SOC 33-9032.00Bright outlook

    Security Guards

    Guard, patrol, or monitor premises to prevent theft, violence, or infractions of rules.

    Median pay
    $38,020
    Growth
    +0.9%
    Little or no change
    Openings a year
    156,000
    Typical education
    High school diploma

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition

    Source: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

    See the pathway

    Annual pay range

    Lowest 10% earn less than
    $30,210
    Median
    $38,020
    Highest 10% earn more than
    $58,840
    National wages for all workers in this occupation. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

    1,283,470 people work in this occupation.

    In short

    Security guards monitor and patrol properties to prevent theft, violence, and rule violations. The career offers a median annual pay of $38,020, with over one million people employed in these protective service roles.

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What security guards do

    Job Zone 2: Some preparation

    Guard, patrol, or monitor premises to prevent theft, violence, or infractions of rules. May operate x-ray and metal detector equipment.

    Usually a high school diploma; some on-the-job training or experience.

    What the work is like

    Security guards focus on protecting people and property. Day-to-day tasks involve patrolling premises, identifying unusual objects or actions, and gathering information to prevent security breaches. These workers frequently communicate with supervisors, colleagues, and the general public, which requires strong skills in active listening, speaking, and social perceptiveness. They may also operate specialized equipment like metal detectors and x-ray machines, document incidents, and make quick decisions to solve emerging problems.

    This profession aligns with realistic interests, as it involves practical, hands-on tasks. Success in this role requires a deep knowledge of public safety, security protocols, and customer service. Because guards often interact with visitors and staff, they must demonstrate dependability, self-control, and integrity. Staying cautious and maintaining stress tolerance during emergencies is critical. Guards must also be detail-oriented to spot rule infractions and coordinate effectively with others to maintain order.

    How to get there

    Entering this field typically requires a high school diploma. Because this occupation is classified as needing some preparation, most guards receive on-the-job training or have some prior experience to learn basic procedures. Students interested in this career path often study college majors in criminal justice and corrections.

    While a high school education is the standard entry requirement, some states list a license for this work. Additionally, professionals can earn various voluntary certifications to demonstrate their expertise. Examples of these credentials include the Certified Protection Officer designation from the International Foundation for Protection Officers or the Law and Public Safety Education Network, and the Certified Lodging Security Officer credential from the American Hotel and Lodging Association Educational Institute. Other specialized certifications are available through the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence, such as the Certified Defense All-Source Analysis credential.

    Pay and outlook explained

    In 2025, the median annual pay for security guards was $38,020. Earnings vary based on experience and location, with the lowest 10% of workers earning less than $30,210, while the highest 10% earn more than $58,840.

    There are 1,283,470 people employed in this occupation. Between 2025 and 2035, employment is projected to experience a 0.9% change, which represents little or no change in the total number of jobs. Despite this flat growth, opportunities remain abundant due to the need to replace workers who leave the field. There are approximately 156,000 job openings projected each year.

    Interest profile

    Realistic (R) · strongest
    90 / 100
    Investigative (I)
    22 / 100
    Artistic (A)
    0 / 100
    Social (S)
    27 / 100
    Enterprising (E)
    31 / 100
    Conventional (C)
    63 / 100
    How strongly each interest area describes the work, from O*NET (scores rescaled to 0–100). The interest code lists the strongest areas in order.

    Interest code RCE. Compare it with yours

    What you'd do

    Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
    94
    Getting Information
    90
    Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
    89
    Documenting/Recording Information
    87
    Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
    86
    Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
    84
    Making Decisions and Solving Problems
    82
    Training and Teaching Others
    81
    Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
    81
    Communicating with People Outside the Organization
    80
    Work activities rated by importance for this occupation, O*NET (0–100).

