Guard pay in District of Columbia · Rank #1 of 51
What security guards make in District of Columbia
15,880 employed officers · $30.87/hr median ($64,000/yr) · $29.19/hr average.
Statewide pay by percentile in District of Columbia25th, Median, Average, 75th, 90th percentile, and Supervisor rates (BLS 2025)$30.87/hr median
| Security guards, District of Columbia | Hourly | Full-time year |
|---|---|---|
| 25th percentile | $21.88 | $45,500 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $30.87 | $64,000 |
| Average (mean) | $29.19 | $60,500 |
| 75th percentile | $35.67 | $74,000 |
| 90th percentile | $37.94 | $79,000 |
| Supervisors, median | $40.24 | $83,500 |
Security guard pay by city in District of ColumbiaOfficial BLS metropolitan area estimates ordered by local guard workforce1 metro
| Metro area | Guards | Median | Average | 75th pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington, DCWashington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 40,950 | $22.52 | $26.17 | $34.15 |
Estimate your own pay in District of ColumbiaAdjust for unarmed, armed, or supervisor role and your years of experienceRole calculator
$21.88
$30.87
$35.67
$37.94
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 District of Columbia compares nationally & data sourceState ranking, wage spread, and Bureau of Labor Statistics methodologyRank #1 of 51
District of Columbia ranks 1 of 51 for median security guard pay (1 is highest), 69% above the national median of $18.28. The middle half of District of Columbia guards earned between $21.88 and $35.67 an hour; the top tenth earned $37.94 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, District of Columbia table. Full-time year is hourly pay times 2,080 hours. BLS does not separate armed and unarmed posts.