Security Guards Salary in Massachusetts
Security Guards in Massachusetts earn a median $44,670 a year, +17% against the national median of $38,020; they and rank 8th of 51 states by median. That is 30% less than the median across all occupations in Massachusetts ($63,590). Among neighbouring states, Vermont and New Hampshire pay more (up to $45,550 in Vermont) and New York, Connecticut and Rhode Island pay less (down to $36,940 in Rhode Island). Massachusetts employs 23,930 security guards, 6.58 per 1,000 jobs, the 18th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.80 means it is less common in Massachusetts than nationally.
Massachusetts vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $16.75 | $18.13 | $21.48 | $22.00 | $26.83 | $21.52 | 23,930 | 6.58 | 0.80 |
| Annual | $34,830 | $37,720 | $44,670 | $45,760 | $55,800 | $44,760 | ||||
| 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
- 8th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 18th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 0.80
- Jobs per 1,000
- 6.58
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Massachusetts'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 Massachusetts
7 metropolitan areas and 1 nonmetropolitan area touching Massachusetts 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnstable Town, MA | $21.74 | $45,230 | $35,620 | $62,450 | 300 | 3.18 | 0.39 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $21.63 | $44,990 | $35,780 | $56,450 | 19,250 | 7.12 | 0.86 |
| Pittsfield, MA | $21.09 | $43,860 | $34,320 | $64,900 | 270 | 4.81 | 0.58 |
| Springfield, MA | $19.39 | $40,340 | $31,200 | $66,080 | 1,310 | 6.52 | 0.79 |
| Worcester, MA | $18.48 | $38,430 | $33,630 | $47,210 | 1,660 | 4.75 | 0.58 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $18.33 | $38,120 | $31,200 | $49,160 | 4,270 | 5.98 | 0.72 |
| Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | $18.08 | $37,600 | $33,990 | $48,810 | 250 | 3.80 | 0.46 |
| Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area | $21.30 | $44,300 | $36,440 | $61,670 | 100 | 2.40 | 0.29 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $21.48 | $44,670 | 23,930 | 0.80 |
| Connecticut | $19.19 | $39,920 | 12,100 | 0.86 |
| New Hampshire | $21.73 | $45,200 | 2,450 | 0.43 |
| New York | $21.27 | $44,240 | 134,700 | 1.68 |
| Rhode Island | $17.76 | $36,940 | 3,160 | 0.76 |
| Vermont | $21.90 | $45,550 | 930 | 0.37 |
See the national page for Security Guards (every state ranked) and the Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts 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.