Guard pay in Ohio · Rank #43 of 51
What security guards make in Ohio
34,450 employed officers · $17.20/hr median ($36,000/yr) · $19.21/hr average.
Statewide pay by percentile in Ohio25th, Median, Average, 75th, 90th percentile, and Supervisor rates (BLS 2025)$17.20/hr median
| Security guards, Ohio | Hourly | Full-time year |
|---|---|---|
| 25th percentile | $14.97 | $31,000 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $17.20 | $36,000 |
| Average (mean) | $19.21 | $40,000 |
| 75th percentile | $21.39 | $44,500 |
| 90th percentile | $26.65 | $55,500 |
| Supervisors, median | $25.49 | $53,000 |
Security guard pay by city in OhioOfficial BLS metropolitan area estimates ordered by local guard workforce7 metros
| Metro area | Guards | Median | Average | 75th pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus, OHColumbus, OH | 9,300 | $17.21 | $19.36 | $21.58 |
| Cincinnati, OHCincinnati, OH-KY-IN | 7,970 | $17.36 | $19.31 | $21.52 |
| Cleveland, OHCleveland, OH | 7,630 | $17.25 | $19.25 | $21.27 |
| Dayton, OHDayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | 2,040 | $17.56 | $19.94 | $22.90 |
| Akron, OHAkron, OH | 1,940 | $16.99 | $20.22 | $21.44 |
| Toledo, OHToledo, OH | 1,680 | $16.80 | $18.12 | $18.99 |
| Huntington, WVHuntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | 700 | $16.73 | $17.31 | $18.59 |
Estimate your own pay in OhioAdjust for unarmed, armed, or supervisor role and your years of experienceRole calculator
$14.97
$17.20
$21.39
$26.65
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 Ohio compares nationally & data sourceState ranking, wage spread, and Bureau of Labor Statistics methodologyRank #43 of 51
Ohio ranks 43 of 51 for median security guard pay (1 is highest), 6% below the national median of $18.28. The middle half of Ohio guards earned between $14.97 and $21.39 an hour; the top tenth earned $26.65 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, Ohio table. Full-time year is hourly pay times 2,080 hours. BLS does not separate armed and unarmed posts.