Research Summary. Using a database of 30 million profiles, Zippia estimates demographics and statistics for security guards in the United States. Our estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
- There are over 823,148 security guards currently employed in the United States.
- 28.0% of all security guards are women, while 72.0% are men.
- The average age of an employed security guard is 43 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of security guards is White (54.0%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (21.0%), Black or African American (12.7%) and Asian (5.3%).
- Security guards are most in-demand in New York, NY.
- The utilities industry is the highest-paying for security guards.
- 6% of all security guards are LGBT.
Security Guard Statistics By Gender
28.0% of security guards are women and 72.0% of security guards are men.
- Male, 72.0%
- Female, 28.0%
Security Guards By Gender
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 72.0% |
| Female | 28.0% |
Gender Pay Gap For Security Guard
Women Earn 99ยข For Every $1 Earned By Men
Security Guard Gender Over Time
This data shows how men and women predominate in the security guard position over time.
Security Guard Gender By Year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 74.70% | 25.30% |
| 2011 | 73.39% | 26.61% |
| 2012 | 74.67% | 25.33% |
| 2013 | 74.79% | 25.21% |
| 2014 | 73.91% | 26.09% |
| 2015 | 74.66% | 25.34% |
| 2016 | 74.25% | 25.75% |
| 2017 | 72.95% | 27.05% |
| 2018 | 73.84% | 26.16% |
| 2019 | 73.33% | 26.67% |
| 2020 | 71.08% | 28.92% |
| 2021 | 71.99% | 28.01% |
Security Guard Male to Female Ratio
We compared this job title with other job titles to see how gender percentages varied. As you can see, rescue boat operator and bodyguard have the biggest difference in gender.
| Job Title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Playground Monitor | 18% | 82% |
| School Crossing Guard | 21% | 79% |
| Crossing Guard | 23% | 77% |
| Security Guard | 72% | 28% |
| Bouncer | 94% | 6% |
| Bodyguard | 96% | 4% |
| Rescue Boat Operator | 98% | 2% |
Security Guard Statistics By Race
The most common ethnicity among security guards is White, which makes up 54.0% of all security guards. Comparatively, there are 21.0% of the Hispanic or Latino ethnicity and 12.7% of the Black or African American ethnicity.
- White, 54.0%
- Hispanic or Latino, 21.0%
- Black or African American, 12.7%
- Unknown, 5.3%
- Asian, 5.3%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.7%
Security Guard Race
| Security Guard Race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 54.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 21.0% |
| Black or African American | 12.7% |
| Unknown | 5.3% |
| Asian | 5.3% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.7% |
Security Guard Race And Ethnicity Over Time
Using the Census Bureau data, we found out how the percentage of each ethnic category trended between 2010-2019 among security guards.
- White
- Asian
- Hispanic or Latino
- Black or African American
Security Guard Race By Year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 63.56% | 13.05% | 4.15% | 15.86% |
| 2011 | 61.51% | 13.00% | 4.12% | 17.44% |
| 2012 | 61.17% | 13.27% | 4.04% | 17.55% |
| 2013 | 61.50% | 12.83% | 4.31% | 17.65% |
| 2014 | 60.19% | 13.68% | 4.01% | 17.97% |
| 2015 | 59.82% | 13.11% | 4.49% | 18.43% |
| 2016 | 59.45% | 12.87% | 4.28% | 19.30% |
| 2017 | 59.35% | 13.80% | 3.94% | 19.11% |
| 2018 | 59.60% | 12.68% | 4.15% | 19.12% |
| 2019 | 58.59% | 13.39% | 4.97% | 18.98% |
| 2020 | 53.92% | 13.95% | 5.02% | 20.37% |
| 2021 | 54.04% | 12.72% | 5.35% | 21.00% |
Security Guard Wage Gap By Race
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $32,376 |
| White | $33,004 |
| Black or African American | $32,861 |
| Asian | $32,982 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $32,705 |
Average Age of a Security Guard
We determined the average age of security guards based on ethnicity and gender.
Security Guard Age By Race
| Race | Male Age | Female Age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 45 | 41 |
| Unknown | 37.5 | 39 |
| Asian | 45 | 44 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 36 | 36.5 |
| White | 45 | 47 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 38.5 | 37 |
Security Guard Age Breakdown
This chart breaks down the ages of security guard employees. Interestingly enough, the average age of security guards is 40+ years old, which represents 56% of the population.
