Guard pay in Missouri · Rank #16 of 51
What security guards make in Missouri
18,630 employed officers · $19.42/hr median ($40,500/yr) · $21.68/hr average.
Statewide pay by percentile in Missouri25th, Median, Average, 75th, 90th percentile, and Supervisor rates (BLS 2025)$19.42/hr median
| Security guards, Missouri | Hourly | Full-time year |
|---|---|---|
| 25th percentile | $17.33 | $36,000 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $19.42 | $40,500 |
| Average (mean) | $21.68 | $45,000 |
| 75th percentile | $23.09 | $48,000 |
| 90th percentile | $33.10 | $69,000 |
| Supervisors, median | $27.98 | $58,000 |
Security guard pay by city in MissouriOfficial BLS metropolitan area estimates ordered by local guard workforce3 metros
| Metro area | Guards | Median | Average | 75th pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis, MOSt. Louis, MO-IL | 9,720 | $20.48 | $21.66 | $23.14 |
| Kansas City, MOKansas City, MO-KS | 7,730 | $20.10 | $21.97 | $23.03 |
| Springfield, MOSpringfield, MO | 1,000 | $18.76 | $23.25 | $22.13 |
Estimate your own pay in MissouriAdjust for unarmed, armed, or supervisor role and your years of experienceRole calculator
$17.33
$19.42
$23.09
$33.10
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 Missouri compares nationally & data sourceState ranking, wage spread, and Bureau of Labor Statistics methodologyRank #16 of 51
Missouri ranks 16 of 51 for median security guard pay (1 is highest), 6% above the national median of $18.28. The middle half of Missouri guards earned between $17.33 and $23.09 an hour; the top tenth earned $33.10 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, Missouri table. Full-time year is hourly pay times 2,080 hours. BLS does not separate armed and unarmed posts.