Security Guard Salary By State: Highest-Paid Security Guards by State [2026]
Research Summary. The Zippia data science team has conducted thorough research to bring you the latest insights on security guard salaries by state for 2026:
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Hawaii offers the highest security guard salary at $42,908.
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Louisiana has the lowest security guard salary at $23,482.
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The national average salary for security guards is $31,983.
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The national hourly wage for security guards is $15.38.
For more details, check out our methodology.
Background
When considering a job, salary remains a top priority for most individuals. A common question is: how much do security guards earn in your area?
While various factors influence individual salary expectations, comprehensive data on average salaries for security guards by state is readily available, including breakdowns by experience level. Even though local wages may vary, these averages provide a solid estimate of what you might earn.
The state with the highest average security guard salary in 2026 is, unsurprisingly, Hawaii.
Here’s a quick overview of the top ten states for security guard salaries:
Let’s dive deeper into the data and see a comprehensive ranking of all states.
Highest-Paid Security Guards By State
| Rank | State | Average Security Guard Salary | 10th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $42,908 | $34,000 | $52,000 |
| 2 | Washington | $41,518 | $33,000 | $51,000 |
| 3 | Minnesota | $36,914 | $29,000 | $45,000 |
| 4 | Oregon | $36,599 | $29,000 | $45,000 |
| 5 | California | $36,363 | $28,000 | $47,000 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $36,208 | $28,000 | $45,000 |
| 7 | Alaska | $36,132 | $30,000 | $43,000 |
| 8 | New York | $35,393 | $27,000 | $45,000 |
| 9 | North Dakota | $35,067 | $28,000 | $43,000 |
| 10 | Colorado | $34,032 | $27,000 | $42,000 |
| 11 | Wyoming | $33,449 | $26,000 | $41,000 |
| 12 | Utah | $33,438 | $26,000 | $41,000 |
| 13 | Maine | $33,364 | $26,000 | $41,000 |
| 14 | Virginia | $33,160 | $25,000 | $42,000 |
| 15 | Vermont | $33,117 | $26,000 | $41,000 |
| 16 | Connecticut | $32,998 | $26,000 | $41,000 |
| 17 | Illinois | $32,347 | $25,000 | $40,000 |
| 18 | New Jersey | $32,178 | $25,000 | $40,000 |
| 19 | Idaho | $32,151 | $25,000 | $40,000 |
| 20 | Nevada | $32,124 | $25,000 | $40,000 |
| 21 | Rhode Island | $32,081 | $25,000 | $40,000 |
| 22 | Missouri | $32,061 | $25,000 | $40,000 |
| 23 | New Hampshire | $31,947 | $25,000 | $39,000 |
| 24 | South Dakota | $31,379 | $25,000 | $38,000 |
| 25 | Wisconsin | $31,178 | $24,000 | $38,000 |
| 26 | Maryland | $31,087 | $24,000 | $39,000 |
| 27 | Nebraska | $30,941 | $24,000 | $38,000 |
| 28 | Arizona | $30,575 | $23,000 | $39,000 |
| 29 | Kansas | $30,238 | $24,000 | $37,000 |
| 30 | Delaware | $30,076 | $23,000 | $38,000 |
| 31 | Pennsylvania | $29,888 | $23,000 | $38,000 |
| 32 | Indiana | $29,826 | $23,000 | $37,000 |
| 33 | Iowa | $29,199 | $23,000 | $36,000 |
| 34 | Ohio | $29,082 | $22,000 | $36,000 |
| 35 | Oklahoma | $28,990 | $22,000 | $36,000 |
| 36 | North Carolina | $28,944 | $22,000 | $37,000 |
| 37 | New Mexico | $28,867 | $22,000 | $37,000 |
| 38 | Michigan | $28,794 | $22,000 | $36,000 |
| 39 | Montana | $28,522 | $22,000 | $35,000 |
| 40 | Kentucky | $28,331 | $22,000 | $36,000 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $27,494 | $21,000 | $35,000 |
| 42 | Texas | $27,376 | $21,000 | $35,000 |
| 43 | South Carolina | $26,952 | $20,000 | $34,000 |
| 44 | West Virginia | $26,597 | $20,000 | $34,000 |
| 45 | Florida | $26,174 | $19,000 | $34,000 |
| 46 | Georgia | $26,032 | $20,000 | $33,000 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $25,621 | $20,000 | $32,000 |
| 48 | Alabama | $25,446 | $19,000 | $32,000 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $23,962 | $18,000 | $30,000 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $23,482 | $18,000 | $30,000 |
Methodology: Security Guard Salary By State
To gain a comprehensive understanding of security guard salaries by state, Zippia has compiled data from various sources, including the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Federal Labor Commission (FLC), and Office of Personnel Management (OPM). We then enhance this data with actual salaries listed in job postings. Our data science team calculates a weighted average of these figures to derive the average pay for security guards across the United States.
This ranking reflects the average annual salary data for security guards, with states arranged from highest to lowest average salaries.
Security Guard Salary By State FAQs
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What is the highest-paid state for security guards?
The highest-paid state for security guards is Hawaii, with an average salary of $42,908 per year.
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What city pays security guards the most?
Lakewood, WA offers the highest salaries for security guards, averaging $41,745 annually.
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What is the worst state for security guards?
The state with the lowest average salary for security guards is Louisiana, at $23,482 per year.
Author
Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.
