at:
$13.14 per hour
$27,321 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level security guard earnings begin at:
$10.99 per hour
$22,858 per year
10th percentile
Starting level security guard earnings begin at:
$9.36 per hour
$19,469 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Security guard salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $44,010 |
| Alaska | $42,240 |
| Idaho | $34,937 |
| Washington | $34,900 |
| Connecticut | $34,656 |
| New York | $34,619 |
| North Dakota | $33,910 |
| Hawaii | $33,330 |
| Virginia | $32,740 |
| New Hampshire | $32,680 |
| Maryland | $32,420 |
| Massachusetts | $32,400 |
| Missouri | $32,060 |
| Minnesota | $32,020 |
| Nebraska | $30,840 |
| Colorado | $30,210 |
| Wyoming | $30,200 |
| New Jersey | $29,970 |
| Utah | $29,950 |
| Tennessee | $29,940 |
| Arizona | $29,748 |
| Rhode Island | $29,270 |
| Arkansas | $29,228 |
| Georgia | $29,100 |
| Maine | $28,840 |
| Pennsylvania | $28,750 |
| Nevada | $28,720 |
| Illinois | $28,388 |
| California | $27,992 |
| South Dakota | $27,990 |
| Kansas | $27,974 |
| Florida | $27,790 |
| Indiana | $27,409 |
| Wisconsin | $27,160 |
| Oklahoma | $27,130 |
| Vermont | $26,970 |
| Oregon | $26,840 |
| North Carolina | $26,720 |
| South Carolina | $26,320 |
| Montana | $26,300 |
| Ohio | $26,200 |
| New Mexico | $26,010 |
| Texas | $26,010 |
| Iowa | $25,713 |
| Delaware | $25,650 |
| Kentucky | $24,915 |
| Louisiana | $24,730 |
| Michigan | $24,420 |
| Virgin Islands, U.S. | $23,850 |
| Alabama | $23,651 |
| West Virginia | $23,370 |
| Mississippi | $23,190 |
| Guam | $19,560 |
| Puerto Rico | $18,160 |
How do security guard salaries compare to similar careers?
Security guards earn about the same as related careers in the United States. On average, they make less than nail technicians but more than medical secretaries.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Nail technician salary | $30K |
| Teller salary | $29K |
| Hairdresser salary | $29K |
| Concierge salary | $28K |
| Florist salary | $27K |
| Security guard salary | $27K |
| Library assistant salary | $27K |
| Vehicle cleaner salary | $26K |
| Food server salary | $27K |
| Medical secretary salary | $27K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)