What are the main factors that influence a Guard's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change A Guard's salary?

A Guard's salary grows with experience: a Guard (0-1 years)earns $39,123, a Security Guard - Armed (3-5 years)earns $48,018, a Security Guard Team Leader (5+ years)earns $59,937,

What are the highest paying states for a Guard?

Guard salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Guard roles are District of Columbia $43,587, California $43,421, Massachusetts $42,842. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Guard roles make?

Salaries for Guard level roles vary by specialization: Fire Guard: $72,682; Traffic Guard: $54,736; Armed Guard: $47,587; Turret Guard: $38,661; Gate Guard: $38,279.

How do different companies affect a Guard's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Guard roles. Large, established industry leaders like C R Bard Inc ($128,509) and Henry Schein Canada ($124,697) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $82,041.

Guard Salary in the United States

How much does a Guard make in the United States?

As of May 18, 2021, the average salary for a Guard in the United States is $39,366 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $19.

However, a Guard's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $48,663
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $35,326 to $44,233
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $31,647

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Guard Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$44,233	$3,686	$851	$21
Average	$39,366	$3,281	$757	$19
25th Percentile	$35,326	$2,944	$679	$17

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Key Factors That Influence Guard Salaries

A Guard's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Do Guard Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Guards. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $43,587.
California: $43,421.
Massachusetts: $42,842.

District of Columbia $43,587 California $43,421 Massachusetts $42,842 Washington $42,685 New Jersey $42,669 Alaska $42,614 Connecticut $42,071 New York $41,850

Hawaii $41,146 Rhode Island $40,815 Maryland $40,591 Minnesota $40,284 Colorado $40,166 Illinois $40,126 Oregon $39,977 Delaware $39,866

New Hampshire $39,797 Virginia $39,642 Pennsylvania $39,189 Nevada $38,961 North Dakota $38,886 Michigan $38,768 Wisconsin $38,725 Vermont $38,638

Texas $38,398 Maine $38,382 Arizona $38,359 Ohio $38,331 Georgia $37,969 Indiana $37,788 Wyoming $37,752 Utah $37,697

Iowa $37,674 Kansas $37,485 Louisiana $37,430 North Carolina $37,410 Missouri $37,402 Florida $37,249 Montana $37,166 Nebraska $37,087

Kentucky $37,044 South Carolina $36,886 Tennessee $36,788 Idaho $36,749 New Mexico $36,461 Oklahoma $36,398 Alabama $36,166 South Dakota $35,776