Security Guard Age
| Security Guard Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 56% |
| 30-40 years | 21% |
| 20-30 years | 22% |
Types of Security Guard Degree Levels
The most common degree for security guards is high school diploma 42% of security guards earn that degree. A close second is bachelor's degree with 21% and rounding it off is associate degree with 20%.
- High School Diploma, 42%
- Bachelors, 21%
- Associate, 20%
- Diploma, 10%
- Other Degrees, 7%
Security Guards By Education
| Security Guard Degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 42% |
| Bachelors | 21% |
| Associate | 20% |
| Diploma | 10% |
| Other Degrees | 7% |
Security Guard Jobs You Might Like
Security Guard Wage Gap By Education
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $31,265 |
| Master's Degree | $36,594 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $34,092 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $32,298 |
Security Guard Employment Statistics
This section highlights information about where security guards work. We found most security guards work for a private company. In addition, the industry that employs the most security guards is the utilities industry.
Company Size
We created this chart to show you the average size of companies that typically hire security guards.
Security Guard Jobs By Employer Size
| Company Size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 5% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 13% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 21% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 16% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 28% |
| > 10,000 employees | 16% |
The Types Of Companies Security Guard Work In
Employees with the security guard job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most security guards prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Security Guard Jobs By Sector
| Company Type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 1% |
| Public | 11% |
| Private | 84% |
| Government | 4% |
Top Industries Hiring Security Guards
Just based on the number of employees within each industry, we were able to determine the most common industries that employ security guards. Those industries include utilities, professional and manufacturing.
Security Guard Industry Statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Utilities | 22% |
| Professional | 21% |
| Manufacturing | 7% |
| Hospitality | 6% |
| Retail | 6% |
| Fortune 500 | 6% |
| Technology | 6% |
| Finance | 4% |
| Government | 4% |
| Media | 3% |
| Transportation | 3% |
| Non Profits | 3% |
| Construction | 2% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Health Care | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
| Education | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
Security Guard Turnover And Employment Statistics
Security Guard Unemployment Rate Over Time
The Bureau of Labor Statistics came in clutch when it came down to figuring out how the unemployment rate has changed over time. Between 2008 and 2018, this is how the number of security guards changed.
- Unemployment rate
Security Guard Unemployment Rate By Year
| Year | Security Guard Unemployment Rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 12.24% |
| 2011 | 11.62% |
| 2012 | 10.40% |
| 2013 | 9.08% |
| 2014 | 8.18% |
| 2015 | 7.21% |
| 2016 | 6.47% |
| 2017 | 5.77% |
| 2018 | 5.47% |
| 2019 | 4.75% |
| 2020 | 6.85% |
| 2021 | 7.46% |
The Average Number of Years That Security Guard Stay in a Job
By looking over 177,622 security guards resumes, we figured out that the average security guard enjoys staying at their job for Less than 1 year for a percentage of 34%.
Security Guard Tenure
| Number or Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 34% |
| 1-2 years | 33% |
| 3-4 years | 12% |
| 5-7 years | 13% |
| 8-10 years | 4% |
| 11+ years | 4% |
Comparing The LGBT Ratio of Security Guards with Other Job Titles
After finding the gender ratio, we wondered if the percentages of LGBT persons were different as well. Using the data below, you can see how other job titles compare to security guards.
| Job Title | LGBT | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|
| Flagger | 3.84% | 6,597 |
| Security Guard | 6.29% | - |
| Civil Service Worker | 7.17% | 62,973 |
| Swim Instructor | 7.20% | 24,849 |
| House Detective | 8.27% | 23,382 |
| Screener | 15.51% | 3,108 |
Security Guard LGBT Demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|
| Flagger | 3.84% | 6,597 |
| Civil Service Worker | 7.17% | 62,973 |
| Swim Instructor | 7.20% | 24,849 |
| House Detective | 8.27% | 23,382 |
| Screener | 15.51% | 3,108 |
Foreign Languages Spoken By Security Guards
The most common foreign language among security guards is Spanish at 71.9%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 8.4% and Arabic is the third-most popular at 3.0%.
- Spanish, 71.9%
- French, 8.4%
- Arabic, 3.0%
- German, 2.7%
- Russian, 1.8%
- Other, 12.2%
Security Guard Languages Spoken
| Foreign Language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 71.9% |
| French | 8.4% |
| Arabic | 3.0% |
| German | 2.7% |
| Russian | 1.8% |
| Other | 12.2% |
