Security Guards Salary in Mississippi
In Mississippi, security guards earn a median $29,180 a year, well below the national median of $38,020 (−23%); the state ranks 50th of 51 states by median. That is 27% less than the median across all occupations in Mississippi ($40,120). Every neighbouring state pays more: Tennessee, Arkansas, Alabama and Louisiana range from $32,240 in Louisiana to $36,000 in Tennessee. Mississippi employs 10,160 security guards, 8.74 per 1,000 jobs, the 32nd largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.06 is close to the national share.
Mississippi vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Mississippi | Hourly | $10.43 | $12.95 | $14.03 | $17.04 | $20.47 | $15.26 | 10,160 | 8.74 | 1.06 |
| Annual | $21,690 | $26,940 | $29,180 | $35,430 | $42,580 | $31,750 | ||||
| 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
- 50th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 32nd of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.06
- Jobs per 1,000
- 8.74
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Mississippi'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 Mississippi
4 metropolitan areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas touching Mississippi 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $16.88 | $35,100 | $29,060 | $45,930 | 8,450 | 13.81 | 1.67 |
| Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $14.90 | $30,980 | $22,610 | $39,680 | 1,810 | 11.44 | 1.39 |
| Hattiesburg, MS | $14.79 | $30,760 | $23,860 | $41,670 | 250 | 4.01 | 0.49 |
| Jackson, MS | $13.44 | $27,950 | $21,950 | $44,820 | 3,340 | 12.34 | 1.50 |
| Lower West Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $14.97 | $31,130 | $23,320 | $66,140 | 710 | 8.86 | 1.07 |
| Lower East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $14.76 | $30,690 | $21,610 | $40,050 | 780 | 6.34 | 0.77 |
| Upper East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $13.92 | $28,950 | $19,570 | $35,950 | 1,300 | 6.05 | 0.73 |
| West Delta Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $13.67 | $28,440 | $21,960 | $44,080 | 620 | 6.74 | 0.82 |
Neighbouring states
See the national page for Security Guards (every state ranked) and the Mississippi 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 Mississippi 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.