Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA · SOC 33-9032

Security Guards in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue

Metro area salary data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025)

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Median Salary

$47,490

per year in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue

+25% above

National Median

$38,020

per year nationally

Hourly Rate

$22.83/hr

median hourly

Employment

17,030

jobs in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue

BLS metro-level wage data places Security Guards pay in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA at a median of $47,490 per year ($22.83/hr/hour), drawn from the OEWS May 2025 release for this Metropolitan Statistical Area. Compared to the national median of $38,020, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue pays +25% above, signaling either concentrated employer demand, a cost-of-living premium, or both. Approximately 17,030 security guardss are employed across the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue MSA in SOC 33-9032.

The Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue pay distribution spans from $38,990 at the 10th percentile to $68,040 at the 90th — a 1.7× spread that reflects experience tenure, specialization, employer size, and the difference between public-sector, nonprofit, and private-sector compensation inside the metro. The 25th percentile sits at $44,460 and the 75th at $57,990, so half of Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue-based security guardss earn within that middle band.

Metro figures capture where you actually work, not just where you live — which matters for commuters. BLS draws metro boundaries from the OMB MSA definitions, so Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA covers the central city plus outlying counties tied to the metro economically. Remember that OEWS wages reflect base pay only: employer-provided health insurance, retirement matches, stock options, signing bonuses, overtime, and tips are excluded and can add 20-40% to real total compensation. Before using this metro median as a negotiation anchor, triangulate against the same occupation's national profile (linked below), its state-wide WA data, and peer-metro comparisons — a median is a starting point, not a ceiling.

Salary Range in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue

Annual Salary Distribution

$38,990$44,460$47,490$57,990$68,040
10th pct25thMedian75th90th pct

10th Percentile

$38,990

25th Percentile

$44,460

Median

$47,490

75th Percentile

$57,990

90th Percentile

$68,040

Top Paying Jobs in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue

Similar Occupations in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue

Other roles inside the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA MSA from the same SOC major group.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a Security Guards make in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
The median annual salary for Security Guards in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA is $47,490 ($22.83/hour). The salary range spans from $38,990 at the 10th percentile to $68,040 at the 90th percentile.
Is Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue a good place to work as a Security Guards?
Security Guards in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA earns +25% above the national median of $38,020. There are approximately 17,030 Security Guards jobs in this metro area.

Last updated: May 2025 (BLS OEWS annual release). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025.

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