Guard pay in California · Rank #13 of 51
What security guards make in California
199,480 employed officers · $20.79/hr median ($43,000/yr) · $21.60/hr average.
Statewide pay by percentile in California25th, Median, Average, 75th, 90th percentile, and Supervisor rates (BLS 2025)$20.79/hr median
| Security guards, California | Hourly | Full-time year |
|---|---|---|
| 25th percentile | $17.88 | $37,000 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $20.79 | $43,000 |
| Average (mean) | $21.60 | $45,000 |
| 75th percentile | $22.48 | $47,000 |
| 90th percentile | $27.83 | $58,000 |
| Supervisors, median | $25.94 | $54,000 |
Security guard pay by city in CaliforniaOfficial BLS metropolitan area estimates ordered by local guard workforce10 metros
| Metro area | Guards | Median | Average | 75th pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles, CALos Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 83,280 | $19.25 | $21.10 | $21.99 |
| San Francisco, CASan Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 26,830 | $21.99 | $24.17 | $26.36 |
| Riverside, CARiverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 22,010 | $17.92 | $20.24 | $21.61 |
| San Diego, CASan Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 16,090 | $18.51 | $20.73 | $21.91 |
| Sacramento, CASacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 11,930 | $18.97 | $20.75 | $21.65 |
| San Jose, CASan Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 11,800 | $22.23 | $24.53 | $26.19 |
| Fresno, CAFresno, CA | 3,620 | $17.87 | $19.54 | $21.12 |
| Stockton, CAStockton-Lodi, CA | 2,970 | $18.52 | $20.42 | $22.31 |
| Bakersfield, CABakersfield-Delano, CA | 2,020 | $18.48 | $20.26 | $21.85 |
| Oxnard, CAOxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | 1,880 | $19.69 | $20.95 | $22.18 |
Estimate your own pay in CaliforniaAdjust for unarmed, armed, or supervisor role and your years of experienceRole calculator
$17.88
$20.79
$22.48
$27.83
How this range is calculated & BLS source
- Experience places you inside the state wage distribution: newer guards near the 25th percentile, 7+ years between the 75th and 90th.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES), 2025 annual estimates (bls.gov), retrieved 2026-10-16. Ranges are statistical estimates for negotiation context, not a guarantee of pay.
How California compares nationally & data sourceState ranking, wage spread, and Bureau of Labor Statistics methodologyRank #13 of 51
California ranks 13 of 51 for median security guard pay (1 is highest), 14% above the national median of $18.28. The middle half of California guards earned between $17.88 and $22.48 an hour; the top tenth earned $27.83 or more.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES), 2025 annual estimates, occupations 33-9032 Security Guards and 33-1091 First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers, California table. Full-time year is hourly pay times 2,080 hours. BLS does not separate armed and unarmed posts.