Guard pay in Georgia · Rank #47 of 51
What security guards make in Georgia
36,210 employed officers · $16.82/hr median ($35,000/yr) · $18.22/hr average.
Statewide pay by percentile in Georgia25th, Median, Average, 75th, 90th percentile, and Supervisor rates (BLS 2025)$16.82/hr median
| Security guards, Georgia | Hourly | Full-time year |
|---|---|---|
| 25th percentile | $14.87 | $31,000 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $16.82 | $35,000 |
| Average (mean) | $18.22 | $38,000 |
| 75th percentile | $18.78 | $39,000 |
| 90th percentile | $23.36 | $48,500 |
| Supervisors, median | $23.75 | $49,500 |
Security guard pay by city in GeorgiaOfficial BLS metropolitan area estimates ordered by local guard workforce4 metros
| Metro area | Guards | Median | Average | 75th pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta, GAAtlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 22,730 | $16.90 | $18.65 | $18.91 |
| Augusta, GAAugusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | 3,370 | $16.08 | $17.20 | $18.76 |
| Savannah, GASavannah, GA | 1,880 | $16.74 | $17.74 | $19.77 |
| Chattanooga, TNChattanooga, TN-GA | 1,820 | $17.14 | $18.71 | $20.46 |
Estimate your own pay in GeorgiaAdjust for unarmed, armed, or supervisor role and your years of experienceRole calculator
$14.87
$16.82
$18.78
$23.36
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 Georgia compares nationally & data sourceState ranking, wage spread, and Bureau of Labor Statistics methodologyRank #47 of 51
Georgia ranks 47 of 51 for median security guard pay (1 is highest), 8% below the national median of $18.28. The middle half of Georgia guards earned between $14.87 and $18.78 an hour; the top tenth earned $23.36 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, Georgia table. Full-time year is hourly pay times 2,080 hours. BLS does not separate armed and unarmed posts.