Arkansas $35,564 West Virginia $35,449 Mississippi $35,107

Top Paying Cities for Guards

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

San Jose: $49,653
San Francisco: $49,165
Oakland: $48,074

San Jose, CA $49,653

San Francisco, CA $49,165

Oakland, CA $48,074

New York, NY $45,622

Queens Village, NY $45,327

Paramus, NJ $45,012

Passaic, NJ $44,972

Bergenfield, NJ $44,933

Stamford, CT $44,874

Huntington, NY $44,834

Newark, NJ $44,579

Bridgeport, CT $44,500

New Brunswick, NJ $44,370

Vallejo, CA $44,287

Middlesex, NJ $44,264

Somerset, NJ $44,228

Petaluma, CA $44,138

Santa Cruz, CA $43,984

Boston, MA $43,905

Monterey, CA $43,709

Fairbanks, AK $43,681

Los Angeles, CA $43,606

Washington, DC $43,587

Seattle, WA $43,516

Santa Rosa, CA $43,508

Juneau, AK $43,394

Orange, CA $43,264

Anchorage, AK $43,193

Anaheim, CA $43,165

Santa Ana, CA $43,106

Nassau, NY $43,083

Long Beach, CA $43,067

Danbury, CT $43,055

Santa Maria, CA $42,921

Everett, WA $42,913

Bremerton, WA $42,720

Trenton, NJ $42,646

Sacramento, CA $42,630

San Diego, CA $42,610

Brockton, MA $42,594

Tacoma, WA $42,579

Santa Barbara, CA $42,524

Lowell, MA $42,366

New Suffolk, NY $42,350

Nashua, NH $42,303

Lompoc, CA $42,240

Ventura, CA $42,201

Stockton, CA $42,189

New Haven, CT $42,110

Atlantic City, NJ $42,008

Hartford, CT $41,921

Modesto, CA $41,902

Poughkeepsie, NY $41,815

New Britain, CT $41,795

Kennewick, WA $41,740

Olympia, WA $41,740

New London, CT $41,732

Norwich, CT $41,721

Lawrence, MA $41,701

Bakersfield, CA $41,591

New Bedford, MA $41,536

Riverside, CA $41,536

Richland, WA $41,496

Portsmouth, NH $41,465

Vineland, NJ $41,457

San Bernardino, CA $41,425

Boulder, CO $41,315

Worcester, MA $41,284

Portland, OR $41,248

Saint Paul, MN $41,201

Minneapolis, MN $41,201

Philadelphia, PA $41,146

Honolulu, HI $40,937

Springfield, MA $40,799

Providence, RI $40,795

Chicago, IL $40,681

Bellingham, WA $40,634

Baltimore, MD $40,591

Chico, CA $40,492

Wilmington, DE $40,425

Pittsfield, MA $40,386

Manchester, NH $40,311

Spokane, WA $40,138

Denver, CO $40,134

Albany, NY $39,949

Troy, NY $39,933

Schenectady, NY $39,851

Burlington, VT $39,764

Portland, ME $39,626

Salem, OR $39,595

Yakima, WA $39,587

Ann Arbor, MI $39,575

Rochester, MN $39,465

Reno, NV $39,445

Fresno, CA $39,445

Milwaukee, WI $39,410

Detroit, MI $39,370

Allentown, PA $39,359

Carson City, NV $39,355

Houston, TX $39,296

Colorado Springs, CO $39,292

Syracuse, NY $39,272

Eugene, OR $39,197

Gary, IN $39,150

Bismarck, ND $39,150

Galveston, TX $39,150

Springfield, OR $39,118

Medford, OR $39,024

Fort Collins, CO $39,008

Austin, TX $38,977

Mesa, AZ $38,894

Phoenix, AZ $38,886

Dallas, TX $38,874

Reading, PA $38,851

Saint Cloud, MN $38,835

Concord, NH $38,800

Madison, WI $38,784

Utica, NY $38,678

Raleigh, NC $38,646

Las Vegas, NV $38,642

Rochester, NY $38,615

Des Moines, IA $38,611

Atlanta, GA $38,548

Battle Creek, MI $38,536

Salt Lake City, UT $38,524

Lancaster, PA $38,465

Champaign, IL $38,457

Harrisburg, PA $38,410

Durham, NC $38,374

Kansas City, MO $38,370

Kansas City, KS $38,363

Fort Worth, TX $38,359

Boca Raton, FL $38,343

Cleveland, OH $38,339

Columbus, OH $38,331

Pittsburgh, PA $38,327

Richmond, VA $38,311

Indianapolis, IN $38,304

Cincinnati, OH $38,252

Petersburg, VA $38,193

Lansing, MI $38,107

Billings, MT $38,107

Huntsville, AL $38,107

Lebanon, PA $38,103

Pueblo, CO $38,099

Dayton, OH $38,099

Appleton, WI $38,087

Buffalo, NY $38,071

Racine, WI $38,052

Charlotte, NC $38,048

Saint Louis, MO $38,036

Springfield, IL $38,020

York, PA $38,012

Elkhart, IN $38,012

Gastonia, NC $38,008

Benton Harbor, MI $38,008

Beaumont, TX $37,985

Lorain, OH $37,977

Toledo, OH $37,961

Binghamton, NY $37,941

Rock Hill, SC $37,937

Rockford, IL $37,918

Elyria, OH $37,898

Fargo, ND $37,898

Flagstaff, AZ $37,871

Fort Lauderdale, FL $37,847

Miami, FL $37,823

Duluth, MN $37,760

Bangor, ME $37,709

Cedar Rapids, IA $37,666

Louisville, KY $37,646

Grand Rapids, MI $37,638

Hialeah, FL $37,634

Casper, WY $37,579

Scranton, PA $37,532

New Orleans, LA $37,520

Virginia Beach, VA $37,516

Akron, OH $37,497

Peoria, IL $37,445

Sarasota, FL $37,437

Green Bay, WI $37,410

Baton Rouge, LA $37,390

Charleston, SC $37,382

Nashville, TN $37,371

Jamestown, NY $37,363

Davenport, IA $37,363

Tucson, AZ $37,343

Cheyenne, WY $37,331

Saint Petersburg, FL $37,319

Tampa, FL $37,312

Omaha, NE $37,304

Evansville, IN $37,288

Port Arthur, TX $37,288

Bradenton, FL $37,272

Santa Fe, NM $37,201

Orlando, FL $37,162

Clearwater, FL $37,119

La Crosse, WI $37,036

Canton, OH $37,036

Grand Forks, ND $37,024

Tulsa, OK $37,012

Albuquerque, NM $37,012

Newport News, VA $37,008

High Point, NC $36,997

Ogden, UT $36,981

Corpus Christi, TX $36,949

Laramie, WY $36,926

Norfolk, VA $36,926

Rock Island, IL $36,902

Saginaw, MI $36,894

Jacksonville, FL $36,890

Salisbury, NC $36,882

Memphis, TN $36,875

Moline, IL $36,855

Fort Myers, FL $36,843

Waterloo, IA $36,792

Spartanburg, SC $36,753

Lincoln, NE $36,733

Fort Wayne, IN $36,725

Birmingham, AL $36,682

Cedar Falls, IA $36,674

Provo, UT $36,670

Springfield, OH $36,666

San Antonio, TX $36,658

Greensboro, NC $36,642

South Bend, IN $36,638

Winston Salem, NC $36,634

Boise, ID $36,623

Savannah, GA $36,595

Muskegon, MI $36,524

