Guard pay in Colorado · Rank #7 of 51
What security guards make in Colorado
16,890 employed officers · $21.71/hr median ($45,000/yr) · $22.05/hr average.
Statewide pay by percentile in Colorado25th, Median, Average, 75th, 90th percentile, and Supervisor rates (BLS 2025)$21.71/hr median
| Security guards, Colorado | Hourly | Full-time year |
|---|---|---|
| 25th percentile | $18.23 | $38,000 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $21.71 | $45,000 |
| Average (mean) | $22.05 | $46,000 |
| 75th percentile | $22.88 | $47,500 |
| 90th percentile | $27.58 | $57,500 |
| Supervisors, median | $26.29 | $54,500 |
Security guard pay by city in ColoradoOfficial BLS metropolitan area estimates ordered by local guard workforce3 metros
| Metro area | Guards | Median | Average | 75th pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver, CODenver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 10,910 | $21.84 | $22.53 | $22.86 |
| Colorado Springs, COColorado Springs, CO | 2,210 | $20.52 | $21.15 | $23.07 |
| Fort Collins, COFort Collins-Loveland, CO | 1,080 | $20.83 | $20.66 | $22.46 |
Estimate your own pay in ColoradoAdjust for unarmed, armed, or supervisor role and your years of experienceRole calculator
$18.23
$21.71
$22.88
$27.58
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 Colorado compares nationally & data sourceState ranking, wage spread, and Bureau of Labor Statistics methodologyRank #7 of 51
Colorado ranks 7 of 51 for median security guard pay (1 is highest), 19% above the national median of $18.28. The middle half of Colorado guards earned between $18.23 and $22.88 an hour; the top tenth earned $27.58 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, Colorado table. Full-time year is hourly pay times 2,080 hours. BLS does not separate armed and unarmed posts.