Security Guards Salary in Missouri
The median for security guards in Missouri is $40,390 a year, somewhat above the national $38,020 (+6%); the state ranks 16th of 51 states by median. That is 16% less than the median across all occupations in Missouri ($47,800). Missouri pays more than every neighbouring state: Nebraska, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Arkansas and Kentucky range from $35,420 in Kentucky to $39,840 in Nebraska. Missouri employs 18,630 security guards, 6.34 per 1,000 jobs, the 20th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.77 means it is less common in Missouri than nationally.
Missouri vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Missouri | Hourly | $14.93 | $17.33 | $19.42 | $23.09 | $33.10 | $21.68 | 18,630 | 6.34 | 0.77 |
| Annual | $31,040 | $36,040 | $40,390 | $48,020 | $68,860 | $45,100 | ||||
| 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
- 16th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 20th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 0.77
- Jobs per 1,000
- 6.34
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Missouri'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 Missouri
8 metropolitan areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas touching Missouri 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson City, MO | $21.36 | $44,430 | $29,770 | $73,640 | 350 | 4.41 | 0.53 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $20.48 | $42,600 | $32,460 | $60,590 | 9,720 | 7.25 | 0.88 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | $20.10 | $41,810 | $31,540 | $68,860 | 7,730 | 7.05 | 0.85 |
| St. Joseph, MO-KS | $18.84 | $39,180 | $30,120 | $48,760 | 270 | 4.88 | 0.59 |
| Springfield, MO | $18.76 | $39,010 | $30,060 | $114,760 | 1,000 | 4.50 | 0.54 |
| Joplin, MO-KS | $18.19 | $37,830 | $29,530 | $51,740 | 180 | 2.05 | 0.25 |
| Columbia, MO | $17.76 | $36,950 | $28,600 | $49,520 | 640 | 5.99 | 0.73 |
| Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | $17.61 | $36,630 | $29,330 | $46,870 | 140 | 3.22 | 0.39 |
| Central Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $17.92 | $37,270 | $29,020 | $50,940 | 550 | 3.56 | 0.43 |
| Southwest Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $16.93 | $35,220 | $28,600 | $44,360 | 330 | 4.11 | 0.50 |
| Southeast Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $15.28 | $31,770 | $28,780 | $47,730 | 500 | 3.03 | 0.37 |
| North Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $15.17 | $31,560 | $28,670 | $47,660 | 250 | 2.35 | 0.28 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Missouri | $19.42 | $40,390 | 18,630 | 0.77 |
| Arkansas | $17.20 | $35,770 | 6,390 | 0.59 |
| Iowa | $17.83 | $37,080 | 6,890 | 0.54 |
| Illinois | $18.98 | $39,490 | 53,830 | 1.07 |
| Kansas | $17.83 | $37,080 | 7,150 | 0.60 |
| Kentucky | $17.03 | $35,420 | 13,580 | 0.82 |
| Nebraska | $19.15 | $39,840 | 4,700 | 0.56 |
| Oklahoma | $17.44 | $36,270 | 12,210 | 0.87 |
| Tennessee | $17.31 | $36,000 | 27,690 | 1.02 |
See the national page for Security Guards (every state ranked) and the Missouri 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 Missouri 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.