Guard pay in Tennessee · Rank #39 of 51
What security guards make in Tennessee
27,690 employed officers · $17.31/hr median ($36,000/yr) · $18.51/hr average.
Statewide pay by percentile in Tennessee25th, Median, Average, 75th, 90th percentile, and Supervisor rates (BLS 2025)$17.31/hr median
| Security guards, Tennessee | Hourly | Full-time year |
|---|---|---|
| 25th percentile | $14.83 | $31,000 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $17.31 | $36,000 |
| Average (mean) | $18.51 | $38,500 |
| 75th percentile | $19.53 | $40,500 |
| 90th percentile | $24.84 | $51,500 |
| Supervisors, median | $24.44 | $51,000 |
Security guard pay by city in TennesseeOfficial BLS metropolitan area estimates ordered by local guard workforce4 metros
| Metro area | Guards | Median | Average | 75th pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville, TNNashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | 10,710 | $17.80 | $19.24 | $21.05 |
| Memphis, TNMemphis, TN-MS-AR | 8,450 | $16.88 | $17.58 | $17.73 |
| Knoxville, TNKnoxville, TN | 2,860 | $17.22 | $19.10 | $20.90 |
| Chattanooga, TNChattanooga, TN-GA | 1,820 | $17.14 | $18.71 | $20.46 |
Estimate your own pay in TennesseeAdjust for unarmed, armed, or supervisor role and your years of experienceRole calculator
$14.83
$17.31
$19.53
$24.84
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 Tennessee compares nationally & data sourceState ranking, wage spread, and Bureau of Labor Statistics methodologyRank #39 of 51
Tennessee ranks 39 of 51 for median security guard pay (1 is highest), 5% below the national median of $18.28. The middle half of Tennessee guards earned between $14.83 and $19.53 an hour; the top tenth earned $24.84 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, Tennessee table. Full-time year is hourly pay times 2,080 hours. BLS does not separate armed and unarmed posts.