Jetted FoxCareers · Security
Security guards
Protect a building, site or event by watching cameras, patrolling and controlling who gets in. No college degree needed.
Start now · paid while you train
Starting pay ranges from about $10/hr in West Virginia to $21.88/hr in Washington, DC.
Pay in every state
| State | Start | 2 years |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $11.11–13.49/hr | $16.21/hr |
| Alaska | $17.56–21.33/hr | $22.83/hr |
| Arizona | $15.34–17.15/hr | $18.41/hr |
| Arkansas | $13.88–14.30/hr | $17.20/hr |
| California | $17.31–17.88/hr | $20.79/hr |
| Colorado | $17.38–18.23/hr | $21.71/hr |
| Connecticut | $16.80–17.36/hr | $19.19/hr |
| Delaware | $15.60–17.31/hr | $17.48/hr |
| Florida | $14.17–15.55/hr | $17.26/hr |
| Georgia | $13.97–14.87/hr | $16.82/hr |
| Hawaii | $16.90–17.86/hr | $20.59/hr |
| Idaho | $15.40–16.55/hr | $18.41/hr |
| Illinois | $17.08–17.82/hr | $18.98/hr |
| Indiana | $14.35–15.02/hr | $17.54/hr |
| Iowa | $14.59–16.58/hr | $17.83/hr |
| Kansas | $14.23–15.35/hr | $17.83/hr |
| Kentucky | $13.68–15.12/hr | $17.03/hr |
| Louisiana | $11.37–14.15/hr | $15.50/hr |
| Maine | $15.13–16.71/hr | $18.80/hr |
| Maryland | $16.20–17.16/hr | $18.37/hr |
| Massachusetts | $16.75–18.13/hr | $21.48/hr |
| Michigan | $14.32–16.46/hr | $17.83/hr |
| Minnesota | $16.23–17.80/hr | $20.86/hr |
| Mississippi | $10.43–12.95/hr | $14.03/hr |
| Missouri | $14.93–17.33/hr | $19.42/hr |
| Montana | $13.85–16.95/hr | $18.50/hr |
| Nebraska | $16.36–17.86/hr | $19.15/hr |
| Nevada | $14.01–16.64/hr | $17.94/hr |
| New Hampshire | $17.55–18.27/hr | $21.73/hr |
| New Jersey | $15.50–16.71/hr | $18.69/hr |
| New Mexico | $14.53–17.10/hr | $20.83/hr |
| New York | $17.14–17.89/hr | $21.27/hr |
| North Carolina | $14.07–14.73/hr | $16.83/hr |
| North Dakota | $14.98–16.81/hr | $18.90/hr |
| Ohio | $13.96–14.97/hr | $17.20/hr |
| Oklahoma | $12.95–14.90/hr | $17.44/hr |
| Oregon | $17.55–19.08/hr | $21.88/hr |
| Pennsylvania | $14.45–16.62/hr | $17.81/hr |
| Rhode Island | $15–16.52/hr | $17.76/hr |
| South Carolina | $13.18–14.49/hr | $17.05/hr |
| South Dakota | $14.45–15.48/hr | $17.86/hr |
| Tennessee | $14.09–14.83/hr | $17.31/hr |
| Texas | $12.96–14.08/hr | $17.30/hr |
| Utah | $15.03–17.51/hr | $20.53/hr |
| Vermont | $17.33–18.54/hr | $21.90/hr |
| Virginia | $14.90–17.30/hr | $20.98/hr |
| Washington | $18.13–20.21/hr | $22.64/hr |
| Washington, DC | $17.60–21.88/hr | $30.87/hr |
| West Virginia | $10/hr | $13.85/hr |
| Wisconsin | $14.62–16.84/hr | $18/hr |
| Wyoming | $14.59–17.08/hr | $18.85/hr |
Estimates, May 2025. Start = what the lowest-paid 10–25% earn; 2 years = the median. US Bureau of Labor Statistics
What it takes
Before you're hired
Once you're hired
State security guard license or registration: required in most states. It lets you work as an unarmed security guard. Rules differ by state; check your state's licensing board.
A normal day
You stand a post or sit at a front desk at an office, hospital, store, warehouse or construction site. You check IDs, watch cameras, walk patrols, respond to alarms and call police when needed. Most shifts are quiet, and you log everything that happens.
The good parts
Many guards are working within weeks. Huge number of openings everywhere. A step into supervisor, loss prevention or police work.
The hard parts
Long shifts with stretches of boredom. Nights, weekends and holidays go to new guards first. Low pay at the start, and some posts mean dealing with angry or dangerous people.
Where it leads
Security supervisor (after 1–3 years). supervisor, site manager, loss prevention or armored transport, or a step into police or corrections within 5-10 years.
Quick answers
Do security guards need a college degree?
No. You can start now: paid while you train.
How long is the training for security guards?
1–4 weeks including state guard training.
How much do security guards make?
About $14.52–16.93 an hour to start and $18.28 an hour at the median across the US (May 2025).
Is it a fit for you?
Answer a few questions and see your paths. Free, about 7 minutes.
Last updated October 13, 2026. Pay: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Jobs: BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Training, costs and requirements: Jetted Fox research (estimates). This site includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Jetted Fox has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Facts, not advice.