How Much a Security Guard Makes

If you’re trying to figure out how much a security guard makes, a straightforward way is to start with the national median, convert it to yearly, weekly, and monthly amounts, and then compare it with places like Kansas and Wichita. Below is a “translator” that uses the exact ranges and medians from the data you have, plus simple math to turn hourly pay into weekly and monthly totals.

Typical security guard pay in the U.S. (median hourly and annual ranges)

These are the national figures people usually mean when they ask what a security guard makes.

• Median hourly pay (U.S.): $14.27/hour
• Annual pay range (U.S.): $21,150 to $50,310
• Median annual salary (U.S., 2024): $38,370
• Pay spread (2024):
• Best-paid 25% made $46,660
• Lowest-paid 25% made $35,100

That “median” is the middle number. Half of workers make less, and half make more.

How much a security guard makes per hour (using the provided national median)

The national median is:

• $14.27 per hour

To make that more concrete, here’s what it looks like for a standard 40-hour week.

Derived weekly pay (using the median hourly):

• $14.27/hour × 40 hours/week = $570.80/week

Derived monthly pay (derived from weekly):

• $570.80/week × 4.33 weeks/month = $2,471.04/month (approx.)

These monthly numbers are derived from hourly using a typical month length (4.33 weeks). Your actual take-home can change based on overtime, your schedule, and whether you’re part-time.

How much a security guard makes a year (annual wage range and median)

For yearly pay, the data provides a range plus a median.

• Annual wage range (U.S.): $21,150 to $50,310
• Median annual salary (U.S., 2024): $38,370
• Best-paid share (2024):
• Top 25%: $46,660
• Lowest-paid share (2024):
• Bottom 25%: $35,100

If you want an “about per month” view using the median:

Derived monthly pay (using the median annual):

• $38,370/year ÷ 12 = $3,197.50/month

And here’s the “per week” view from the median annual:

Derived weekly pay (using the median annual):

• $38,370/year ÷ 52 = $738.65/week

These are derived from the annual median, which can help when you’re comparing job posts that quote hourly vs. salary.

Security guard pay in Kansas (average yearly salary and wage range)

Now zoom in to Kansas, where you’re likely to see lower average numbers than the U.S. median.

• Average yearly salary (Kansas): $28,910
• Typical wage range (Kansas): $22,660 to $46,210

If you convert the Kansas average into monthly and weekly estimates:

Derived monthly pay (Kansas average):

• $28,910 ÷ 12 = $2,409.17/month

Derived weekly pay (Kansas average):

• $28,910 ÷ 52 = $556.35/week

For the Kansas range:

• Low end ($22,660/year):
• Monthly ≈ $22,660 ÷ 12 = $1,888.33/month
• Weekly ≈ $22,660 ÷ 52 = $435.77/week
• High end ($46,210/year):
• Monthly ≈ $46,210 ÷ 12 = $3,850.83/month
• Weekly ≈ $46,210 ÷ 52 = $888.65/week

These figures give you a realistic “what could I see” band when you compare job ads.

Security guard pay in Wichita, KS (hourly range and average annual/hourly figure)

For Wichita, Kansas, the data provides both an hourly range and an average annual number.

Typical Wichita hourly range:

• $11.13 to $18.02 per hour

Average salary (Wichita):

• $46,365 per year
• It’s also described as about 2% lower than the national average.
• The data also says that average works out to about $22 per hour.

Converted to weekly and monthly terms:

Derived weekly pay (Wichita average):

• $46,365 ÷ 52 = $891.83/week

Derived monthly pay (Wichita average):

• $46,365 ÷ 12 = $3,863.75/month

Why you’ll see multiple “hourly” ideas in Wichita

• The range ($11.13–$18.02/hour) reflects typical hourly pay across postings or experience levels.
• The “about $22/hour” figure is tied to the stated annual average. The difference can happen when schedules, overtime, or job types vary, even within the same city.

Armed security officer pay in Wichita, KS (hourly range)

If you’re specifically looking at armed security officer pay, Wichita’s range is higher than the general security guard hourly range above.

• Armed security officer hourly range (Wichita): $15.85 to $26.13 per hour

Using that range as a quick comparison:

• At $15.85/hour, a 40-hour week estimate would be:
• $15.85 × 40 = $634/week
• At $26.13/hour, a 40-hour week estimate would be:
• $26.13 × 40 = $1,045.20/week

These aren’t guarantees about overtime or exact hours. They just translate the hourly range into something easier to compare with other jobs.

