Guard pay in Minnesota · Rank #11 of 51
What security guards make in Minnesota
14,440 employed officers · $20.86/hr median ($43,500/yr) · $21.86/hr average.
Statewide pay by percentile in Minnesota25th, Median, Average, 75th, 90th percentile, and Supervisor rates (BLS 2025)$20.86/hr median
| Security guards, Minnesota | Hourly | Full-time year |
|---|---|---|
| 25th percentile | $17.80 | $37,000 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $20.86 | $43,500 |
| Average (mean) | $21.86 | $45,500 |
| 75th percentile | $22.17 | $46,000 |
| 90th percentile | $31.29 | $65,000 |
| Supervisors, median | $28.14 | $58,500 |
Security guard pay by city in MinnesotaOfficial BLS metropolitan area estimates ordered by local guard workforce6 metros
| Metro area | Guards | Median | Average | 75th pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis, MNMinneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 10,930 | $20.88 | $22.30 | $22.01 |
| Sioux Falls, SDSioux Falls, SD-MN | 640 | $18.14 | $19.52 | $21.79 |
| Duluth, MNDuluth, MN-WI | 550 | $18.04 | $18.99 | $20.56 |
| Rochester, MNRochester, MN | 520 | $22.98 | $22.62 | $26.91 |
| Fargo, NDFargo, ND-MN | 350 | $18.16 | $20.20 | $21.65 |
| Grand Forks, NDGrand Forks, ND-MN | 110 | $20.07 | $20.07 | $21.04 |
Estimate your own pay in MinnesotaAdjust for unarmed, armed, or supervisor role and your years of experienceRole calculator
$17.80
$20.86
$22.17
$31.29
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 Minnesota compares nationally & data sourceState ranking, wage spread, and Bureau of Labor Statistics methodologyRank #11 of 51
Minnesota ranks 11 of 51 for median security guard pay (1 is highest), 14% above the national median of $18.28. The middle half of Minnesota guards earned between $17.80 and $22.17 an hour; the top tenth earned $31.29 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, Minnesota table. Full-time year is hourly pay times 2,080 hours. BLS does not separate armed and unarmed posts.