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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2020

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)
1,054,400 1.1 % $ 16.52 $ 34,360 0.5 %

Percentile wage estimates for Security Guards:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 10.54 $ 12.60 $ 14.93 $ 18.86 $ 24.81
Annual Wage (2) $ 21,930 $ 26,200 $ 31,050 $ 39,220 $ 51,600


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 662,730 71.83 $ 15.63 $ 32,510
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 39,120 0.70 $ 18.74 $ 38,980
Elementary and Secondary Schools 32,980 0.40 $ 18.53 $ 38,540
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 24,290 0.45 $ 19.60 $ 40,770
Traveler Accommodation 22,010 1.45 $ 16.59 $ 34,520

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 662,730 71.83 $ 15.63 $ 32,510
Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events 8,910 7.82 $ 17.39 $ 36,180
Monetary Authorities-Central Bank 1,170 5.98 $ 24.69 $ 51,340
Gambling Industries 9,400 5.51 $ 15.48 $ 32,200
Spectator Sports 5,780 5.26 $ 15.86 $ 32,980

Top paying industries for Security Guards:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 850 0.06 $ 28.44 $ 59,150
Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing 520 0.12 $ 27.16 $ 56,500
Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing 680 0.13 $ 26.76 $ 55,650
Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only) 340 0.07 $ 26.66 $ 55,440
Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related Activities 200 0.02 $ 26.27 $ 54,640


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 158,150 9.63 1.27 $ 17.33 $ 36,040
New York 106,850 12.29 1.62 $ 18.80 $ 39,110
Texas 86,310 7.13 0.94 $ 15.25 $ 31,730
Florida 80,990 9.59 1.27 $ 14.35 $ 29,850
Illinois 40,770 7.24 0.96 $ 16.79 $ 34,920




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 13,700 19.93 2.63 $ 23.62 $ 49,130
Nevada 19,820 15.85 2.09 $ 15.90 $ 33,070
Hawaii 8,720 15.19 2.00 $ 17.00 $ 35,370
New York 106,850 12.29 1.62 $ 18.80 $ 39,110
New Jersey 37,970 10.04 1.32 $ 16.62 $ 34,560




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 13,700 19.93 2.63 $ 23.62 $ 49,130
Alaska 2,190 7.38 0.97 $ 20.90 $ 43,470
Washington 18,160 5.68 0.75 $ 19.95 $ 41,490
New York 106,850 12.29 1.62 $ 18.80 $ 39,110
Minnesota 10,520 3.88 0.51 $ 18.65 $ 38,800





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 120,900 13.69 1.81 $ 18.33 $ 38,130
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 69,460 11.93 1.57 $ 16.50 $ 34,320
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 38,680 8.87 1.17 $ 16.67 $ 34,680
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 37,120 14.80 1.95 $ 14.33 $ 29,800
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 34,220 11.32 1.49 $ 22.34 $ 46,460
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 28,500 7.94 1.05 $ 15.96 $ 33,200
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 26,760 9.01 1.19 $ 14.70 $ 30,580
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 24,050 8.92 1.18 $ 15.80 $ 32,870
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 21,380 9.17 1.21 $ 20.24 $ 42,090
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 20,110 7.64 1.01 $ 13.91 $ 28,930




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)
The Villages, FL 640 21.38 2.82 $ 11.26 $ 23,410
Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV 17,950 19.89 2.62 $ 15.70 $ 32,660
Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ 2,000 18.03 2.38 $ 15.89 $ 33,040
Urban Honolulu, HI 7,310 17.64 2.33 $ 16.81 $ 34,960
Owensboro, KY 770 16.12 2.13 $ 12.69 $ 26,390
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 37,120 14.80 1.95 $ 14.33 $ 29,800
Columbia, SC 5,520 14.79 1.95 $ 15.89 $ 33,060
Memphis, TN-MS-AR 8,950 14.72 1.94 $ 13.18 $ 27,410
Flint, MI 1,790 14.70 1.94 $ 14.26 $ 29,660
Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ 730 14.41 1.90 $ 14.79 $ 30,770