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Security Guard Salary by State (2026)
Security Guards (Security Guards) hold 1,283,480 jobs across the US. Typical pay is $39,767 per year, but the median ranges from $28,800 in West Virginia to $64,210 in District of Columbia. Pick your state for the full pay range and an estimated take-home after taxes.
Median Security Guard salary in every state
| State | Median salary | Jobs |
| District of Columbia | $64,210 | 15,880 |
| Alaska | $47,480 | 2,100 |
| Washington | $47,100 | 25,800 |
| Vermont | $45,550 | 930 |
| Oregon | $45,500 | 12,200 |
| New Hampshire | $45,200 | 2,450 |
| Colorado | $45,150 | 16,890 |
| Massachusetts | $44,670 | 23,930 |
| New York | $44,240 | 134,700 |
| Virginia | $43,640 | 34,870 |
| Minnesota | $43,380 | 14,440 |
| New Mexico | $43,320 | 8,410 |
| California | $43,240 | 199,480 |
| Hawaii | $42,820 | 10,160 |
| Utah | $42,700 | 7,310 |
| Missouri | $40,390 | 18,630 |
| Connecticut | $39,920 | 12,100 |
| Nebraska | $39,840 | 4,700 |
| Illinois | $39,490 | 53,830 |
| North Dakota | $39,310 | 1,310 |
| Wyoming | $39,200 | 1,130 |
| Maine | $39,100 | 1,930 |
| New Jersey | $38,880 | 41,540 |
| Montana | $38,480 | 1,610 |
| Idaho | $38,300 | 3,750 |
| Arizona | $38,290 | 29,820 |
| Maryland | $38,220 | 27,670 |
| Wisconsin | $37,440 | 12,030 |
| Nevada | $37,310 | 26,680 |
| South Dakota | $37,150 | 1,460 |
| Iowa | $37,080 | 6,890 |
| Kansas | $37,080 | 7,150 |
| Michigan | $37,080 | 25,240 |
| Pennsylvania | $37,050 | 43,610 |
| Rhode Island | $36,940 | 3,160 |
| Indiana | $36,490 | 19,930 |
| Delaware | $36,360 | 3,430 |
| Oklahoma | $36,270 | 12,210 |
| Tennessee | $36,000 | 27,690 |
| Texas | $35,980 | 106,210 |
| Florida | $35,900 | 95,370 |
| Arkansas | $35,770 | 6,390 |
| Ohio | $35,770 | 34,450 |
| South Carolina | $35,460 | 16,610 |
| Kentucky | $35,420 | 13,580 |
| North Carolina | $35,010 | 29,830 |
| Georgia | $34,980 | 36,210 |
| Alabama | $33,720 | 15,210 |
| Louisiana | $32,240 | 17,210 |
| Mississippi | $29,180 | 10,160 |
| West Virginia | $28,800 | 5,200 |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the average Security Guard salary in the US?
- The typical (employment-weighted median) Security Guard salary in the US is about $39,767 per year, based on the latest BLS data covering 1,283,480 jobs nationwide.
- Which state pays Security Guards the most?
- District of Columbia has the highest median Security Guard salary at $64,210 per year. Remember that taxes and cost of living vary — a high gross salary can shrink after state taxes.
- Which state pays Security Guards the least?
- West Virginia has the lowest median at $28,800 per year. Lower-paying states often also have lower living costs and, in some cases, no state income tax.
Sources and methodology
All figures: BLS OEWS May 2025 (state file, released April 2026) (Security Guards, code 33-9032). “Typical pay” is the employment-weighted average of state medians. Take-home estimates on state pages use 2026 federal and verified state tax rules from our PaycheckTally engine.