tessura

Guard pay in Iowa

What security guards make in Iowa

Iowa has 6,890 security guards. Half earned more than $17.83 an hour (about $37,000 a year full time) in the Bureau of Labor Statistics' 2025 survey, against $18.28 nationally.

IA
Security guards, IowaHourlyFull-time year
25th percentile$16.58$34,500
Median$17.83$37,000
75th percentile$21.92$45,500
90th percentile$28.51$59,500
Supervisors, median$22.39$46,500

How Iowa compares

Iowa ranks 31 of 51 for median security guard pay (1 is highest), 2% below the national median of $18.28. The middle half of Iowa guards earned between $16.58 and $21.92 an hour; the top tenth earned $28.51 or more.

Estimate your own pay

$17.25–$20 /hr≈ $36,000–$41,500 a year full-time
you: $17.25–$20
25th
$16.58
median
$17.83
75th
$21.92
90th
$28.51
Iowa guard median: $17.83/hr (-2% vs the national $18.28)6,890 guards employed in Iowa
  • Experience places you inside the state wage distribution: newer guards near the 25th percentile, 7+ years between the 75th and 90th.

Getting paid under the band?

Employers on tessura hire without recruiting overhead, which is exactly what makes higher wages affordable. Publish your free profile with your pay expectation and let the companies come to you.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES), 2025 annual estimates (bls.gov), retrieved 2026-08-30. Ranges are statistical estimates for negotiation context, not a guarantee of pay; local markets, sites, and shifts vary.

Looking for better pay?

A free tessura account keeps your Iowa license in a credential wallet with renewal reminders and sends you new jobs.

Create a free account

Iowa license requirements

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, Iowa table. Full-time year is hourly pay times 2,080 hours. BLS does not separate armed and unarmed posts.