Security Guards Salary in Indiana
Security Guards in Indiana have a median of $36,490 a year, below the national $38,020 (−4%); the state ranks 36th of 51 states by median. That is 24% less than the median across all occupations in Indiana ($47,860). Among neighbouring states, Illinois and Michigan pay more (up to $39,490 in Illinois) and Ohio and Kentucky pay less (down to $35,420 in Kentucky). Indiana employs 19,930 security guards, 6.22 per 1,000 jobs, the 19th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.75 means it is less common in Indiana than nationally.
Indiana vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Indiana | Hourly | $14.35 | $15.02 | $17.54 | $21.37 | $28.84 | $19.55 | 19,930 | 6.23 | 0.75 |
| Annual | $29,850 | $31,240 | $36,490 | $44,440 | $59,990 | $40,660 | ||||
| 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
- 36th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 19th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 0.75
- Jobs per 1,000
- 6.23
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Indiana'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 Indiana
15 metropolitan areas and 3 nonmetropolitan areas touching Indiana 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kokomo, IN | $21.19 | $44,080 | $30,820 | $65,930 | 110 | 3.06 | 0.37 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $19.22 | $39,990 | $35,940 | $64,180 | 48,360 | 10.72 | 1.30 |
| Michigan City-La Porte, IN | $18.45 | $38,370 | $29,790 | $53,590 | 120 | 2.98 | 0.36 |
| Elkhart-Goshen, IN | $17.55 | $36,510 | $29,370 | $58,330 | 590 | 4.58 | 0.56 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $17.54 | $36,490 | $30,250 | $59,380 | 9,910 | 8.97 | 1.09 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $17.51 | $36,420 | $28,810 | $54,350 | 5,000 | 7.30 | 0.88 |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | $17.42 | $36,230 | $29,930 | $71,100 | 570 | 5.54 | 0.67 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $17.36 | $36,110 | $29,670 | $54,970 | 7,970 | 7.24 | 0.88 |
| South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | $17.35 | $36,090 | $29,950 | $53,590 | 900 | 6.84 | 0.83 |
| Bloomington, IN | $17.07 | $35,510 | $29,110 | $53,630 | 600 | 8.13 | 0.99 |
| Fort Wayne, IN | $16.89 | $35,140 | $29,230 | $62,260 | 1,240 | 5.50 | 0.67 |
| Columbus, IN | $16.65 | $34,630 | $29,250 | $59,630 | 250 | 4.97 | 0.60 |
| Evansville, IN | $16.35 | $34,010 | $29,020 | $60,250 | 590 | 4.33 | 0.52 |
| Terre Haute, IN | $16.13 | $33,550 | $28,600 | $57,390 | 330 | 5.05 | 0.61 |
| Muncie, IN | $15.64 | $32,520 | $28,370 | $56,570 | 120 | 2.69 | 0.33 |
| Central Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $17.89 | $37,210 | $29,430 | $56,090 | 640 | 3.94 | 0.48 |
| Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $17.48 | $36,360 | $28,660 | $59,260 | 580 | 2.96 | 0.36 |
| Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $17.16 | $35,690 | $27,140 | $55,200 | 470 | 2.25 | 0.27 |
Neighbouring states
See the national page for Security Guards (every state ranked) and the Indiana 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 Indiana 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.