How Much Does a Security Guard Make?
The median United States security guard earned $38,020 a year in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the federal agency that tracks jobs and pay. That is an employee wage. Independent professionals set their own hourly rate, which for unarmed guards on XGuard typically runs $35 to $60 an hour before their own costs.
What does the federal data say?
The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes pay for the occupation called Security Guards, code 33-9032. In its Occupational Outlook Handbook, the median annual pay for security guards was $38,020 in May 2025. The median means half of all guards earned more and half earned less.
The figure covers people who work as employees, which includes full-time and part-time staff in every state and industry. It is a useful national benchmark, but your own pay depends heavily on where you work and the kind of post you hold.
Because the figure is a median, it hides a wide spread. Some guards earn well below it at entry level, while supervisors and specializts earn well above it. Check the Bureau's own tables for state and city detail before you plan around a number.
Why do guard wages differ so much?
Several things move the number. Cities with a high cost of living and strong demand pay more. Posts that carry more responsibility, such as corporate lobbies, hospitals, and events, often pay above a basic retail post. Night shifts, supervisory roles, and extra licenses can add to an hourly wage. Armed posts commonly pay more than unarmed ones.
How is an independent rate different from a wage?
A wage is what an employer pays you. An independent rate is what a client pays you for your time, and it has to cover costs that an employer would otherwise carry. Those costs include your license and renewal fees, training hours, uniform and equipment, travel to the site, the unpaid gaps between jobs, and any taxes you owe as a self-employed person.
On XGuard, professionals choose their own rate. The cost guide shows the ranges clients typically see: unarmed security guard $35 to $60 an hour, armed security guard $55 to $95 an hour, and executive protection or bodyguard $85 to $180 an hour. Rates vary by city and notice, and a rate is not a promise of work or hours.
Can you compare a rate to an annual wage?
Not directly. A rate multiplied by 2,000 hours will look far larger than a wage, but few independent professionals are booked for every hour of the year. Weeks without bookings, costs, and tax all come out of the headline figure. Treat the hourly rate as the price of a booked hour and plan your income around the hours you realistically expect to fill.
How do you raise your earning power?
The common routes are to hold a current license in good standing, add an armed permit where you qualify, build a record of completed jobs and good reviews, and get specializt training such as first aid or event crowd management. Payment on XGuard is held until the job is complete. Clients see a platform fee before booking, explained on the pricing page.
Your own market matters most. Check what licensed professionals near you are listing, compare it with your costs, and adjust as you gain reviews. A new professional with no history often starts nearer the lower end of a range and moves up as bookings and feedback build.
What should you check before taking a post?
Ask what the pay covers. For an employee post, ask the hourly wage, whether overtime and night shifts pay more, and whether the employer pays for license fees and training. For an independent job, ask the length of the booking, the start and finish times, travel, and what happens if the client cancels.
Write your own cost sheet so that you know your floor. Add your license and renewal fees, uniform, transport, and the days you expect to sit without work. Divide by the hours you realistically expect to be booked, and you have the least you should accept. The ranges in the cost guide are what clients typically see, not what you must charge, so set the rate that works for your market.
Related questions
What is the hourly pay for a security guard?
The federal agency's annual median for May 2025 was $38,020. Hourly pay varies by state and post, and independent rates are set by the professional rather than an employer.
Do security guards get paid more at night or at events?
Often, yes. Night shifts, events, and high-risk posts commonly pay more, but employers and clients decide the rate.
Is a bodyguard paid more than a guard?
Typically yes. The cost guide shows executive protection and bodyguard rates of $85 to $180 an hour, higher than guard rates, reflecting the added training and responsibility.
Where does the federal figure come from?
It comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook entry for security guards, based on the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey of May 2025.
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