    Skills and strengths

    Skills

    • Active Listening
    • Monitoring
    • Speaking
    • Coordination
    • Critical Thinking
    • Judgment and Decision Making
    • Reading Comprehension
    • Social Perceptiveness
    • Active Learning
    • Persuasion

    Knowledge

    • Public Safety and Security
    • Customer and Personal Service
    • English Language
    • Computers and Electronics
    • Administration and Management
    • Education and Training
    • Telecommunications
    • Administrative
    • Law and Government
    • Therapy and Counseling

    Abilities

    • Problem Sensitivity
    • Far Vision
    • Oral Comprehension
    • Near Vision
    • Oral Expression
    • Selective Attention
    • Speech Recognition
    • Deductive Reasoning
    • Speech Clarity
    • Flexibility of Closure

    Work styles

    • Dependability
    • Integrity
    • Cautiousness
    • Self-Control
    • Stress Tolerance
    • Perseverance
    • Attention to Detail
    • Cooperation
    • Self-Confidence
    • Sincerity

    Also called

    Access Control Security Officer · Alarm Investigator · Armed Guard · Armed Security Guard · Armed Security Officer · Armored Car Driver · Armored Car Guard · Bag Checker · Baggage Inspector · Baggage Screener

    Career pathway

    From your interests to security guards

    Interests that fit the work, the career, majors that lead there and colleges whose graduates in those majors earn the most. Hover or focus a step to follow one path.

    1. Interests

    2. This career

      • Security Guards$38,020 median pay

    3. Majors

    4. Colleges

    College Scorecard program outcomes

    Colleges with strong outcomes

    Programs that lead to this career, ranked by what their graduates earn four years after finishing. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid.

    1. 1Calumet College of Saint Joseph logo
      Calumet College of Saint Joseph

      Whiting, IN · Criminal Justice and Corrections · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $54,078
      4 yrs after
      $106,465
      Median debt
      $20,417
    2. 2National University-California logo
      National University-California

      La Jolla, CA · Criminal Justice and Corrections · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $66,056
      4 yrs after
      $81,299
      Median debt
      $25,000
    3. 3Fisher College logo
      Fisher College

      Boston, MA · Criminal Justice and Corrections · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $48,983
      4 yrs after
      $80,136
      Median debt
      $26,875
    4. 4
      George Washington University

      Washington, DC · Criminal Justice and Corrections · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $54,080
      4 yrs after
      $80,070
      Median debt
      $19,500
    5. 5Saint Mary's University of Minnesota logo
      Saint Mary's University of Minnesota

      Winona, MN · Criminal Justice and Corrections · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $62,842
      4 yrs after
      $79,464
      Median debt
      Not reported
    6. 6
      Quinnipiac University

      Hamden, CT · Criminal Justice and Corrections · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $42,494
      4 yrs after
      $79,098
      Median debt
      $23,375
    7. 7Northeastern University logo
      Northeastern University

      Boston, MA · Criminal Justice and Corrections · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $41,941
      4 yrs after
      $77,477
      Median debt
      $17,750
    8. 8Anna Maria College logo
      Anna Maria College

      Paxton, MA · Criminal Justice and Corrections · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $50,753
      4 yrs after
      $76,013
      Median debt
      $26,500

    Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025. Programs with few graduates are not listed.

    NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk

    Majors that lead here

    Related programs by four-digit CIP code. They are common routes in, not the only ones.

    CareerOneStop

    Certifications, licenses and pay by state

    What security guards may need beyond a degree, where a license is required, and what the work pays in each state.

    Certifications

    Core certifications employers recognise for this work.

    Search all certifications on CareerOneStop

    Training

    Programs of study that prepare people for this work.

    • Security and Loss Prevention Services

    Find training near you on CareerOneStop

    Licenses by state

    38 states list a license for this work. Open your state for the license and the agency that issues it.

    Check license requirements on CareerOneStop

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Your plan

    Build my pathway plan

    Courses, majors, colleges, scholarships and a timeline for this career, built from your profile.

    Related careers

    Careers with similar work, interests or skills.

    All careers

    Questions about security guards

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What are some alternative job titles for security guards?

    People in this profession are also called access control security officers, alarm investigators, armed guards, armored car drivers, bag checkers, and baggage screeners.

    What college majors are related to this career?

    Students who want to prepare for this field often major in criminal justice and corrections.

    Is a license required to work as a security guard?

    While a high school diploma is the typical entry requirement, some states do list a license for this work.

    Sources and attribution

    Every figure on this page comes from these public datasets. Missing values are shown as not reported, never estimated.

    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. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Page data updated November 5, 2026.