Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
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Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2023
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) |
| 1,202,940 |
0.3 % |
$ 19.44 |
$ 40,440 |
0.4 % |
Percentile wage estimates for Security Guards:
| Percentile |
10% |
25% |
50%
(Median) |
75% |
90% |
| Hourly Wage |
$ 13.70 |
$ 15.22 |
$ 17.82 |
$ 21.46 |
$ 27.60 |
| Annual Wage (2) |
$ 28,500 |
$ 31,660 |
$ 37,070 |
$ 44,630 |
$ 57,400 |
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 |
735,430 |
73.69 |
$ 18.64 |
$ 38,770 |
| General Merchandise Retailers |
44,640 |
1.39 |
$ 16.92 |
$ 35,200 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals |
44,460 |
0.78 |
$ 21.61 |
$ 44,960 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools |
44,010 |
0.51 |
$ 21.38 |
$ 44,480 |
| Traveler Accommodation |
31,280 |
1.69 |
$ 19.48 |
$ 40,520 |
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 |
735,430 |
73.69 |
$ 18.64 |
$ 38,770 |
| Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events |
10,740 |
6.56 |
$ 20.48 |
$ 42,600 |
| Gambling Industries |
12,770 |
5.88 |
$ 18.26 |
$ 37,970 |
| Monetary Authorities-Central Bank |
1,190 |
5.48 |
$ 32.30 |
$ 67,190 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
18,200 |
4.42 |
$ 16.50 |
$ 34,320 |
Top paying industries for Security Guards:
| Industry |
Employment (1) |
Percent of industry employment |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Natural Gas Distribution |
50 |
0.04 |
$ 43.22 |
$ 89,900 |
| Oil and Gas Extraction |
(8) |
(8) |
$ 38.65 |
$ 80,400 |
| Jewelry, Luggage, and Leather Goods Retailers |
840 |
0.67 |
$ 34.21 |
$ 71,160 |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services |
650 |
0.04 |
$ 33.83 |
$ 70,360 |
| Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing |
470 |
0.11 |
$ 33.60 |
$ 69,890 |
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.
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 |
183,620 |
10.23 |
1.29 |
$ 21.61 |
$ 44,940 |
| New York |
121,920 |
12.98 |
1.64 |
$ 21.28 |
$ 44,250 |
| Texas |
98,660 |
7.28 |
0.92 |
$ 17.16 |
$ 35,700 |
| Florida |
91,200 |
9.53 |
1.20 |
$ 17.30 |
$ 35,980 |
| Illinois |
51,340 |
8.54 |
1.08 |
$ 19.28 |
$ 40,110 |
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 |
14,570 |
20.76 |
2.62 |
$ 26.36 |
$ 54,830 |
| Hawaii |
9,390 |
15.21 |
1.92 |
$ 18.98 |
$ 39,470 |
| Nevada |
22,490 |
15.18 |
1.92 |
$ 17.76 |
$ 36,940 |
| New York |
121,920 |
12.98 |
1.64 |
$ 21.28 |
$ 44,250 |
| California |
183,620 |
10.23 |
1.29 |
$ 21.61 |
$ 44,940 |
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 |
14,570 |
20.76 |
2.62 |
$ 26.36 |
$ 54,830 |
| Alaska |
2,320 |
7.43 |
0.94 |
$ 25.10 |
$ 52,220 |
| Maryland |
27,370 |
10.22 |
1.29 |
$ 22.81 |
$ 47,450 |
| Minnesota |
12,800 |
4.44 |
0.56 |
$ 22.78 |
$ 47,390 |
| Washington |
23,830 |
6.82 |
0.86 |
$ 22.69 |
$ 47,190 |
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 |
131,760 |
13.88 |
1.75 |
$ 21.18 |
$ 44,060 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA |
77,500 |
12.53 |
1.58 |
$ 20.86 |
$ 43,400 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI |
46,500 |
10.32 |
1.30 |
$ 19.34 |
$ 40,220 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL |
40,830 |
15.00 |
1.89 |
$ 17.82 |
$ 37,060 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV |
39,240 |
12.69 |
1.60 |
$ 24.99 |
$ 51,970 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX |
31,920 |
8.05 |
1.02 |
$ 18.15 |
$ 37,760 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX |
27,680 |
8.70 |
1.10 |
$ 16.74 |
$ 34,820 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA |
25,060 |
10.34 |
1.31 |
$ 24.63 |
$ 51,230 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
24,910 |
8.80 |
1.11 |
$ 18.99 |
$ 39,500 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA |
22,320 |
7.92 |
1.00 |
$ 18.13 |
$ 37,710 |
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 |
2,830 |
27.48 |
3.47 |
$ 15.22 |
$ 31,650 |
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ |
2,480 |
19.75 |
2.49 |
$ 17.91 |
$ 37,250 |
| Flint, MI |
2,460 |
18.61 |
2.35 |
$ 15.93 |
$ 33,130 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV |
19,780 |
18.26 |
2.31 |
$ 17.62 |
$ 36,660 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI |
7,930 |
18.07 |
2.28 |
$ 18.55 |
$ 38,580 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL |
40,830 |
15.00 |
1.89 |
$ 17.82 |
$ 37,060 |
| Jackson, MS |
3,620 |
14.31 |
1.81 |
$ 14.85 |
$ 30,890 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA |
131,760 |
13.88 |
1.75 |
$ 21.18 |
$ 44,060 |
| Niles-Benton Harbor, MI |
820 |
13.86 |
1.75 |
$ 18.14 |
$ 37,720 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR |
8,620 |
13.79 |
1.74 |
$ 16.99 |
$ 35,330 |
Top paying metropolitan areas for Security Guards:
| Metropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA |
720 |
5.79 |
0.73 |
$ 33.31 |
$ 69,290 |
| Idaho Falls, ID |
500 |
6.39 |
0.81 |
$ 33.07 |
$ 68,790 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA |
650 |
5.46 |
0.69 |
$ 28.87 |
$ 60,040 |
| Fairbanks, AK |
110 |
3.09 |
0.39 |
$ 25.88 |
$ 53,830 |
| Boulder, CO |
340 |
1.77 |
0.22 |
$ 25.69 |
$ 53,420 |
| Anchorage, AK |
1,290 |
7.62 |
0.96 |
$ 25.51 |
$ 53,060 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV |
39,240 |
12.69 |
1.60 |
$ 24.99 |
$ 51,970 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA |
9,920 |
8.69 |
1.10 |
$ 24.96 |
$ 51,910 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA |
25,060 |
10.34 |
1.31 |
$ 24.63 |
$ 51,230 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA |
190 |
3.80 |
0.48 |
$ 23.91 |
$ 49,730 |
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Security Guards:
| Nonmetropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Middle Georgia nonmetropolitan area |
1,760 |
13.51 |
1.71 |
$ 15.48 |
$ 32,190 |
| Southeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area |
1,560 |
9.10 |
1.15 |
$ 16.47 |
$ 34,260 |
| Northeast Mississippi nonmetropolitan area |
1,380 |
6.07 |
0.77 |
$ 14.66 |
$ 30,500 |
| North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) |
1,150 |
3.53 |
0.45 |
$ 23.17 |
$ 48,200 |
| Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area |
1,120 |
6.01 |
0.76 |
$ 17.36 |
$ 36,100 |
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Security Guards:
Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Security Guards:
About May 2023 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 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 OEWS estimates and related information:
May 2023 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2023 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2023 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2023 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2023 Occupation Profiles
Technical Notes
Last Modified Date: April 3, 2024
United States Department of Labor
