Guard pay in Pennsylvania · Rank #34 of 51
What security guards make in Pennsylvania
43,610 employed officers · $17.81/hr median ($37,000/yr) · $19.32/hr average.
Statewide pay by percentile in Pennsylvania25th, Median, Average, 75th, 90th percentile, and Supervisor rates (BLS 2025)$17.81/hr median
| Security guards, Pennsylvania | Hourly | Full-time year |
|---|---|---|
| 25th percentile | $16.62 | $34,500 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $17.81 | $37,000 |
| Average (mean) | $19.32 | $40,000 |
| 75th percentile | $21.30 | $44,500 |
| 90th percentile | $26.36 | $55,000 |
| Supervisors, median | $22.84 | $47,500 |
Security guard pay by city in PennsylvaniaOfficial BLS metropolitan area estimates ordered by local guard workforce5 metros
| Metro area | Guards | Median | Average | 75th pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia, PAPhiladelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 25,460 | $18 | $20.28 | $21.94 |
| Pittsburgh, PAPittsburgh, PA | 9,250 | $17.23 | $19 | $20.99 |
| Allentown, PAAllentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | 2,570 | $17.32 | $19.18 | $21.34 |
| Harrisburg, PAHarrisburg-Carlisle, PA | 2,320 | $18.21 | $19.47 | $21.02 |
| Scranton, PAScranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | 2,070 | $16.90 | $19.27 | $20.94 |
Estimate your own pay in PennsylvaniaAdjust for unarmed, armed, or supervisor role and your years of experienceRole calculator
$16.62
$17.81
$21.30
$26.36
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 Pennsylvania compares nationally & data sourceState ranking, wage spread, and Bureau of Labor Statistics methodologyRank #34 of 51
Pennsylvania ranks 34 of 51 for median security guard pay (1 is highest), 3% below the national median of $18.28. The middle half of Pennsylvania guards earned between $16.62 and $21.30 an hour; the top tenth earned $26.36 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, Pennsylvania table. Full-time year is hourly pay times 2,080 hours. BLS does not separate armed and unarmed posts.