Guard pay in Montana · Rank #24 of 51
What security guards make in Montana
1,610 employed officers · $18.50/hr median ($38,500/yr) · $20.32/hr average.
Statewide pay by percentile in Montana25th, Median, Average, 75th, 90th percentile, and Supervisor rates (BLS 2025)$18.50/hr median
| Security guards, Montana | Hourly | Full-time year |
|---|---|---|
| 25th percentile | $16.95 | $35,500 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $18.50 | $38,500 |
| Average (mean) | $20.32 | $42,500 |
| 75th percentile | $22.26 | $46,500 |
| 90th percentile | $27.55 | $57,500 |
| Supervisors, median | $22.29 | $46,500 |
Security guard pay by city in MontanaOfficial BLS metropolitan area estimates ordered by local guard workforce3 metros
| Metro area | Guards | Median | Average | 75th pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Great Falls, MTGreat Falls, MT | 260 | $20.17 | $19.90 | $21.34 |
| Billings, MTBillings, MT | 230 | $18.29 | $19.63 | $22.25 |
| Missoula, MTMissoula, MT | 220 | $17.67 | $18.17 | $19.23 |
Estimate your own pay in MontanaAdjust for unarmed, armed, or supervisor role and your years of experienceRole calculator
$16.95
$18.50
$22.26
$27.55
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 Montana compares nationally & data sourceState ranking, wage spread, and Bureau of Labor Statistics methodologyRank #24 of 51
Montana ranks 24 of 51 for median security guard pay (1 is highest), 1% above the national median of $18.28. The middle half of Montana guards earned between $16.95 and $22.26 an hour; the top tenth earned $27.55 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, Montana table. Full-time year is hourly pay times 2,080 hours. BLS does not separate armed and unarmed posts.