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As of October 2025, the average salary for a security monitor in the United States stands at $29,899 per year. This figure translates to about $14 per hour. Salary can vary based on several factors, including geographical location, years of experience, and specific job responsibilities.
In general, security monitors in urban areas tend to earn higher wages compared to those in rural settings. For instance, major cities often offer higher-paying roles due to increased demand for security services. Additionally, professionals with extensive experience or specialized training may command higher salaries and more advanced positions.
States such as California, New York, and Texas report higher average salaries for security monitors, reflecting the cost of living and demand for security personnel. Job seekers should explore local job listings to identify competitive salaries in their area and consider positions that offer opportunities for advancement.
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The highest-paying states for security monitors are Massachusetts, Alaska, and North Dakota. The lowest average security monitor salary states are Kentucky, Louisiana, and Alabama.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | $38,207 | $18.37 |
| 2 | Minnesota | $33,786 | $16.24 |
| 3 | Washington | $35,212 | $16.93 |
| 4 | California | $35,202 | $16.92 |
| 5 | Alaska | $37,540 | $18.05 |
| 6 | Nevada | $31,231 | $15.01 |
| 7 | Hawaii | $34,491 | $16.58 |
| 8 | North Dakota | $36,814 | $17.70 |
| 9 | New York | $31,551 | $15.17 |
| 10 | Ohio | $30,696 | $14.76 |
| 11 | Oregon | $33,647 | $16.18 |
| 12 | Rhode Island | $29,692 | $14.28 |
| 13 | Nebraska | $30,677 | $14.75 |
| 14 | Utah | $30,933 | $14.87 |
| 15 | New Hampshire | $30,646 | $14.73 |
| 16 | Illinois | $29,854 | $14.35 |
| 17 | Maine | $31,985 | $15.38 |
| 18 | Missouri | $29,544 | $14.20 |
| 19 | Vermont | $30,448 | $14.64 |
| 20 | Virginia | $32,121 | $15.44 |
| 21 | Wisconsin | $29,558 | $14.21 |
| 22 | Indiana | $29,652 | $14.26 |
| 23 | New Jersey | $29,248 | $14.06 |
| 24 | Colorado | $30,920 | $14.87 |
| 25 | District of Columbia | $33,985 | $16.34 |
| 26 | Pennsylvania | $26,378 | $12.68 |
| 27 | Arizona | $27,474 | $13.21 |
| 28 | Connecticut | $28,988 | $13.94 |
| 29 | North Carolina | $28,165 | $13.54 |
| 30 | Oklahoma | $27,942 | $13.43 |
| 31 | Texas | $26,406 | $12.70 |
| 32 | South Dakota | $28,264 | $13.59 |
| 33 | Maryland | $30,349 | $14.59 |
| 34 | Georgia | $25,953 | $12.48 |
| 35 | Tennessee | $25,831 | $12.42 |
| 36 | Wyoming | $27,125 | $13.04 |
| 37 | Delaware | $26,656 | $12.82 |
| 38 | Michigan | $26,824 | $12.90 |
| 39 | Montana | $25,544 | $12.28 |
| 40 | Arkansas | $26,524 | $12.75 |
| 41 | New Mexico | $26,180 | $12.59 |
| 42 | Kansas | $26,168 | $12.58 |
| 43 | Idaho | $26,329 | $12.66 |
| 44 | Alabama | $23,242 | $11.17 |
| 45 | Mississippi | $21,124 | $10.16 |
| 46 | Florida | $22,231 | $10.69 |
| 47 | South Carolina | $24,575 | $11.81 |
| 48 | Kentucky | $24,417 | $11.74 |
| 49 | Iowa | $25,124 | $12.08 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $24,138 | $11.60 |
| 51 | West Virginia | $22,623 | $10.88 |
The highest-paying cities for security monitors are Anchorage, AK, San Francisco, CA, and Minneapolis, MN.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anchorage, AK | $37,617 | $18.09 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $36,365 | $17.48 |
| 3 | Minneapolis, MN | $33,790 | $16.25 |
| 4 | Alexandria, VA | $33,038 | $15.88 |
| 5 | New York, NY | $31,601 | $15.19 |
| 6 | Las Vegas, NV | $31,065 | $14.94 |
| 7 | Longmont, CO | $31,004 | $14.91 |
| 8 | Salt Lake City, UT | $30,888 | $14.85 |
| 9 | Nashua, NH | $30,659 | $14.74 |
| 10 | Dublin, OH | $30,450 | $14.64 |
| 11 | Newark, NJ | $29,322 | $14.10 |
| 12 | Rapid City, SD | $28,061 | $13.49 |
| 13 | Matthews, NC | $27,886 | $13.41 |
| 14 | Florence, AZ | $27,360 | $13.15 |
| 15 | Casper, WY | $27,057 | $13.01 |
| 16 | Scranton, PA | $26,817 | $12.89 |
| 17 | San Antonio, TX | $26,666 | $12.82 |
| 18 | Albuquerque, NM | $26,224 | $12.61 |
| 19 | Leavenworth, KS | $26,201 | $12.60 |
