Public Safety · Career brief

Security Guards

Is it a good career to pursue?

The 30-second read

Security Guards at a glance

Six signals to look at before you spend time on the full guide.

1Pay

$38,020

Lower national median pay

2025 national median. Bottom quarter for pay among careers on ChooseField.

2Demand

0.9%

Slow projected growth

Projected employment growth for 2025–2035. Below the middle of ChooseField careers for growth.

3Openings

156,000

Exceptional hiring volume

Average openings per year in 2025–2035, including replacement hiring. Top 10% for openings among careers on ChooseField.

4Route in

High school

A four-year degree is not the typical entry route

High school diploma or equivalent. Prior related work is not typically required.

5The work

Hands-on

Practical work with tools, systems, or physical environments

Lock doors and gates of entrances and exits to secure buildings.

6The catch

Know this first

What could make this a poor fit

BLS projects essentially flat employment (0.9%) through 2035. Annual openings mostly reflect replacement, not a rapidly expanding field.

ChooseField take

The standout national signal is opening volume; it ranks in the top quarter of ChooseField careers. It makes the most sense if hands-on work appeals to you and you are comfortable with a high-school entry path. Main tradeoff: BLS projects essentially flat employment (0.9%) through 2035. Annual openings mostly reflect replacement, not a rapidly expanding field.

Before choosing, compare:Parking Enforcement Workers Correctional Officers and Jailers Animal Control Workers

National labor-market measures: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. Work-profile signals: O*NET. See sources and caveats.

Compare Security Guards with another field Explore rankings in Public Safety Open shareable infographic

Want the evidence behind the snapshot?

Market and path

Pay, outlook, and the route in

National median pay (2025)

$38,020

A midpoint for workers nationwide, not a starting salary.

2025–2035 outlook

0.9%employment growth156,000openings per year

Openings include replacement hiring, not only newly created jobs.

Typical entry route

High school diploma or equivalent; One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing

BLS reports the usual education, related experience, and on-the-job training, not a guaranteed minimum for every employer.

2025 employment

1,294,300

Estimated workers in this occupation across the United States.

Source: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 occupational projections ↗ · Security guards (33-9032).

Actual responsibilities

What you would be trusted to own

Selected O*NET task statements, not a list of traits that applies to almost every career.

Lock doors and gates of entrances and exits to secure buildings.
Respond to medical emergencies by administering basic first aid or by obtaining assistance from paramedics.
Answer alarms and investigate disturbances.
Monitor and authorize entrance and departure of employees, visitors, and other persons to guard against theft and maintain security of premises.

Decision-changing realities

What could make this a poor fit

BLS projects essentially flat employment (0.9%) through 2035. Annual openings mostly reflect replacement, not a rapidly expanding field.

Work profile

What the work emphasizes

O*NET importance scores. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.

Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events4.8
Getting Information4.6
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates4.5
Documenting/Recording Information4.5
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships4.5

Interest profile

Career interests

O*NET interest scores describe work someone may enjoy, not personality requirements. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.

Relative mix of the interest scores below, not percentages of your workday.

Realistic6.4
Conventional4.8
Enterprising2.9
Social2.6
Investigative2.3
Artistic1.0

Preparation

What the training must make you competent at

Subject matter

Public Safety and Security Computers and Electronics Telecommunications

Before choosing the major or training

Run a cheaper test first

Analyze a public case scenario, identify the governing rules and missing facts, and defend a decision whose consequences matter.
Ask an early-career worker which beginner task consumes the most time, what makes new hires quit, and what school or training failed to simulate.

The fuller career guide

How the evidence fits together

Pay and demand: reading the benchmark

The pay and outlook figures describe Security guards nationally. They do not establish the salary or number of vacancies available in your area.

Median pay is the middle wage across workers, not a starting offer. Projected openings include replacements as well as growth; neither measure predicts an individual worker's job security.

Before choosing a program

O*NET lists Active Listening, Monitoring, Speaking among this occupation's skills. Ask a program to show the assignments, supervised practice, and assessment that develop these skills. Compare those examples with local job descriptions.

Common questions

Questions people ask about this career

Can I enter this occupation without related work experience?

BLS does not assign a related-experience requirement to the occupation. Employers may still ask for placements, supervised practice, a portfolio, or experience with particular tools. Check entry-level vacancies separately from experienced roles.

What should I check before paying for training?

Get the full prerequisite and completion timeline, total cost, placement arrangements, and any licensing eligibility in writing. Ask local employers whether they hire graduates from the route you are considering and whether paid training is available.

Adjacent options

Compare before committing

The useful question is not whether one field wins overall, but what changes when you choose a nearby path. Explore the full career guides for Parking Enforcement Workers, Correctional Officers and Jailers, Animal Control Workers, Bailiffs.