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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2021

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 “Police Officers” (33-3050) and “Transportation Security Screeners” (33-9093).


National estimates for Security Guards
Industry profile for Security Guards
Geographic profile for Security Guards

National estimates for Security Guards:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Security Guards:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
1,057,100 0.4 % $ 17.23 $ 35,830 0.4 %

Percentile wage estimates for Security Guards:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 11.18 $ 13.89 $ 15.13 $ 18.83 $ 24.06
Annual Wage (2) $ 23,250 $ 28,890 $ 31,470 $ 39,170 $ 50,040


Industry profile for Security Guards:

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

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Security Guards:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Investigation and Security Services 666,020 72.34 $ 16.24 $ 33,780
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 42,130 0.75 $ 19.90 $ 41,400
Elementary and Secondary Schools 38,260 0.47 $ 20.01 $ 41,610
Traveler Accommodation 29,640 2.16 $ 17.78 $ 36,970
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 21,920 0.41 $ 20.48 $ 42,590

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Security Guards:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Investigation and Security Services 666,020 72.34 $ 16.24 $ 33,780
Gambling Industries 12,380 6.83 $ 15.71 $ 32,670
Monetary Authorities-Central Bank 1,370 6.53 $ 32.05 $ 66,650
Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events 3,930 5.06 $ 16.70 $ 34,730
Facilities Support Services 6,780 4.05 $ 17.23 $ 35,850

Top paying industries for Security Guards:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Natural Gas Distribution 30 0.03 $ 38.14 $ 79,320
Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction (8) (8) $ 37.15 $ 77,260
Monetary Authorities-Central Bank 1,370 6.53 $ 32.05 $ 66,650
Scientific Research and Development Services 1,600 0.20 $ 31.54 $ 65,600
Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing 520 0.13 $ 30.09 $ 62,580


Geographic profile for Security Guards:

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



Map of employment of security guards by state, May 2021


States with the highest employment level in Security Guards:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 142,040 8.59 1.15 $ 18.37 $ 38,210
New York 112,410 12.97 1.73 $ 20.10 $ 41,810
Texas 88,700 7.25 0.97 $ 16.57 $ 34,460
Florida 83,240 9.67 1.29 $ 14.61 $ 30,400
Illinois 42,860 7.63 1.02 $ 17.65 $ 36,710


Map of location quotient of security guards by state, May 2021


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Security Guards:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
District of Columbia 13,910 21.02 2.80 $ 25.41 $ 52,840
Hawaii 9,100 16.60 2.21 $ 17.73 $ 36,880
Nevada 17,960 13.93 1.86 $ 15.38 $ 31,990
New York 112,410 12.97 1.73 $ 20.10 $ 41,810
Maryland 24,740 9.72 1.30 $ 19.38 $ 40,300


Map of annual mean wages of security guards by state, May 2021


Top paying states for Security Guards:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
District of Columbia 13,910 21.02 2.80 $ 25.41 $ 52,840
Alaska 2,230 7.55 1.01 $ 23.58 $ 49,040
Washington 20,390 6.36 0.85 $ 21.02 $ 43,720
New York 112,410 12.97 1.73 $ 20.10 $ 41,810
Idaho 2,550 3.37 0.45 $ 19.70 $ 40,970



Map of employment of security guards by area, May 2021


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Security Guards:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 119,630 13.79 1.84 $ 19.81 $ 41,210
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 56,700 9.91 1.32 $ 17.75 $ 36,920
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 39,350 9.30 1.24 $ 17.69 $ 36,800
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 38,510 15.70 2.09 $ 14.68 $ 30,530
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 37,160 12.67 1.69 $ 22.69 $ 47,190
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 30,200 8.41 1.12 $ 17.45 $ 36,290
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 25,930 8.95 1.19 $ 16.54 $ 34,410
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 22,170 8.35 1.11 $ 16.44 $ 34,190
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 20,250 7.82 1.04 $ 15.93 $ 33,120
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 19,000 8.98 1.20 $ 16.17 $ 33,640


Map of location quotient of security guards by area, May 2021


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Security Guards:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Charleston, WV 2,820 28.48 3.80 $ 12.69 $ 26,390
The Villages, FL 660 19.87 2.65 $ 11.93 $ 24,820
Urban Honolulu, HI 7,400 18.72 2.49 $ 17.49 $ 36,380
Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ 2,070 17.81 2.37 $ 16.31 $ 33,920
Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV 15,460 16.83 2.24 $ 15.30 $ 31,830
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 38,510 15.70 2.09 $ 14.68 $ 30,530
Niles-Benton Harbor, MI 870 15.63 2.08 $ 16.44 $ 34,200
Trenton, NJ 3,480 15.29 2.04 $ 17.49 $ 36,370
Flint, MI 1,890 15.21 2.03 $ 14.47 $ 30,100
Hammond, LA 620 14.10 1.88 $ 12.06 $ 25,090