Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2014

33-9032 Security Guards

Guard, patrol, or monitor premises to prevent theft, violence, or infractions of rules. May operate x-ray and metal detector equipment. Excludes "Transportation Security Screeners" (33-9093).


National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
1,077,520 0.9 % $13.48 $28,040 0.5 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $8.52 $9.64 $11.74 $15.70 $21.25
Annual Wage (2) $17,720 $20,060 $24,410 $32,650 $44,200


Industry profile for this occupation: Top

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Investigation and Security Services 638,660 74.65 $12.53 $26,070
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 37,050 0.71 $15.73 $32,720
Elementary and Secondary Schools 31,760 0.38 $15.41 $32,050
Traveler Accommodation 29,550 1.59 $14.19 $29,520
Local Government (OES Designation) 26,380 0.50 $16.91 $35,170

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Investigation and Security Services 638,660 74.65 $12.53 $26,070
Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events 8,560 7.21 $14.71 $30,590
Spectator Sports 8,690 6.40 $14.63 $30,440
Facilities Support Services 8,630 6.24 $13.81 $28,730
Monetary Authorities-Central Bank 990 5.68 $20.14 $41,900

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution 4,700 1.21 $23.41 $48,700
Natural Gas Distribution 130 0.12 $23.39 $48,650
Securities and Commodity Exchanges (8) (8) $22.33 $46,450
Rail Transportation 160 0.07 $22.06 $45,890
Performing Arts Companies 1,170 0.98 $21.71 $45,150


Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.




States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 148,740 9.84 1.23 $13.29 $27,650
New York 105,290 11.95 1.50 $15.37 $31,970
Texas 88,840 7.91 0.99 $12.62 $26,250
Florida 81,260 10.60 1.33 $11.04 $22,970
Illinois 49,680 8.62 1.08 $14.47 $30,110



States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
District of Columbia 12,750 18.89 2.37 $18.63 $38,750
Nevada 20,410 17.16 2.15 $13.17 $27,380
Hawaii 9,790 15.99 2.01 $13.38 $27,830
New York 105,290 11.95 1.50 $15.37 $31,970
Maryland 29,630 11.59 1.45 $15.46 $32,160



Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
District of Columbia 12,750 18.89 2.37 $18.63 $38,750
Alaska 1,960 6.04 0.76 $17.40 $36,200
Iowa 6,160 4.07 0.51 $16.71 $34,760
Washington 17,890 6.17 0.77 $15.77 $32,800
Idaho 2,430 3.87 0.49 $15.47 $32,180




Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division 80,970 15.02 1.88 $15.53 $32,300
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division 52,160 12.86 1.61 $12.86 $26,750
Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL Metropolitan Division 41,850 11.15 1.40 $14.44 $30,030
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division 32,890 13.83 1.73 $18.20 $37,850
Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX 26,200 9.22 1.16 $12.12 $25,220
Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division 22,500 10.05 1.26 $13.07 $27,190
Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL Metropolitan Division 19,420 18.54 2.33 $10.96 $22,790
Philadelphia, PA Metropolitan Division 18,860 10.13 1.27 $12.30 $25,580
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA 18,630 7.80 0.98 $11.76 $24,470
Baltimore-Towson, MD 17,880 13.81 1.73 $14.16 $29,440



Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Las Vegas-Paradise, NV 17,740 20.37 2.56 $13.08 $27,210
Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL Metropolitan Division 19,420 18.54 2.33 $10.96 $22,790
Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ 2,370 17.99 2.26 $13.58 $28,240
Honolulu, HI 7,880 17.58 2.20 $13.23 $27,530
West Palm Beach-Boca Raton-Boynton Beach, FL Metropolitan Division 9,440 17.32 2.17 $11.39 $23,690
El Centro, CA 850 15.34 1.92 $20.91 $43,490
New York-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division 80,970 15.02 1.88 $15.53 $32,300
Memphis, TN-MS-AR 8,770 14.74 1.85 $10.07 $20,940
Albany, GA 840 14.50 1.82 $10.33 $21,490
New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner, LA 7,610 14.10 1.77 $14.39 $29,930



Top paying metropolitan areas for this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
El Centro, CA 850 15.34 1.92 $20.91 $43,490
Amarillo, TX 920 8.24 1.03 $20.88 $43,430
Haverhill-North Andover-Amesbury, MA-NH NECTA Division 440 5.35 0.67 $20.67 $42,990
Springfield, IL 400 3.69 0.46 $20.37 $42,380
Burlington, NC 170 2.90 0.36 $20.23 $42,080
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA 650 6.04 0.76 $20.11 $41,820
Ames, IA 40 0.89 0.11 $19.57 $40,700
Waco, TX 540 5.23 0.66 $19.48 $40,530
Decatur, AL 430 8.18 1.03 $18.84 $39,190
Trenton-Ewing, NJ 2,530 11.28 1.41 $18.83 $39,170

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Hawaii / Maui / Kauai nonmetropolitan area 1,910 11.64 1.46 $14.00 $29,110
Southeastern Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area 1,850 11.20 1.40 $13.39 $27,840
Southern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area 1,530 12.06 1.51 $9.46 $19,680
Northeast Mississippi nonmetropolitan area 1,480 6.89 0.86 $10.75 $22,370
Other North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 1,190 3.99 0.50 $10.77 $22,390

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Los Alamos County, New Mexico nonmetropolitan area 400 27.30 3.42 $31.44 $65,390
Southern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area 1,530 12.06 1.51 $9.46 $19,680
Hawaii / Maui / Kauai nonmetropolitan area 1,910 11.64 1.46 $14.00 $29,110
Southeastern Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area 1,850 11.20 1.40 $13.39 $27,840
East Idaho nonmetropolitan area 490 9.84 1.23 $24.98 $51,960

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Los Alamos County, New Mexico nonmetropolitan area 400 27.30 3.42 $31.44 $65,390
East Idaho nonmetropolitan area 490 9.84 1.23 $24.98 $51,960
Other Nevada nonmetropolitan area 450 7.98 1.00 $21.01 $43,710
Other New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area 220 2.17 0.27 $19.72 $41,020
Railbelt / Southwest Alaska nonmetropolitan area 400 5.35 0.67 $19.57 $40,710


About May 2014 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate--50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly mean wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OES estimates and related information:

May 2014 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2014 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2014 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2014 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2014 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 25, 2015