Find Trade Colleges
Security Guards: Career Profile
Guard, patrol, or monitor premises to prevent theft, violence, or infractions of rules. May operate x-ray and metal detector equipment.
What Tasks Do Security Guards Do?
The day-to-day responsibilities of security guards include:
- Lock doors and gates of entrances and exits to secure buildings.
- Patrol industrial or commercial premises to prevent and detect signs of intrusion and ensure security of doors, windows, and gates.
- Respond to medical emergencies by administering basic first aid or by obtaining assistance from paramedics.
- Answer alarms and investigate disturbances.
- Circulate among visitors, patrons, or employees to preserve order and protect property.
- Monitor and authorize entrance and departure of employees, visitors, and other persons to guard against theft and maintain security of premises.
- Write reports of daily activities and irregularities, such as equipment or property damage, theft, presence of unauthorized persons, or unusual occurrences.
- Warn persons of rule infractions or violations, and apprehend or evict violators from premises, using force when necessary.
What Security Guards Need to Know
Successful security guards combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
The competencies most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Other Security Guards Job Titles
Common job titles for this role include:
- Access Control Security Officer
- Alarm Investigator
- Armed Guard
- Armed Security Guard
- Armed Security Officer
- Armored Car Driver
- Armored Car Guard
- Bag Checker
Job Outlook
The U.S. employs around 348,968 security guards working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to grow by +7.9% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Security Guards
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $70,212 |
| Hourly median | $33.76 |
| 10th percentile | $44,223 |
| 25th percentile | $57,217 |
| 75th percentile | $83,206 |
| 90th percentile | $96,200 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $63,130 |
| Alaska | $48,620 |
| Washington | $48,010 |
| Colorado | $46,080 |
| Minnesota | $46,020 |
| Massachusetts | $44,950 |
| New Hampshire | $44,510 |
| California | $43,930 |
| Oregon | $43,680 |
| Virginia | $43,440 |
| Vermont | $42,800 |
| New York | $42,680 |
| Utah | $42,440 |
| Hawaii | $41,770 |
| Maine | $41,400 |
| Missouri | $40,680 |
| Idaho | $40,610 |
| Connecticut | $39,990 |
| North Dakota | $39,970 |
| Wisconsin | $39,110 |
| Nebraska | $38,940 |
| Rhode Island | $38,900 |
| New Jersey | $38,720 |
| New Mexico | $38,650 |
| Illinois | $38,630 |
| Maryland | $38,590 |
| Arizona | $38,560 |
| Nevada | $38,340 |
| Montana | $38,300 |
| Michigan | $38,120 |
| Delaware | $37,690 |
| Pennsylvania | $37,680 |
| Indiana | $37,560 |
| Iowa | $37,380 |
| West Virginia | $37,220 |
| Arkansas | $37,090 |
| South Dakota | $37,010 |
| Oklahoma | $36,580 |
| Wyoming | $36,330 |
| Ohio | $36,180 |
| Florida | $36,090 |
| Tennessee | $36,090 |
| Kansas | $36,090 |
| North Carolina | $35,900 |
| Georgia | $35,670 |
| Kentucky | $35,520 |
| South Carolina | $34,820 |
| Texas | $33,390 |
| Louisiana | $31,660 |
| Alabama | $31,210 |
| Virgin Islands | $30,480 |
| Mississippi | $29,710 |
| Guam | $22,100 |
| Puerto Rico | $20,210 |
Where Security Guards Earn the Most
Pay for security guards differ across the country. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rocky Mountains | $43,960 | 2.3% | 0.61 |
| Far Western US | $43,712 | 20.4% | 1.32 |
| New England | $42,970 | 3.5% | 0.79 |
| Middle Atlantic | $42,043 | 20.5% | 1.50 |
| Plains States | $40,841 | 4.2% | 0.65 |
| Great Lakes | $37,853 | 11.3% | 0.86 |
| Southeast | $36,110 | 24.0% | 1.02 |
| Southwest | $34,895 | 11.5% | 0.94 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | WA | $87,770 | 650 |
| Idaho Falls, ID | ID | $79,470 | 500 |
| Fairbanks-College, AK | AK | $52,850 | 130 |
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | HI | $51,320 | 660 |
| Boulder, CO | CO | $49,730 | 380 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | WA | $49,270 | 220 |
| Walla Walla, WA | WA | $48,700 | 50 |
| Ithaca, NY | NY | $48,480 | 250 |
Which Industries Hire Security Guards
Most security guards are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 769,770 | $37,530 |
| Educational Services | 77,490 | $44,090 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 73,730 | $44,080 |
| Retail Trade | 70,960 | $36,080 |
| Accommodation and Food Services | 59,520 | $38,240 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 51,430 | $38,020 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 27,340 | $46,380 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 15,140 | $37,790 |
Security Guards work in the following industries:
Tech Stack
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Document management software: Microsoft SharePoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
Daily working conditions for security guards tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Health and Safety of Other Workers
- Deal With External Customers or the Public in General
- Contact With Others
- Telephone Conversations
- Freedom to Make Decisions
How to Become Security Guards
Typical security guards positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This occupation sits in Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Security Managers (Supplemental)
- Security Management Specialists (Supplemental)
- First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers (Supplemental)
- First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers (Primary-Short)
- Firefighters (Supplemental)
- Fire Inspectors and Investigators (Supplemental)
- Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists (Supplemental)
- Correctional Officers and Jailers (Primary-Long)
About the Data
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 33-9032.00 (Security Guards).
TradeCollege.org provides higher-education, college and university, degree, program, career, salary, and other helpful information to students, faculty, institutions, and other internet audiences. Presented information and data are subject to change. Inclusion on this website does not imply or represent a direct relationship with the company, school, or brand. Information, though believed correct at time of publication, may not be correct, and no warranty is provided. Contact the schools to verify any information before relying on it. Financial aid may be available for those who qualify. TradeCollege.org is a for-profit site, and the displayed options may include sponsored or recommended results, not necessarily based on your preferences.
© TradeCollege.org – All Rights Reserved.