Security Guards Salary in Kentucky
Security Guards in Kentucky have a median of $35,420 a year, below the national $38,020 (−7%); the state ranks 45th of 51 states by median. That is 25% less than the median across all occupations in Kentucky ($46,920). Among neighbouring states, Virginia, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Tennessee and Ohio pay more (up to $43,640 in Virginia) and West Virginia pays less (down to $28,800 in West Virginia). Kentucky employs 13,580 security guards, 6.79 per 1,000 jobs, the 27th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.82 is close to the national share.
Kentucky vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Kentucky | Hourly | $13.68 | $15.12 | $17.03 | $19.41 | $24.42 | $18.53 | 13,580 | 6.79 | 0.82 |
| Annual | $28,450 | $31,440 | $35,420 | $40,370 | $50,800 | $38,540 | ||||
| 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
- 45th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 27th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 0.82
- Jobs per 1,000
- 6.79
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Kentucky'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 Kentucky
9 metropolitan areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas touching Kentucky 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $17.51 | $36,420 | $28,810 | $54,350 | 5,000 | 7.30 | 0.88 |
| Paducah, KY-IL | $17.49 | $36,370 | $28,430 | $86,710 | 170 | 3.38 | 0.41 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $17.36 | $36,110 | $29,670 | $54,970 | 7,970 | 7.24 | 0.88 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | $17.26 | $35,900 | $28,930 | $53,280 | 340 | 3.25 | 0.39 |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | $17.02 | $35,400 | $28,310 | $47,850 | 2,560 | 8.93 | 1.08 |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $16.73 | $34,800 | $26,700 | $46,180 | 700 | 4.96 | 0.60 |
| Bowling Green, KY | $16.69 | $34,720 | $30,520 | $47,340 | 390 | 4.73 | 0.57 |
| Elizabethtown, KY | $16.56 | $34,450 | $26,090 | $50,940 | 140 | 2.78 | 0.34 |
| Owensboro, KY | $15.12 | $31,440 | $29,980 | $49,170 | 560 | 11.39 | 1.38 |
| Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $17.30 | $35,980 | $29,580 | $54,950 | 660 | 3.82 | 0.46 |
| West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $17.00 | $35,360 | $28,680 | $45,930 | 290 | 2.23 | 0.27 |
| South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $15.84 | $32,950 | $28,450 | $47,750 | 1,270 | 7.37 | 0.89 |
| East Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $14.28 | $29,700 | $17,040 | $44,540 | 540 | 5.88 | 0.71 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | $17.03 | $35,420 | 13,580 | 0.82 |
| Illinois | $18.98 | $39,490 | 53,830 | 1.07 |
| Indiana | $17.54 | $36,490 | 19,930 | 0.75 |
| Missouri | $19.42 | $40,390 | 18,630 | 0.77 |
| Ohio | $17.20 | $35,770 | 34,450 | 0.75 |
| Tennessee | $17.31 | $36,000 | 27,690 | 1.02 |
| Virginia | $20.98 | $43,640 | 34,870 | 1.03 |
| West Virginia | $13.85 | $28,800 | 5,200 | 0.90 |
See the national page for Security Guards (every state ranked) and the Kentucky 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 Kentucky 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.