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Security guard education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
2 min read
Usually, security guards don't need a college education. The most common degree for security guards is high school diploma with 42% graduates, with only 21% security guard graduates earning bachelor's degree. Security guards who decided to graduate from college often finish University of Phoenix or Monroe College. Some good skills to have in this position include customer service, patrol and ladders.

Popular security guard certifications include Security 5 Certification, Commercial Driver License (CDL), or OSHA Safety Certificate . To improve security guard qualification and skills, we prepared some online courses to help in security guard education paths.

What education do you need to become a security guard?

What degree do you need to be a security guard?

The most common degree for security guards is high school diploma, with 42% of security guards earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 21% and bachelor's degree degree at 20%.
  • High School Diploma, 42%
  • Bachelor's, 21%
  • Associate, 20%
  • Diploma, 10%
  • Other Degrees, 7%

What should I major in to become a security guard?

You should major in criminal justice to become a security guard. 29% of security guards major in criminal justice. Other common majors for a security guard include business and general studies.

Best majors for security guards

RankMajorPercentages
1Criminal Justice28.6%
2Business16.5%
3General Studies9.4%
4Psychology4.4%
5Liberal Arts4.4%

20 best online courses for security guards

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1. Security Guard Training Course

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8. Data Loss Prevention (DLP) - Security breaches under control

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9. CCNP,CCIE Security SCOR (350-701) Training Part-2/2

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10. Cyber Security: Awareness For Everyone (2023)

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15. Identity & Access Management - Azure Active Directory

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16. IT Security 101 - Cyber Security for Beginners

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18. AML Compliance in Practice: Suspicious Activity Reports

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Cloud Security in AWS Implement SAST, SCA & DAST in AWS Dev Sec Ops Pipeline from scratch and Security Services in AWS...

20. The Complete Cyber Security Course: Network Security!

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Volume 2 : Network Security, Wi Fi Security, Wi Fi Hackers, Firewalls, Wireshark, Secure Networking. + Password Managers...

Average security guard salary by education level

Security guards with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $36,594 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, security guards earn a median annual income of $34,092 compared to $32,298 for security guards with an Associate degree.
Security guard education levelSecurity guard salary
Master's Degree$36,594
High School Diploma or Less$31,265
Bachelor's Degree$34,092
Some College/ Associate Degree$32,298

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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