Lima, OH $36,477

Lake Charles, LA $36,461

Anderson, IN $36,453

Lexington, KY $36,442

Augusta, GA $36,430

Greenville, SC $36,430

Wichita, KS $36,394

Tuscaloosa, AL $36,394

Columbia, SC $36,359

Bloomington, IN $36,260

Roanoke, VA $36,237

Asheville, NC $36,186

Knoxville, TN $36,119

Shreveport, LA $36,115

Wilmington, NC $36,064

Frankfort, KY $35,989

Oklahoma City, OK $35,961

Chillicothe, OH $35,945

Longview, TX $35,942

Topeka, KS $35,930

Mobile, AL $35,871

Terre Haute, IN $35,855

Erie, PA $35,851

Altoona, PA $35,831

Melbourne, FL $35,820

Amarillo, TX $35,804

Killeen, TX $35,792

Fayetteville, AR $35,760

Sioux Falls, SD $35,733

Chattanooga, TN $35,709

Idaho Falls, ID $35,705

Gainesville, FL $35,623

Portsmouth, OH $35,603

Little Rock, AR $35,595

Lynchburg, VA $35,595

Youngstown, OH $35,579

Lafayette, LA $35,579

Temple, TX $35,564

Daytona Beach, FL $35,556

Clarksville, TN $35,552

Pensacola, FL $35,548

Hopkinsville, KY $35,430

Charleston, WV $35,426

Florence, SC $35,406

Sioux City, IA $35,383

Macon, GA $35,268

Tallahassee, FL $35,264

Fayetteville, NC $35,257

Wichita Falls, TX $35,249

Waco, TX $35,249

Pine Bluff, AR $35,233

Vincennes, IN $35,158

Lubbock, TX $35,142

Great Falls, MT $35,119

Alamogordo, NM $35,115

Abilene, TX $35,083

Rapid City, SD $35,032

Monroe, LA $35,032

Albany, GA $35,009

Huntington, WV $35,005

Jackson, MS $35,001

Greenville, MS $34,997

Parkersburg, WV $34,957

Montgomery, AL $34,950

Johnstown, PA $34,942

Springfield, MO $34,910

Biloxi, MS $34,890

Sumter, SC $34,808

Columbus, GA $34,804

Twin Falls, ID $34,780

Pascagoula, MS $34,729

Kingsport, TN $34,627

Gulfport, MS $34,615

Alexandria, LA $34,485

Fort Smith, AR $34,387

El Paso, TX $34,280

Helena, MT $34,229

Las Cruces, NM $34,103

Harlingen, TX $33,993

Pocatello, ID $33,957

Florence, AL $33,946

Brownsville, TX $33,938

Dothan, AL $33,875

Mcallen, TX $33,855

Columbus, MS $33,564

Altus, OK $33,383

Lawton, OK $33,308

Pierre, SD $33,166

What Skills Can Increase a Guard's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Customer Service (Mentioned in 28.07% Job Postings): Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. The perception of success of such interactions is dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest". Customer service concerns the priority an organization assigns to customer service relative to components such as product innovation and pricing. In this sense, an organization that values good customer service may spend more money in training employees than the average organization or may proactively interview customers for feedback. From the point of view of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an organization's ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement. One good customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer holds towards the organization.
Food Service (Mentioned in 2.71% Job Postings): The foodservice or catering industry includes the businesses, institutions, and companies which prepare meals outside the home.
CCTV (Mentioned in 1.54% Job Postings):

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Customer Service	28.07%
Food Service	2.71%
CCTV	1.54%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Guard's salary.

Diversity and Inclusion: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Problem Solving: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Accountability: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Diversity and Inclusion	$41,728	6%
Problem Solving	$41,728	6%
Accountability	$40,941	4%
Leadership	$40,941	4%
Physical Security	$40,941	4%
Commitment	$40,547	3%

Get Latest Data

How Education impacts a Guard's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Guards enter the field with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Guard with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between $35,608 and $37,922).

Guard Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Guard

No Diploma 2.0%

High School 60.0%

Associates 16.9%

Bachelors 18.8%

Masters 1.9%

Doctorate 0.4%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	2.0%
High School	60.0%
Associates	16.9%
Bachelors	18.8%
Masters	1.9%
Doctorate	0.4%

view as graph

Guard Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Guard's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on May 18, 2021

$35,326

Average $39,366/year

$44,233

$2,944

Average $3,281/month

$3,686

$679

Average $757/week

$851

$17

Average $19/hour

$21

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$44,233	$3,686	$851	$21
Average	$39,366	$3,281	$757	$19
25th Percentile	$35,326	$2,944	$679	$17

Salaries of jobs related to Guard

Salary Trends for Guard

Salaries for a Guard can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $37,284 in 2023 to around $36,572 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Guard salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Guard Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$37,284

2024

$37,090

2025

$36,572

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$37,284
2024	$37,090
2025	$36,572
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Guard

Social Security

401(k)

Disability

Healthcare

Pension

Time Off (days)

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

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