Guard pay in Maryland · Rank #27 of 51
What security guards make in Maryland
27,670 employed officers · $18.37/hr median ($38,000/yr) · $21.41/hr average.
Statewide pay by percentile in Maryland25th, Median, Average, 75th, 90th percentile, and Supervisor rates (BLS 2025)$18.37/hr median
| Security guards, Maryland | Hourly | Full-time year |
|---|---|---|
| 25th percentile | $17.16 | $35,500 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $18.37 | $38,000 |
| Average (mean) | $21.41 | $44,500 |
| 75th percentile | $22.47 | $46,500 |
| 90th percentile | $30.92 | $64,500 |
| Supervisors, median | $30.62 | $63,500 |
Security guard pay by city in MarylandOfficial BLS metropolitan area estimates ordered by local guard workforce5 metros
| Metro area | Guards | Median | Average | 75th pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington, DCWashington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 40,950 | $22.52 | $26.17 | $34.15 |
| Philadelphia, PAPhiladelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 25,460 | $18 | $20.28 | $21.94 |
| Baltimore, MDBaltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 16,020 | $17.78 | $20.49 | $21.86 |
| Hagerstown, MDHagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | 760 | $16.34 | $18.57 | $21.10 |
| Lexington Park, MDLexington Park, MD | 380 | $21.58 | $25.42 | $37.11 |
Estimate your own pay in MarylandAdjust for unarmed, armed, or supervisor role and your years of experienceRole calculator
$17.16
$18.37
$22.47
$30.92
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 Maryland compares nationally & data sourceState ranking, wage spread, and Bureau of Labor Statistics methodologyRank #27 of 51
Maryland ranks 27 of 51 for median security guard pay (1 is highest), level with the national median of $18.28. The middle half of Maryland guards earned between $17.16 and $22.47 an hour; the top tenth earned $30.92 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, Maryland table. Full-time year is hourly pay times 2,080 hours. BLS does not separate armed and unarmed posts.