Guard pay in Michigan · Rank #33 of 51
What security guards make in Michigan
25,240 employed officers · $17.83/hr median ($37,000/yr) · $19.54/hr average.
Statewide pay by percentile in Michigan25th, Median, Average, 75th, 90th percentile, and Supervisor rates (BLS 2025)$17.83/hr median
| Security guards, Michigan | Hourly | Full-time year |
|---|---|---|
| 25th percentile | $16.46 | $34,000 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $17.83 | $37,000 |
| Average (mean) | $19.54 | $40,500 |
| 75th percentile | $22.35 | $46,500 |
| 90th percentile | $26.33 | $55,000 |
| Supervisors, median | $26.20 | $54,500 |
Security guard pay by city in MichiganOfficial BLS metropolitan area estimates ordered by local guard workforce4 metros
| Metro area | Guards | Median | Average | 75th pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit, MIDetroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 12,570 | $17.81 | $19.61 | $22.61 |
| Grand Rapids, MIGrand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | 3,100 | $19.62 | $21.43 | $24.34 |
| Flint, MIFlint, MI | 2,060 | $16.79 | $17.87 | $17.79 |
| South Bend, INSouth Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | 900 | $17.35 | $18.67 | $18.91 |
Estimate your own pay in MichiganAdjust for unarmed, armed, or supervisor role and your years of experienceRole calculator
$16.46
$17.83
$22.35
$26.33
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 Michigan compares nationally & data sourceState ranking, wage spread, and Bureau of Labor Statistics methodologyRank #33 of 51
Michigan ranks 33 of 51 for median security guard pay (1 is highest), 2% below the national median of $18.28. The middle half of Michigan guards earned between $16.46 and $22.35 an hour; the top tenth earned $26.33 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, Michigan table. Full-time year is hourly pay times 2,080 hours. BLS does not separate armed and unarmed posts.