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Security salary
Average security salary
$15.31
Understanding Security Salaries
The average security salary in the United States is approximately $31,836 per year or $15 per hour. Salary expectations can vary significantly based on experience, location, and specific job roles within the security sector. For instance, entry-level positions typically start lower, while seasoned professionals can command higher wages.
Salary by Experience Level
Security personnel with varying levels of experience see different salary ranges. Entry-level positions generally earn around $25,000 to $30,000 per year, while those with several years of experience can earn upwards of $40,000. Specialized roles such as security managers or IT security specialists often command salaries exceeding $60,000 annually.
Regional Variations
Where you work significantly impacts your earning potential. States like California and New York tend to offer higher salaries due to the cost of living and demand for security services. Major cities like Los Angeles, New York City, and Chicago frequently rank among the highest-paying locations for security jobs.
Future Outlook
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Where can a Security earn more?
Security salaries by experience level
Average security salary by state
The highest-paying states for securities are Hawaii, Washington, and North Dakota. The lowest average security salary states are Tennessee, Florida, and Kentucky.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for securities
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $44,508 | $21.40 |
| 2 | Washington | $41,112 | $19.77 |
| 3 | Alaska | $36,825 | $17.70 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $35,946 | $17.28 |
| 5 | District of Columbia | $38,026 | $18.28 |
| 6 | California | $37,698 | $18.12 |
| 7 | Maryland | $37,103 | $17.84 |
| 8 | Connecticut | $37,031 | $17.80 |
| 9 | North Dakota | $40,046 | $19.25 |
| 10 | Oregon | $36,046 | $17.33 |
| 11 | Minnesota | $35,850 | $17.24 |
| 12 | Vermont | $33,559 | $16.13 |
| 13 | Utah | $31,397 | $15.09 |
| 14 | New York | $35,595 | $17.11 |
| 15 | Virginia | $32,724 | $15.73 |
| 16 | Colorado | $32,694 | $15.72 |
| 17 | Delaware | $32,897 | $15.82 |
| 18 | Wyoming | $32,256 | $15.51 |
| 19 | Rhode Island | $31,662 | $15.22 |
| 20 | Maine | $33,858 | $16.28 |
| 21 | Nevada | $31,720 | $15.25 |
| 22 | Arizona | $31,189 | $14.99 |
| 23 | New Hampshire | $32,381 | $15.57 |
| 24 | Illinois | $30,714 | $14.77 |
| 25 | North Carolina | $30,240 | $14.54 |
| 26 | New Jersey | $30,901 | $14.86 |
| 27 | Pennsylvania | $28,924 | $13.91 |
| 28 | South Dakota | $30,245 | $14.54 |
| 29 | Kansas | $30,309 | $14.57 |
| 30 | Nebraska | $28,352 | $13.63 |
| 31 | Montana | $28,222 | $13.57 |
| 32 | Missouri | $29,059 | $13.97 |
| 33 | Michigan | $27,964 | $13.44 |
| 34 | Texas | $26,906 | $12.94 |
| 35 | Wisconsin | $27,463 | $13.20 |
| 36 | Iowa | $27,689 | $13.31 |
| 37 | New Mexico | $27,472 | $13.21 |
| 38 | Ohio | $26,978 | $12.97 |
| 39 | Florida | $24,526 | $11.79 |
| 40 | Georgia | $25,015 | $12.03 |
| 41 | Alabama | $24,847 | $11.95 |
| 42 | West Virginia | $25,984 | $12.49 |
| 43 | Idaho | $25,763 | $12.39 |
| 44 | Arkansas | $25,083 | $12.06 |
| 45 | Indiana | $25,082 | $12.06 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $25,948 | $12.47 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $23,472 | $11.28 |
| 48 | Kentucky | $24,480 | $11.77 |
| 49 | Tennessee | $24,690 | $11.87 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $23,185 | $11.15 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $22,544 | $10.84 |
Highest paying cities for securities
The highest-paying cities for securities are Seattle, WA, San Francisco, CA, and Washington, DC.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $41,330 | $19.87 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $40,206 | $19.33 |
| 3 | Washington, DC | $38,007 | $18.27 |
| 4 | Bethesda, MD | $36,842 | $17.71 |
| 5 | Boston, MA | $35,960 | $17.29 |
| 6 | Portland, OR | $35,942 | $17.28 |
| 7 | Roseville, MN | $35,887 | $17.25 |
| 8 | New York, NY | $35,563 | $17.10 |
| 9 | Arlington, VA | $33,902 | $16.30 |
| 10 | Denver, CO | $32,708 | $15.72 |
| 11 | Las Vegas, NV | $31,450 | $15.12 |
| 12 | Salt Lake City, UT | $31,334 | $15.06 |
| 13 | Phoenix, AZ | $31,234 | $15.02 |
