Guard pay in South Carolina · Rank #44 of 51
What security guards make in South Carolina
16,610 employed officers · $17.05/hr median ($35,500/yr) · $17.82/hr average.
Statewide pay by percentile in South Carolina25th, Median, Average, 75th, 90th percentile, and Supervisor rates (BLS 2025)$17.05/hr median
| Security guards, South Carolina | Hourly | Full-time year |
|---|---|---|
| 25th percentile | $14.49 | $30,000 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $17.05 | $35,500 |
| Average (mean) | $17.82 | $37,000 |
| 75th percentile | $18.38 | $38,000 |
| 90th percentile | $23.49 | $49,000 |
| Supervisors, median | $22.65 | $47,000 |
Security guard pay by city in South CarolinaOfficial BLS metropolitan area estimates ordered by local guard workforce5 metros
| Metro area | Guards | Median | Average | 75th pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte, NCCharlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 12,020 | $16.83 | $18.43 | $20.65 |
| Columbia, SCColumbia, SC | 5,290 | $16.90 | $17.31 | $18.22 |
| Augusta, GAAugusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | 3,370 | $16.08 | $17.20 | $18.76 |
| Greenville, SCGreenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | 3,000 | $17.19 | $17.35 | $17.59 |
| Charleston, SCCharleston-North Charleston, SC | 2,190 | $17.61 | $19 | $20.39 |
Estimate your own pay in South CarolinaAdjust for unarmed, armed, or supervisor role and your years of experienceRole calculator
$14.49
$17.05
$18.38
$23.49
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 South Carolina compares nationally & data sourceState ranking, wage spread, and Bureau of Labor Statistics methodologyRank #44 of 51
South Carolina ranks 44 of 51 for median security guard pay (1 is highest), 7% below the national median of $18.28. The middle half of South Carolina guards earned between $14.49 and $18.38 an hour; the top tenth earned $23.49 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, South Carolina table. Full-time year is hourly pay times 2,080 hours. BLS does not separate armed and unarmed posts.