33
Security Guards is a notable career in the 33 category. This page provides verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0 (2024), helping you compare Security Guards against similar careers and make data-driven decisions.
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13
| soc | 33-9032 |
| title | Security Guards |
| onet code | 33-9032.00 |
| description | Guard, patrol, or monitor premises to prevent theft, violence, or infractions of rules. May operate x-ray and metal detector equipment. |
| job zone | 2 |
| major group | 33 |
| tot emp | 1,241,770 |
| a mean | 42,890 |
| a median | 38,370 |
| a pct10 | 29,800 |
| a pct25 | 35,100 |
| a pct75 | 46,660 |
| a pct90 | 59,580 |
| h mean | 20 |
| h median | 18 |
The day-to-day work of a security guards typically centers on lock doors and gates of entrances and exits to secure buildings. Every task listed below is classified as Core in O*NET — they collectively define the role. Task descriptions below are quoted from the U.S. Department of Labor's O*NET 29.0 occupation profile.
Workers in this occupation rely most on Active Listening, Monitoring, and Speaking. Across the top 8 skills, the average O*NET importance score is 3.20 out of 5 — moderately weighted for this role. Importance reflects how essential each skill is for adequate job performance.
Among working security guards, the most common entry qualification is a High School Diploma (79.3%). Bachelor's-degree-or-higher credentials are reported by 2% of incumbents. Most workers enter without a four-year degree, making this a relatively accessible career path.
Median annual pay is highest in District of Columbia at $63,130 and lowest in Mississippi at $29,710 — a 2.1× spread. The top five states (District of Columbia, Alaska, Washington, Colorado, Minnesota) average $50,372. Figures reflect BLS OEWS May 2024 state-level wage estimates; percentiles shown are for full-time wage-earners in each state.
| State | Median | Mean | 10th % | 90th % | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $63,130 | $60,420 | $36,840 | $79,020 | 16,160 |
| Alaska | $48,620 | $54,720 | $35,290 | $81,190 | 2,050 |
| Washington | $48,010 | $52,940 | $38,030 | $73,480 | 24,820 |
| Colorado | $46,080 | $47,850 | $34,490 | $58,780 | 16,830 |
| Minnesota | $46,020 | $50,110 | $34,720 | $71,050 | 14,030 |
| Massachusetts | $44,950 | $45,680 | $36,090 | $57,440 | 24,100 |
| New Hampshire | $44,510 | $47,720 | $35,430 | $63,190 | 2,630 |
| California | $43,930 | $45,970 | $36,180 | $59,320 | 185,510 |
| Oregon | $43,680 | $46,110 | $35,750 | $60,870 | 11,550 |
| Virginia | $43,440 | $47,650 | $31,200 | $73,470 | 33,440 |
| Vermont | $42,800 | $43,830 | $35,260 | $51,500 | 830 |
| New York | $42,680 | $45,920 | $35,630 | $60,150 | 132,140 |
| Utah | $42,440 | $43,130 | $32,950 | $53,300 | 7,000 |
| Hawaii | $41,770 | $43,310 | $30,220 | $59,290 | 9,790 |
| Maine | $41,400 | $42,310 | $33,190 | $53,010 | 1,760 |
| Missouri | $40,680 | $45,880 | $31,010 | $69,550 | 19,180 |
| Idaho | $40,610 | $48,350 | $30,650 | $79,470 | 2,710 |
| Connecticut | $39,990 | $43,150 | $34,330 | $55,370 | 12,040 |
| North Dakota | $39,970 | $42,080 | $30,710 | $53,970 | 1,230 |
| Wisconsin | $39,110 | $43,000 | $31,010 | $56,570 | 11,670 |
| Nebraska | $38,940 | $43,260 | $33,680 | $61,310 | 4,440 |
| Rhode Island | $38,900 | $39,540 | $30,050 | $51,120 | 3,190 |
| New Jersey | $38,720 | $43,270 | $32,750 | $60,500 | 37,970 |
| New Mexico | $38,650 | $45,330 | $30,270 | $66,480 | 8,240 |
| Illinois | $38,630 | $43,850 | $35,580 | $59,190 | 53,560 |
| Maryland | $38,590 | $44,850 | $33,250 | $62,330 | 27,220 |
| Arizona | $38,560 | $41,260 | $32,480 | $49,900 | 26,720 |
| Nevada | $38,340 | $39,880 | $28,970 | $48,500 | 25,610 |
| Montana | $38,300 | $39,130 | $28,770 | $47,940 | 1,440 |
| Michigan | $38,120 | $40,100 | $27,970 | $54,600 | 25,760 |
| Delaware | $37,690 | $44,940 | $34,520 | $78,010 | 3,230 |
| Pennsylvania | $37,680 | $40,770 | $29,860 | $51,810 | 43,710 |
| Indiana | $37,560 | $42,650 | $30,330 | $64,210 | 17,900 |
| Iowa | $37,380 | $40,310 | $30,810 | $49,710 | 6,450 |
| West Virginia | $37,220 | $39,430 | $23,310 | $59,270 | 6,290 |
| Arkansas | $37,090 | $38,670 | $28,340 | $48,840 | 6,680 |
| South Dakota | $37,010 | $39,340 | $30,020 | $50,190 | 1,420 |
| Oklahoma | $36,580 | $40,500 | $26,360 | $58,980 | 12,320 |
| Wyoming | $36,330 | $38,560 | $28,150 | $49,290 | 1,020 |
| Ohio | $36,180 | $40,500 | $28,540 | $61,940 | 34,590 |
| Florida | $36,090 | $39,000 | $29,630 | $47,990 | 95,350 |
| Kansas | $36,090 | $41,440 | $29,730 | $58,310 | 6,790 |
| Tennessee | $36,090 | $39,630 | $28,690 | $60,200 | 28,260 |
| North Carolina | $35,900 | $40,600 | $28,930 | $58,010 | 29,360 |
| Georgia | $35,670 | $39,720 | $26,190 | $58,790 | 35,410 |
| Kentucky | $35,520 | $36,760 | $28,680 | $48,730 | 13,500 |
| South Carolina | $34,820 | $36,030 | $26,270 | $47,180 | 16,180 |
| Texas | $33,390 | $37,500 | $24,710 | $49,200 | 99,370 |
| Louisiana | $31,660 | $35,530 | $22,280 | $49,430 | 15,780 |
| Alabama | $31,210 | $34,640 | $23,350 | $46,400 | 15,050 |
| Mississippi | $29,710 | $32,750 | $22,110 | $46,340 | 9,600 |
Recruiters and job boards use several alternate titles for security guards. Knowing these variants widens your job search — listings for Alarm Investigator or Armed Guard frequently describe the same role. The list below is a sample of the most common industry variants.
This data helps you understand how Security Guards compares to others in the 33 category. Use it to make informed decisions based on verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0.
careers with the closest data values to Security Guards
The CertifyWize editorial team aggregates and verifies careers data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0. Every statistic on this site is cross-referenced against the official source before publication, with quarterly re-verification cycles.
Read our full methodology or contact us with corrections.
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