Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2011

33-9032 Security Guards

Guard, patrol, or monitor premises to prevent theft, violence, or infractions of rules. May operate x-ray and metal detector equipment. Excludes "Transportation Security Screeners" (33-9093).


National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
1,032,940 0.9 % $13.00 $27,040 0.4 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $8.30 $9.42 $11.49 $14.97 $20.13
Annual Wage (2) $17,260 $19,600 $23,900 $31,150 $41,860


Industry profile for this occupation: Top

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Investigation and Security Services 592,550 74.68 $12.09 $25,140
Local Government (OES Designation) 37,460 0.68 $15.88 $33,030
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 36,000 0.69 $15.09 $31,380
Elementary and Secondary Schools 29,740 0.35 $15.11 $31,420
Traveler Accommodation 27,100 1.59 $13.71 $28,520

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Investigation and Security Services 592,550 74.68 $12.09 $25,140
Facilities Support Services 13,350 9.78 $12.89 $26,820
Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events 6,700 6.96 $13.15 $27,360
Monetary Authorities-Central Bank 1,290 6.48 $18.48 $38,430
Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) 19,750 5.69 $11.61 $24,140

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Other Transit and Ground Passenger Transportation (8) (8) $27.99 $58,210
Taxi and Limousine Service (8) (8) $24.56 $51,090
Natural Gas Distribution 210 0.19 $23.13 $48,110
Other Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing 1,110 0.44 $21.90 $45,550
Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution 4,180 1.06 $21.84 $45,420


Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.





States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 134,130 9.55 1.19 $13.36 $27,780
New York 97,050 11.52 1.43 $14.02 $29,150
Texas 79,820 7.75 0.96 $11.81 $24,560
Florida 77,970 10.90 1.35 $11.20 $23,310
Illinois 50,820 9.12 1.13 $12.23 $25,440




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
District of Columbia 11,940 18.52 2.30 $18.19 $37,830
Nevada 19,370 17.41 2.16 $13.41 $27,880
Hawaii 9,430 16.35 2.03 $12.43 $25,850
New York 97,050 11.52 1.43 $14.02 $29,150
Florida 77,970 10.90 1.35 $11.20 $23,310




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
District of Columbia 11,940 18.52 2.30 $18.19 $37,830
Alaska 2,230 7.14 0.89 $17.13 $35,640
Washington 15,230 5.60 0.70 $16.85 $35,050
Maryland 26,730 10.77 1.34 $15.37 $31,970
Virginia 31,040 8.73 1.08 $15.31 $31,840





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division 74,690 14.76 1.83 $14.01 $29,150
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division 53,360 13.96 1.73 $13.10 $27,240
Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL Metropolitan Division 41,510 11.59 1.44 $12.12 $25,220
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division 29,980 12.98 1.61 $18.21 $37,870
Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX 23,580 9.24 1.15 $10.52 $21,880
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA 21,130 9.48 1.18 $11.44 $23,800
Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL Metropolitan Division 19,470 19.91 2.47 $11.47 $23,860
Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division 19,120 9.35 1.16 $12.77 $26,570
Las Vegas-Paradise, NV 16,610 20.61 2.56 $13.25 $27,560
Phoenix-Mesa-Glendale, AZ 16,070 9.46 1.18 $13.08 $27,200




Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Las Vegas-Paradise, NV 16,610 20.61 2.56 $13.25 $27,560
Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL Metropolitan Division 19,470 19.91 2.47 $11.47 $23,860
Honolulu, HI 7,940 18.66 2.32 $12.01 $24,990
Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ 2,400 17.92 2.23 $14.81 $30,810
West Palm Beach-Boca Raton-Boynton Beach, FL Metropolitan Division 8,590 17.34 2.15 $11.41 $23,740
Memphis, TN-MS-AR 9,270 15.91 1.98 $11.87 $24,700
Gulfport-Biloxi, MS 1,530 15.13 1.88 $12.45 $25,890
New York-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division 74,690 14.76 1.83 $14.01 $29,150
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division 53,360 13.96 1.73 $13.10 $27,240
Newark-Union, NJ-PA Metropolitan Division 12,600 13.27 1.65 $14.67 $30,520




Top paying metropolitan areas for this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Ithaca, NY (8) (8) (8) $20.18 $41,970
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA 520 5.25 0.65 $19.94 $41,480
Amarillo, TX 1,010 9.28 1.15 $19.71 $40,990
Burlington, NC 110 2.07 0.26 $19.04 $39,600
Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA Metropolitan Division 8,130 5.94 0.74 $18.98 $39,470
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division 29,980 12.98 1.61 $18.21 $37,870
Trenton-Ewing, NJ 2,110 9.75 1.21 $17.60 $36,620
Kennewick-Pasco-Richland, WA 540 5.47 0.68 $17.35 $36,080
Bethesda-Rockville-Frederick, MD Metropolitan Division 4,890 8.79 1.09 $17.20 $35,780
Jefferson City, MO 270 3.82 0.47 $17.14 $35,640

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Hawaii / Maui / Kauai nonmetropolitan area 1,500 9.86 1.22 $14.63 $30,420
East Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 1,350 11.58 1.44 $8.72 $18,140
Other North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 1,140 3.90 0.48 $11.03 $22,950
Southern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area 1,020 7.74 0.96 $10.86 $22,590
Northeast Mississippi nonmetropolitan area 1,020 4.91 0.61 $9.74 $20,260

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Los Alamos County, New Mexico nonmetropolitan area 260 15.98 1.98 (8) (8)
East Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 1,350 11.58 1.44 $8.72 $18,140
Hawaii / Maui / Kauai nonmetropolitan area 1,500 9.86 1.22 $14.63 $30,420
Other Nevada nonmetropolitan area 520 9.54 1.19 $19.90 $41,390
Western Central Nevada nonmetropolitan area 340 9.32 1.16 $13.40 $27,870

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Eastern Connecticut nonmetropolitan area 90 3.39 0.42 $20.85 $43,370
Other Nevada nonmetropolitan area 520 9.54 1.19 $19.90 $41,390
Railbelt / Southwest Alaska nonmetropolitan area 600 8.40 1.04 $19.58 $40,730
Southeast Alaska nonmetropolitan area 150 4.23 0.53 $18.78 $39,050
Eastern Sierra Region of California nonmetropolitan area 90 6.42 0.80 $18.63 $38,740


About May 2011 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate--50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly mean wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OES estimates and related information:

May 2011 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2011 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2011 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2011 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

List of Occupations in SOC Code Number Order

List of Occupations in Alphabetical Order

Download May 2011 Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates in Zipped XLS files

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 27, 2012