Security Guards Salary in Georgia
Security Guards in Georgia have a median of $34,980 a year, below the national $38,020 (−8%); the state ranks 47th of 51 states by median. That is 27% less than the median across all occupations in Georgia ($48,170). Among neighbouring states, Tennessee, Florida, South Carolina and North Carolina pay more (up to $36,000 in Tennessee) and Alabama pays less (down to $33,720 in Alabama). Georgia employs 36,210 security guards, 7.41 per 1,000 jobs, the 8th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.90 is close to the national share.
Georgia vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Georgia | Hourly | $13.97 | $14.87 | $16.82 | $18.78 | $23.36 | $18.22 | 36,210 | 7.41 | 0.90 |
| Annual | $29,060 | $30,920 | $34,980 | $39,060 | $48,590 | $37,890 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $14.52 | $16.93 | $18.28 | $22.21 | $28.29 | $20.42 | 1,283,470 | – | – |
| Annual | $30,210 | $35,210 | $38,020 | $46,200 | $58,840 | $42,470 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 47th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 8th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 0.90
- Jobs per 1,000
- 7.41
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Georgia's employment divided by its national share; 1.00 means the same share as the nation. Take-home pay at these wages: FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Metropolitan areas in Georgia
15 metropolitan areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas touching Georgia publish a row for security guards, sorted by median. Areas crossing a state line are listed under every state they touch; a linked metro has its own profile.
| Area | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hinesville, GA | $23.45 | $48,780 | $30,960 | $72,920 | 120 | 5.90 | 0.71 |
| Dalton, GA | $18.19 | $37,820 | $26,080 | $46,090 | 130 | 2.05 | 0.25 |
| Rome, GA | $17.52 | $36,430 | $27,960 | $50,680 | 140 | 3.09 | 0.37 |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | $17.14 | $35,650 | $26,980 | $63,440 | 1,820 | 6.77 | 0.82 |
| Gainesville, GA | $17.00 | $35,360 | $27,590 | $50,900 | 380 | 3.70 | 0.45 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $16.90 | $35,150 | $30,000 | $48,010 | 22,730 | 7.87 | 0.95 |
| Savannah, GA | $16.74 | $34,810 | $27,660 | $45,790 | 1,880 | 9.47 | 1.15 |
| Warner Robins, GA | $16.60 | $34,530 | $29,830 | $64,690 | 190 | 2.46 | 0.30 |
| Macon-Bibb County, GA | $16.32 | $33,940 | $22,030 | $57,400 | 460 | 4.85 | 0.59 |
| Athens-Clarke County, GA | $16.30 | $33,910 | $31,950 | $50,690 | 560 | 5.88 | 0.71 |
| Brunswick-St. Simons, GA | $16.16 | $33,620 | $22,200 | $52,400 | 260 | 5.49 | 0.66 |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $16.08 | $33,450 | $28,360 | $47,260 | 3,370 | 14.51 | 1.76 |
| Valdosta, GA | $15.77 | $32,810 | $21,510 | $50,310 | 130 | 2.50 | 0.30 |
| Columbus, GA-AL | $14.29 | $29,720 | $26,680 | $53,870 | 1,150 | 9.92 | 1.20 |
| Albany, GA | $14.28 | $29,700 | $21,510 | $43,030 | 770 | 13.22 | 1.60 |
| North Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $17.74 | $36,900 | $26,480 | $61,060 | 500 | 2.67 | 0.32 |
| South Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $17.17 | $35,710 | $26,500 | $50,090 | 730 | 3.78 | 0.46 |
| East Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $14.81 | $30,810 | $26,340 | $50,170 | 570 | 6.49 | 0.79 |
| Middle Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $14.51 | $30,180 | $30,180 | $43,360 | 1,700 | 12.22 | 1.48 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia | $16.82 | $34,980 | 36,210 | 0.90 |
| Alabama | $16.21 | $33,720 | 15,210 | 0.87 |
| Florida | $17.26 | $35,900 | 95,370 | 1.16 |
| North Carolina | $16.83 | $35,010 | 29,830 | 0.73 |
| South Carolina | $17.05 | $35,460 | 16,610 | 0.87 |
| Tennessee | $17.31 | $36,000 | 27,690 | 1.02 |
See the national page for Security Guards (every state ranked) and the Georgia wage profile (every occupation in the state).
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS Georgia estimates.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.