Georgia · SOC 33-9032
Security Guards in Georgia
State salary data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025)
Geography used: wage and employment figures are BLS state estimates for Georgia; the comparison figure is the United States national estimate.
Median Salary
$34,980
per year in this state
8% below
National Median
$38,020
per year nationally
Hourly Rate
$16.82/hr
median hourly
Employment
36,210
jobs in GA
Salary Range in Georgia
Annual Salary Distribution
What This Means for Security Guards in Georgia
According to BLS OEWS state estimates, Georgia ranks #47 of 54 states and territories for Security Guards pay, the bottom 14% nationally. Full pay-distribution context, including how Georgia compares to the national median, follows below.
This page captures the Security Guards labor market inside Georgia using BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics state estimates from the May 2025 release. Median annual pay lands at $34,980 ($16.82/hr per hour), while the state employs roughly 36,210 workers in this SOC code (33-9032). Relative to the national median of $38,020, the state estimate is 8% below. Explaining that difference would require separate evidence on industry, employer, prices, and worker mix.
Within Georgia, the full pay distribution is wider than the median alone suggests. Workers at the 10th percentile earn $29,060, the 25th earns $30,920, the 75th reaches $39,060, and the 90th hits $48,590. The upper boundary is roughly 1.7× the lower boundary. These bands combine workers across experience levels, credentials, employers, industries, schedules, and specialties; the percentile table does not isolate any one factor's effect.
Use this state-level view as one layer in your research stack, not the full picture. Drill into the specific BLS local wage area within Georgia where the job is located. A state estimate can differ substantially from a local-area estimate; this table does not establish why. Pair the wage here with state-specific cost of living (rent, taxes, energy, groceries) to see how far the paycheck actually goes. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses. It excludes employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, and nonproduction bonuses, so compare those items separately when reviewing an offer.
Top Paying Jobs in Georgia
What this shows Bar width is each occupation's median wage relative to the top-paying job on this list. Hover or tap a row for its exact share of the leader and rank.
Similar Occupations in Georgia
Other roles in the same SOC major group, priced for this state's labor market.
Other states with similar Security Guards pay or employment
Two OEWS peer sets for this SOC code outside Georgia. Same-major-group cards above stay in-state; these neighborhoods are cross-state nearest neighbors.
Similar median pay
Nearest state medians ($34,980 here).
- Security Guards in North Carolina · $35,010
- Security Guards in Kentucky · $35,420
- Security Guards in South Carolina · $35,460
- Security Guards in Arkansas · $35,770
Similar employment scale
Nearest headcount peers (36,210 jobs here; floor 1,000).
- Security Guards in Virginia · 34,870
- Security Guards in Ohio · 34,450
- Security Guards in New Jersey · 41,540
- Security Guards in Arizona · 29,820
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS state median annual wage and reported employment for SOC 33-9032. Employment peers exclude states already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.
Related federal data for Georgia
📊 BLS OEWS - Georgia
Federal wage estimates by occupation
📈 BLS Employment Projections
10-year occupation growth, national
🏢 BLS QCEW state series
Quarterly employment and wage program (BLS)
🏛️ OPM FedScope
Federal workforce data by agency and location
⚖️ OSHA Establishment Search
Federal workplace-safety records
🏠 HUD Fair Market Rents
Federal area-level rent benchmarks
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Security Guards make in Georgia?
The median annual salary for Security Guards in Georgia is $34,980 (8% below national avg). Pay ranges from $29,060 (10th percentile) to $48,590 (90th percentile).
How many Security Guards work in Georgia?
There are approximately 36,210 Security Guards employed in Georgia, according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data.
What is the hourly rate for Security Guards in Georgia?
The median hourly wage for Security Guards in Georgia is $16.82/hr.
Where does WageDex get its salary data?
All salary and employment data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release.
Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. This occupation's Georgia figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS state-level data. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.