How Much Do Armed Security Guards Make?

No. The Bureau of Labor Statistics, the federal agency that tracks jobs and pay, reports one occupation called Security Guards, code 33-9032. Its median annual pay was $38,020 in May 2025. That number blends armed and unarmed guards, full-time and part-time workers, and every state, so it cannot tell you what an armed post pays on its own.

The agency does note that armed guards receive more rigorous training, including weapons training, and face stricter background checks and entry requirements. That extra cost and responsibility is the reason armed work pays more in practice.

Where a source claims a precise national average for armed guards, check who collected it and how. Job sites often rely on self-reported figures, which can mislead. The federal median is the most reliable public number, even though it is blended.

On XGuard, professionals set their own rate, and clients see it before they book. The cost guide shows the ranges clients typically see:

• Unarmed security guard: $35 to $60 an hour, for property patrol, retail, and access control.
• Armed security guard: $55 to $95 an hour, for licensed-to-carry, higher-risk assignments.
• Executive protection or bodyguard: $85 to $180 an hour.

There are real costs behind the gap. An armed permit needs firearms training, range qualification, ammunition, and repeat qualifications at renewal. The background standard is stricter, and the posts themselves are usually higher risk, such as cash handling, jewellery, or late-night sites. A client is paying for that training and for the responsibility of carrying a firearm.

Rates vary by city and by how much notice the client gives. A last-minute booking may cost more, and some cities have more competition than others.

Premiums are not fixed. A busy city with many licensed armed guards may show a narrower gap than a smaller market where few are qualified. That is why the cost guide gives a range rather than a single price, and why you should look at local listings before setting your own rate.

When you work for a company, the employer sets your wage and keeps the rest of what the client pays. An employee armed post often pays more than an unarmed one at the same company, but the size of the gap depends on the employer and the state. Because no federal figure splits the two, ask any employer for the posted wage of each post before you accept.

Not automatically. Add up the training cost, the renewal cost, the time off for qualification, and the greater responsibility, then compare it with the premium you can expect in your city. Many professionals find it worthwhile once they have the experience to win steady armed work, while others stay unarmed and focus on volume. Your state page lists the requirements and costs for the armed permit so you can run the sum.

Look past the headline rate. Ask whether the client expects you to supply your own firearm and equipment, who pays for range time and renewals, how long the assignment lasts, and what happens if the post is cancelled at short notice. A higher rate that comes with heavy costs can leave you with less than a lower rate that covers them.

Also confirm that the post allows armed work. Many sites, such as schools, hospitals, and some event venues, set their own rules on firearms, and a client cannot override the law or the venue. Never accept an armed post unless your permit is current and fits the job, because the legal risk falls on you.