Guard pay in Wisconsin · Rank #28 of 51
What security guards make in Wisconsin
12,030 employed officers · $18/hr median ($37,500/yr) · $19.90/hr average.
Statewide pay by percentile in Wisconsin25th, Median, Average, 75th, 90th percentile, and Supervisor rates (BLS 2025)$18/hr median
| Security guards, Wisconsin | Hourly | Full-time year |
|---|---|---|
| 25th percentile | $16.84 | $35,000 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $18 | $37,500 |
| Average (mean) | $19.90 | $41,500 |
| 75th percentile | $22.22 | $46,000 |
| 90th percentile | $26.29 | $54,500 |
| Supervisors, median | $26.57 | $55,500 |
Security guard pay by city in WisconsinOfficial BLS metropolitan area estimates ordered by local guard workforce5 metros
| Metro area | Guards | Median | Average | 75th pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis, MNMinneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 10,930 | $20.88 | $22.30 | $22.01 |
| Milwaukee, WIMilwaukee-Waukesha, WI | 5,210 | $18.21 | $20.38 | $22.24 |
| Madison, WIMadison, WI | 1,260 | $18.28 | $20.52 | $23.83 |
| Green Bay, WIGreen Bay, WI | 640 | $19.30 | $20.36 | $21.38 |
| Duluth, MNDuluth, MN-WI | 550 | $18.04 | $18.99 | $20.56 |
Estimate your own pay in WisconsinAdjust for unarmed, armed, or supervisor role and your years of experienceRole calculator
$16.84
$18
$22.22
$26.29
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 Wisconsin compares nationally & data sourceState ranking, wage spread, and Bureau of Labor Statistics methodologyRank #28 of 51
Wisconsin ranks 28 of 51 for median security guard pay (1 is highest), 2% below the national median of $18.28. The middle half of Wisconsin guards earned between $16.84 and $22.22 an hour; the top tenth earned $26.29 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, Wisconsin table. Full-time year is hourly pay times 2,080 hours. BLS does not separate armed and unarmed posts.