How Much Does a Security Guard Make

Security guard pay can look very different depending on the source, location, and type of salary figure being used. One result lists a national median wage of $14.27 an hour, while another reports average pay of $23 an hour. Both figures may be useful, but they are not measuring the same thing.

Here’s a clearer way to read the numbers: compare the pay type first, then check the year, location, and position behind it.

Security guard pay at a glance

The supplied salary results show a wide range of reported pay:

That table answers part of the question, but it also shows why there isn’t one definitive answer to how much does a security guard make.

A median is the middle point. Half of the reported workers earn less, and half earn more. An average adds the reported salaries together and divides them by the number of salaries. A range shows the lower and upper figures included in the data. Percentiles show where a worker sits compared with others in the same data set.

Those measures can produce very different results.

How much security guards make per hour

The clearest hourly figure in the supplied national results is a median wage of $14.27 per hour. Because it is a median, it should not be treated as the hourly pay for every security guard. It represents the middle of that particular national salary set.

A separate salary listing reports average security guard pay at about $23 per hour. That figure is much higher. It also matches the listing’s annual average of $48,043, since $48,043 divided across a full-time work year works out to roughly $23 an hour.

The difference may come from several factors:

• One figure is a median, while the other is an average.
• The data may cover different employers, locations, or job types.
• The salary listings may use different collection methods.
• The figures may come from different years, even though the year is not stated for those results.

So, if you’re asking how much does a security guard make an hour, the supplied figures range from $14.27 to about $23 per hour, depending on which national measure you use.

There are also local hourly figures. Kansas City, Missouri, is listed at $18.44 per hour, while Overland Park, Kansas, is listed at $18.32 per hour. These numbers fall between the two national hourly results.

Remember that an hourly rate alone doesn’t tell you the full value of a job. You’d also want to check the number of hours offered, whether the schedule is steady, and whether the position uses a different pay rate for certain shifts. The supplied data doesn’t provide those details, so they need to be confirmed with the employer.

Annual, monthly, and weekly salary examples

Annual pay is often easier to compare, but many people want to know what the number looks like in a paycheck.

The following monthly and weekly figures are rough conversions, not separate official salary results. They assume 12 months and 52 weeks in a year. The hourly estimates use about 2,080 work hours per year, or 40 hours per week for 52 weeks.

These calculations help answer questions such as how much does a security guard make a month or how much does a security guard make a week. But they are not the same as guaranteed take-home pay.

For example, the reported 2024 median salary of $38,370 works out to about:

• $3,198 per month
• $738 per week
• $18.45 per hour, using the full-time assumption

The 2024 pay figures also show that the lowest-paid 25% earned $35,100 or less, while the highest-paid 25% earned $46,660 or more. Converted roughly, those figures equal about $2,925 and $3,888 per month.

The national annual wage range of $21,150 to $50,310 is wider. Its low end converts to about $1,763 per month, while the high end converts to about $4,193 per month.

This is why the phrase security guard salary per month can be misleading without a yearly figure attached. A monthly amount based on $28,910 is very different from one based on $48,043.

Also, these are gross pay estimates. They don’t account for taxes, insurance, retirement deductions, unpaid time off, or weeks when a worker gets fewer hours.

Why salary figures vary by location

Location is one reason security guard pay can shift so much. The supplied local results show a noticeable difference between some Kansas-based annual data and nearby city-based hourly data.

Kansas City, Missouri, is listed at $18.44 per hour. At a full-time schedule, that would be roughly $38,355 per year before deductions.

Overland Park, Kansas, is listed at $18.32 per hour, which works out to about $38,106 per year under the same assumption.

Those two city figures are close to the reported national 2024 median of $38,370 when converted to an hourly rate. They are also well above the separate Kansas annual average of about $28,910.

That Kansas figure converts to roughly:

• $2,409 per month
• $556 per week
• $13.90 per hour

The difference does not prove that one number is wrong. It shows that the results may be measuring different groups or using different methods. A statewide figure can include areas with lower wages, while a city figure may reflect a particular local job market. A salary listing might also include more experienced workers or higher-paying employers.

