Guard pay in Mississippi · Rank #50 of 51
What security guards make in Mississippi
10,160 employed officers · $14.03/hr median ($29,000/yr) · $15.26/hr average.
Statewide pay by percentile in Mississippi25th, Median, Average, 75th, 90th percentile, and Supervisor rates (BLS 2025)$14.03/hr median
| Security guards, Mississippi | Hourly | Full-time year |
|---|---|---|
| 25th percentile | $12.95 | $27,000 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $14.03 | $29,000 |
| Average (mean) | $15.26 | $31,500 |
| 75th percentile | $17.04 | $35,500 |
| 90th percentile | $20.47 | $42,500 |
| Supervisors, median | $20.87 | $43,500 |
Security guard pay by city in MississippiOfficial BLS metropolitan area estimates ordered by local guard workforce4 metros
| Metro area | Guards | Median | Average | 75th pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Memphis, TNMemphis, TN-MS-AR | 8,450 | $16.88 | $17.58 | $17.73 |
| Jackson, MSJackson, MS | 3,340 | $13.44 | $15.20 | $16.97 |
| Gulfport, MSGulfport-Biloxi, MS | 1,810 | $14.90 | $15.31 | $16.63 |
| Hattiesburg, MSHattiesburg, MS | 250 | $14.79 | $15.68 | $16.57 |
Estimate your own pay in MississippiAdjust for unarmed, armed, or supervisor role and your years of experienceRole calculator
$12.95
$14.03
$17.04
$20.47
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 Mississippi compares nationally & data sourceState ranking, wage spread, and Bureau of Labor Statistics methodologyRank #50 of 51
Mississippi ranks 50 of 51 for median security guard pay (1 is highest), 23% below the national median of $18.28. The middle half of Mississippi guards earned between $12.95 and $17.04 an hour; the top tenth earned $20.47 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, Mississippi table. Full-time year is hourly pay times 2,080 hours. BLS does not separate armed and unarmed posts.