Security Guards Salary in Minnesota
The median for security guards in Minnesota is $43,380 a year, somewhat above the national $38,020 (+14%); the state ranks 11th of 51 states by median. That is 24% less than the median across all occupations in Minnesota ($56,920). Minnesota pays more than every neighbouring state: North Dakota, Wisconsin, South Dakota and Iowa range from $37,080 in Iowa to $39,310 in North Dakota. Minnesota employs 14,440 security guards, 4.89 per 1,000 jobs, the 26th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.59 means it is less common in Minnesota than nationally.
Minnesota vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Minnesota | Hourly | $16.23 | $17.80 | $20.86 | $22.17 | $31.29 | $21.86 | 14,440 | 4.89 | 0.59 |
| Annual | $33,760 | $37,020 | $43,380 | $46,110 | $65,090 | $45,460 | ||||
| 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
- 11th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 26th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 0.59
- Jobs per 1,000
- 4.89
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Minnesota'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 Minnesota
9 metropolitan areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas touching Minnesota 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester, MN | $22.98 | $47,790 | $30,840 | $61,960 | 520 | 4.20 | 0.51 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $20.88 | $43,430 | $35,630 | $65,200 | 10,930 | 5.60 | 0.68 |
| Grand Forks, ND-MN | $20.07 | $41,750 | $30,580 | $58,670 | 110 | 2.07 | 0.25 |
| Mankato, MN | $19.11 | $39,760 | $23,150 | $51,330 | 150 | 2.68 | 0.32 |
| St. Cloud, MN | $18.48 | $38,430 | $29,970 | $53,750 | 240 | 2.35 | 0.28 |
| Fargo, ND-MN | $18.16 | $37,770 | $31,730 | $64,370 | 350 | 2.35 | 0.28 |
| Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $18.14 | $37,740 | $30,100 | $55,410 | 640 | 3.60 | 0.44 |
| Duluth, MN-WI | $18.04 | $37,520 | $29,640 | $50,580 | 550 | 4.40 | 0.53 |
| La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | $17.41 | $36,210 | $30,810 | $49,000 | 350 | 4.14 | 0.50 |
| Southeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $20.27 | $42,170 | $31,180 | $74,240 | 610 | 3.93 | 0.48 |
| Northeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $18.61 | $38,710 | $30,920 | $51,170 | 170 | 3.77 | 0.46 |
| Southwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $18.06 | $37,560 | $30,920 | $58,430 | 220 | 1.84 | 0.22 |
| Northwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $17.66 | $36,730 | $31,120 | $53,940 | 560 | 2.91 | 0.35 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | $20.86 | $43,380 | 14,440 | 0.59 |
| Iowa | $17.83 | $37,080 | 6,890 | 0.54 |
| North Dakota | $18.90 | $39,310 | 1,310 | 0.37 |
| South Dakota | $17.86 | $37,150 | 1,460 | 0.39 |
| Wisconsin | $18.00 | $37,440 | 12,030 | 0.50 |
See the national page for Security Guards (every state ranked) and the Minnesota 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 Minnesota 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.