What “top pay” looks like (upper quartile/upper ranges from the SERP snippets)

A lot of people ask, “What security guard job pays the most?” You can’t answer that with one employer name from the data you have. But you can describe what “top pay” looks like in the numbers you do have.

At the national level (2024):

• Best-paid 25% made $46,660
• The highest part of the annual range goes up to $50,310

So in this dataset, “top pay” means you’re landing in the upper quarter of pay, or near the top of the annual range.

Role type matters too. In Wichita, the data shows armed pay ranges higher than general guard pay:

• General guard hourly range in Wichita: $11.13–$18.02
• Armed security officer hourly range in Wichita: $15.85–$26.13

So if you’re aiming for upper-end pay, the armed role range in Wichita is one of the clearest signals in the data you have.

How pay can vary (experience, location, and role type as reflected in the ranges)

Even with the same job title, pay can shift. The numbers you already have show that clearly.

Location changes the average and the range

• Kansas average is $28,910/year, with a $22,660–$46,210 range.
• Wichita has a higher stated annual average ($46,365/year), while the general hourly range is $11.13–$18.02.

That doesn’t mean the city “only pays low.” It means different job types, schedules, or experience levels can move you around inside the larger spread.

Role type changes the hourly rate

• General Wichita security guard pay (hourly range): $11.13–$18.02
• Armed Wichita officer pay (hourly range): $15.85–$26.13

Same general field, but armed roles sit higher in the data you have.

Experience shows up as a wider spread

Even nationally, the annual range is wide:

• $21,150 to $50,310

A wide range is where you tend to see early-career versus higher-experience outcomes, plus different assignment types.

Pay by week and month: what to expect from the hourly/annual numbers

If you want quick comparisons, here are the side-by-side “translator” numbers using the figures already given.

National (median)

• Median hourly: $14.27/hour
• Derived weekly: $14.27 × 40 = $570.80/week
• Derived monthly: $570.80 × 4.33 ≈ $2,471.04/month
• Median annual: $38,370/year
• Derived weekly (from annual): $38,370 ÷ 52 ≈ $738.65/week
• Derived monthly (from annual): $38,370 ÷ 12 = $3,197.50/month

You might notice the weekly/monthly “derived” from hourly vs. annual don’t match perfectly. That’s expected when the assumptions behind the conversions differ (for example, whether the annual number already reflects different hours worked).

Kansas (average)

• Average annual: $28,910/year
• Derived weekly: $28,910 ÷ 52 = $556.35/week
• Derived monthly: $28,910 ÷ 12 = $2,409.17/month
• Typical yearly range: $22,660 to $46,210
• That translates to roughly:
• $1,888 to $3,851 per month
• $436 to $889 per week

Wichita (average and hourly range)

• Average annual: $46,365/year
• $891.83/week
• $3,863.75/month
• Typical general hourly range: $11.13 to $18.02/hour
• If you run a quick 40-hour week estimate:
• $11.13 × 40 = $445.20/week
• $18.02 × 40 = $720.80/week

Wichita armed (hourly range)

• Armed hourly range: $15.85 to $26.13/hour
• 40-hour week estimates:
• $15.85 × 40 = $634/week
• $26.13 × 40 = $1,045.20/week

FAQ-style quick answers that match what people really search

What security guard job pays the most?

Based on the data you have, “the most” shows up at the upper end of the pay numbers:

• National best-paid 25%: $46,660 (2024)
• National top end of annual range: up to $50,310

In Wichita specifically, armed security officer pay ranges higher ($15.85–$26.13/hour) than the general guard range ($11.13–$18.02/hour).

How much do security guards make in Kansas?

Kansas data says:

• Average yearly salary: $28,910
• Typical range: $22,660 to $46,210

Is being a security guard a good paying job?

“Good” depends on what you consider a baseline. The numbers here show:

• The national median is $38,370/year (2024).
• The national range goes from $21,150/year up to $50,310/year.
• Kansas average is $28,910/year, which comes in below the U.S. median.
• Wichita averages look higher at $46,365/year, and armed roles push higher at the hourly end.

If you’re comparing options, use the Kansas and Wichita numbers in this guide to estimate the pay range that fits your location and role.