The available information does not include a Florida salary figure. So there’s no reliable Florida-specific number to give from this set of results. A Florida estimate would require local data from that state rather than borrowing a national or Kansas figure.

When comparing locations, look for the same type of number on both sides. Compare hourly with hourly, annual with annual, and similar years where possible. Otherwise, you may compare a city average with a statewide median and mistake the difference for a real pay gap.

What the highest-paid security guards can earn

The answer to what is the highest pay for a security guard depends on what “highest” means.

One salary listing places the 90th percentile at $67,507 per year. In that data set, this means the figure is near the upper end of reported salaries. It does not mean every guard at that level earns exactly $67,507, and it does not establish a universal maximum.

The 2024 national figures show a different high-end measure: the highest-paid 25% earned $46,660 or more. That number is lower because it marks the start of the top quarter, not the top 10%.

The national annual range also tops out at $50,310. Again, that is a different measure from the 90th-percentile listing.

Here are the three high-end figures side by side:

• $46,660 or more: reported threshold for the highest-paid 25% in 2024
• $50,310: top of one national annual wage range
• $67,507: reported 90th-percentile salary from another listing

The supplied data cannot identify a single maximum salary. It also doesn’t explain which employer, region, schedule, or job duties are connected to the $67,507 figure. Treat it as a high-end reported salary, not a promise.

Which security jobs may pay more

People often ask which security job pays the most, but the supplied results don’t compare specific security specialties or work settings.

They provide overall security guard pay figures. They do not say whether one role, industry, license, employer, or work environment pays more than another. That means it would be a mistake to name a highest-paying specialty based on this information alone.

You can still use the salary figures to compare an actual job offer. Ask:

1. Is the pay hourly or annual?
2. Is the number a median, average, range, or percentile?
3. What year does it represent?
4. Is it for the city, state, or country?
5. How many hours does the employer expect?
6. Is the posted amount the base rate or total possible earnings?

For example, a job offering $18.44 an hour may look stronger than one advertised at $28,910 a year. Under a full-time schedule, $18.44 an hour converts to about $38,355 annually. But if the hourly job offers fewer hours, the yearly income may be lower.

That’s the practical part of salary comparison. The headline number matters, but the schedule behind it matters just as much.

How Kansas City, Overland Park, Kansas, and national pay compare

The local figures are easiest to compare after converting them to the same format.

Kansas City and Overland Park are nearly even in the supplied hourly listings. Their full-time equivalents also sit close to the reported 2024 national median.

The Kansas annual figure is lower than both city listings. It is also below the national 2024 median and the separate $48,043 national average.

The national salary listing with a $48,043 average is the highest average in this comparison. But it should not be presented as the standard national rate. Its year and exact coverage aren’t provided, and an average can be pulled upward by higher-paid workers.

This side-by-side view is more useful than choosing one number and ignoring the others. It tells you that a Kansas City or Overland Park offer near $18 an hour is close to one national median measure, while an offer near $14 an hour is closer to the separate Kansas annual result.

Is being a security guard a good career?

The available salary data doesn’t answer that with a simple yes or no. It shows that reported pay can run from about $21,150 to $50,310 annually in one national range, with other listings showing an average of $48,043 and a 90th-percentile figure of $67,507.

That may make the work worthwhile for someone whose local offers are near the stronger end of the range. It may feel less attractive if the available jobs are close to the lower end or don’t provide steady full-time hours.

The supplied research doesn’t include job satisfaction, career outlook, benefits, or promotion data. So those areas can’t be judged from the salary figures alone.

Before accepting a position, compare:

• The actual hourly rate or annual salary
• The expected weekly hours
• The local cost of living
• Whether the schedule is consistent
• Benefits and deductions
• The duties tied to the pay
• The year and source behind the advertised salary

If you’re checking Florida pay, the highest-paying specialty, or a specific employer, the figures here aren’t enough to answer those questions. Start with the exact location and role, then compare the salary measure, the year, and the schedule before deciding whether the opportunity fits your expectations.