Guard pay in Illinois · Rank #19 of 51
What security guards make in Illinois
53,830 employed officers · $18.98/hr median ($39,500/yr) · $21.27/hr average.
Statewide pay by percentile in Illinois25th, Median, Average, 75th, 90th percentile, and Supervisor rates (BLS 2025)$18.98/hr median
| Security guards, Illinois | Hourly | Full-time year |
|---|---|---|
| 25th percentile | $17.82 | $37,000 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $18.98 | $39,500 |
| Average (mean) | $21.27 | $44,000 |
| 75th percentile | $22.29 | $46,500 |
| 90th percentile | $30.75 | $64,000 |
| Supervisors, median | $28.63 | $59,500 |
Security guard pay by city in IllinoisOfficial BLS metropolitan area estimates ordered by local guard workforce5 metros
| Metro area | Guards | Median | Average | 75th pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago, ILChicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 48,360 | $19.22 | $21.33 | $22.29 |
| St. Louis, MOSt. Louis, MO-IL | 9,720 | $20.48 | $21.66 | $23.14 |
| Davenport, IADavenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | 1,040 | $17.69 | $20.84 | $21.78 |
| Rockford, ILRockford, IL | 760 | $17.77 | $20.01 | $21.89 |
| Springfield, ILSpringfield, IL | 680 | $20.31 | $21.01 | $22.27 |
Estimate your own pay in IllinoisAdjust for unarmed, armed, or supervisor role and your years of experienceRole calculator
$17.82
$18.98
$22.29
$30.75
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 Illinois compares nationally & data sourceState ranking, wage spread, and Bureau of Labor Statistics methodologyRank #19 of 51
Illinois ranks 19 of 51 for median security guard pay (1 is highest), 4% above the national median of $18.28. The middle half of Illinois guards earned between $17.82 and $22.29 an hour; the top tenth earned $30.75 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, Illinois table. Full-time year is hourly pay times 2,080 hours. BLS does not separate armed and unarmed posts.