A security monitor's salary ranges from $22,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $38,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $38,000 | $3,167 | $18 |
| 75th Percentile | $34,000 | $2,833 | $16 |
| Average | $29,899 | $2,492 | $14 |
| 25th Percentile | $26,000 | $2,167 | $13 |
| 10th Percentile | $22,000 | $1,833 | $11 |
The highest paying types of security monitors are security specialist, lead security officer, and security supervisor.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Protective Officer | $40,529 | $3,377 | $19.49 | 103,885 |
| Community Services Officer | $38,039 | $3,170 | $18.29 | 181,257 |
| Public Safety Officer | $36,596 | $3,050 | $17.59 | 122,048 |
| Protection Security Officer | $35,926 | $2,994 | $17.27 | 122,427 |
| Safety And Security Officer | $35,427 | $2,952 | $17.03 | 133,260 |
| Unarmed Security Guard | $32,946 | $2,746 | $15.84 | 99,613 |
Top companies hiring security monitors now:
Security monitor salaries at Dublin City Schools and Lockheed Martin are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average security monitor salary at companies like L3Harris and Fluor are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dublin City Schools | $46,229 | $22.23 |
| 2 | Lockheed Martin | $45,857 | $22.05 |
| 3 | L3Harris | $45,041 | $21.65 |
| 4 | Fluor Corporation | $43,965 | $21.14 |
| 5 | Southwest Key Programs | $39,871 | $19.17 |
| 6 | Bexar County | $37,378 | $17.97 |
| 7 | EMCOR Group | $34,466 | $16.57 |
| 8 | Minnesota State Fair | $34,006 | $16.35 |
| 9 | Minneapolis Public Schools | $33,636 | $16.17 |
| 10 | Pacific Architects and Engineers | $33,045 | $15.89 |
| 11 | Xator | $32,994 | $15.86 |
| 12 | Edina Public Schools | $32,825 | $15.78 |
| 13 | Brooklyn Center Community Schools | $32,468 | $15.61 |
| 14 | The University of Kansas Health System | $32,289 | $15.52 |
| 15 | State of West Virginia | $31,986 | $15.38 |
| 16 | H-E-B | $31,980 | $15.38 |
| 17 | FHI 360 | $31,388 | $15.09 |
| 18 | Area Temps | $30,928 | $14.87 |
| 19 | GardaWorld Federal Services | $30,867 | $14.84 |
| 20 | Urban Resources | $30,684 | $14.75 |
The average security monitor salary varies across industries:
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Health Care | $32,794 | $15.77 |
| 2 | Professional | $32,629 | $15.69 |
| 3 | Education | $30,534 | $14.68 |
| 4 | Utilities | $30,218 | $14.53 |
| 5 | Non Profits | $26,723 | $12.85 |
The average security monitor salary has risen by $6,885 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average security monitor earned $23,014 annually, but today, they earn $29,899 a year. That works out to a 20% change in pay for security monitors over the last decade.
Compare security monitor salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare security monitor salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $29,900 | $14.37 | +4.4% |
| 2024 | $28,600 | $13.74 | +4.0% |
| 2023 | $27,400 | $13.19 | +5.6% |
| 2022 | $25,900 | $12.45 | +4.2% |
| 2021 | $24,800 | $11.93 | +4.4% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Dynamics | Alarm & Security Monitor | Lawton, OK | 06/28/2025 | $34,122 |
| Gardaworld | Surveillance Security Monitor | Cincinnati, OH | 06/27/2025 | $34,206 |
| Corecivic | Security Monitor I | Newport News, VA | 06/26/2025 | $37,044 |
| Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts | Overnight Residence Area Security Monitor (Rasm-Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts | North Adams, MA | 06/26/2025 | $31,305 |
| Gardaworld | Concierge Security Monitor | Versailles, KY | 06/26/2025 | $32,870 |
| Lincoln Public Schools Ne | Paraeducator, Secured Entrance Monitor, DAY, 183 Days | Lincoln, NE | 06/25/2025 | $37,566 |
| Steps for Change | Security/Resident Monitor Weekend and Overnights | Minneapolis, MN | 06/25/2025 | $37,566 |
| Mesa Public Schools | Security Monitor-Red Mountain High School | Mesa, AZ | 06/24/2025 | $36,585 |
| Gardaworld | Surveillance Security Monitor | Paulsboro, NJ | 06/21/2025 | $33,914 |
| Waltham Public Schools | Waltham High School Security Monitor | Waltham, MA | 06/21/2025 | $37,566 |
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