| 14 | Chicago, IL | $30,852 | $14.83 |
| 15 | Kansas City, KS | $30,347 | $14.59 |
| 16 | Charlotte, NC | $29,859 | $14.36 |
| 17 | Kansas City, MO | $29,257 | $14.07 |
| 18 | Philadelphia, PA | $29,061 | $13.97 |
| 19 | Detroit, MI | $27,910 | $13.42 |
| 20 | San Antonio, TX | $27,084 | $13.02 |
Securities are the most in-demand in these five cities:
Security salary details
A security's salary ranges from $23,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $43,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a security's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $43,000 | $3,583 | $21 |
| 75th Percentile | $37,000 | $3,083 | $18 |
| Average | $31,836 | $2,653 | $15 |
| 25th Percentile | $27,000 | $2,250 | $13 |
| 10th Percentile | $23,000 | $1,917 | $11 |
Highest paying security jobs
The highest paying types of securities are head of security, security technician, and security specialist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Protective Officer | $40,529 | $3,377 | $19.49 | 103,885 |
| Protection Security Officer | $35,926 | $2,994 | $17.27 | 122,427 |
| Safety And Security Officer | $35,427 | $2,952 | $17.03 | 133,260 |
| Security/Customer Service | $32,115 | $2,676 | $15.44 | 224,564 |
| Facility Security Officer | $38,701 | $3,225 | $18.61 | 124,890 |
| Unarmed Security Officer | $31,496 | $2,625 | $15.14 | 121,723 |
Top companies hiring securities now:
Which companies pay securities the most?
Security salaries at Microsoft and IBM are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average security salary at companies like Google and General Dynamics Mission Systems are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Microsoft | $83,212 | $40.01 |
| 2 | IBM | $63,983 | $30.76 |
| 3 | $54,095 | $26.01 | |
| 4 | General Dynamics Mission Systems | $52,141 | $25.07 |
| 5 | Jacobs Engineering Group | $50,484 | $24.27 |
| 6 | Seattle Seahawks | $49,451 | $23.77 |
| 7 | JPMorgan Chase & Co. | $48,541 | $23.34 |
| 8 | Brigham and Women's Hospital | $45,918 | $22.08 |
| 9 | Booz Allen Hamilton | $44,640 | $21.46 |
| 10 | Holton-Arms School | $43,821 | $21.07 |
| 11 | Credit Suisse | $43,471 | $20.90 |
| 12 | Salesforce | $42,273 | $20.32 |
| 13 | UC Merced | $41,988 | $20.19 |
| 14 | Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants | $40,950 | $19.69 |
| 15 | United Service Technologies | $40,944 | $19.68 |
| 16 | Willdan | $40,823 | $19.63 |
| 17 | AEG | $40,738 | $19.59 |
| 18 | Hyatt Hotels | $40,574 | $19.51 |
| 19 | HEI Hotels & Resorts | $40,569 | $19.50 |
| 20 | Mars | $40,014 | $19.24 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Security salary trends
The average security salary has risen by $7,331 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average security earned $24,505 annually, but today, they earn $31,836 a year. That works out to a 20% change in pay for securities over the last decade.
Compare security salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average security salary over time
Compare security salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Security salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $31,800 | $15.31 | +4.4% |
| 2025 | $30,400 | $14.63 | +4.0% |
| 2024 | $29,200 | $14.04 | +5.6% |
| 2023 | $27,600 | $13.26 | +4.2% |
| 2022 | $26,400 | $12.70 | +4.4% |
Recently added security salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nascar | Security Event Staff | Watkins Glen, NY | 06/30/2025 | $39,653 |
| Job Listingsallied Universal | Event Security Crowd Contol | New Orleans, LA | 06/29/2025 | $32,349 |
| Job Listingsallied Universal | Event Security Inter & CO. Stadium | Orlando, FL | 06/29/2025 | $39,653 |
| Job Listingsallied Universal | Security Office | Wilmington, DE | 06/29/2025 | $41,740 |
| Grandsettlement | Security | New York, NY | 06/29/2025 | $41,740 |
| Allied Universal | Event Security-Conventions-Weekly Pay | Henderson, NV | 06/28/2025 | $37,566 |
| Contemporary Services Corporation | Event Staff & Security | Santa Clara, CA | 06/28/2025 | $40,697 |
| Northeast Security, Inc. | Experienced Security Event-Guaranteed Interviews | Cambridge, MA | 06/28/2025 | $50,610 |
| Securitas Security Services USA, Inc. | Hospital Security Wanted!!! Newport, RI | Newport, RI | 06/28/2025 | $50,088 |
| Securitas Inc. | Urgently-Hospital Security | Newport, RI | Newport, RI | 06/28/2025 | $50,088 |
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