Security Guards Salary in North Carolina
Security Guards in North Carolina have a median of $35,010 a year, below the national $38,020 (−8%); the state ranks 46th of 51 states by median. That is 27% less than the median across all occupations in North Carolina ($47,970). Among neighbouring states, Virginia, Tennessee and South Carolina pay more (up to $43,640 in Virginia) and Georgia pays less (down to $34,980 in Georgia). North Carolina employs 29,830 security guards, 6.04 per 1,000 jobs, the 11th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.73 means it is less common in North Carolina than nationally.
North Carolina vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| North Carolina | Hourly | $14.07 | $14.73 | $16.83 | $20.96 | $26.93 | $18.79 | 29,830 | 6.04 | 0.73 |
| Annual | $29,260 | $30,640 | $35,010 | $43,610 | $56,020 | $39,090 | ||||
| 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
- 46th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 11th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 0.73
- Jobs per 1,000
- 6.04
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of North Carolina'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 North Carolina
16 metropolitan areas and 3 nonmetropolitan areas touching North Carolina 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fayetteville, NC | $20.65 | $42,940 | $28,660 | $61,030 | 710 | 5.41 | 0.66 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $18.53 | $38,530 | $29,450 | $59,110 | 1,570 | 4.58 | 0.55 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $17.90 | $37,230 | $30,830 | $62,710 | 7,470 | 9.79 | 1.19 |
| Wilmington, NC | $17.77 | $36,960 | $29,700 | $64,450 | 960 | 5.01 | 0.61 |
| Asheville, NC | $17.70 | $36,820 | $30,560 | $56,350 | 700 | 3.88 | 0.47 |
| Rocky Mount, NC | $17.70 | $36,810 | $28,410 | $59,880 | 120 | 2.24 | 0.27 |
| Greenville, NC | $17.66 | $36,730 | $30,770 | $65,720 | 220 | 2.67 | 0.32 |
| Winston-Salem, NC | $17.33 | $36,040 | $29,530 | $62,290 | 1,290 | 4.75 | 0.58 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $16.83 | $35,010 | $29,520 | $46,740 | 12,020 | 8.85 | 1.07 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $16.67 | $34,680 | $29,220 | $65,830 | 4,780 | 6.43 | 0.78 |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | $16.07 | $33,430 | $28,170 | $51,390 | 2,820 | 7.73 | 0.94 |
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | $15.62 | $32,480 | $28,510 | $49,130 | 280 | 6.42 | 0.78 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $15.32 | $31,860 | $23,880 | $58,150 | 550 | 3.60 | 0.44 |
| Burlington, NC | $15.08 | $31,370 | $27,870 | $50,860 | 160 | 2.43 | 0.29 |
| Goldsboro, NC | $14.94 | $31,070 | $28,730 | $48,390 | 170 | 4.25 | 0.52 |
| Jacksonville, NC | $14.77 | $30,730 | $25,170 | $55,630 | 110 | 2.00 | 0.24 |
| Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $17.87 | $37,170 | $28,940 | $56,550 | 1,030 | 4.09 | 0.50 |
| Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $16.13 | $33,560 | $27,540 | $60,990 | 770 | 3.22 | 0.39 |
| Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $16.07 | $33,420 | $27,540 | $58,340 | 980 | 3.69 | 0.45 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | $16.83 | $35,010 | 29,830 | 0.73 |
| Georgia | $16.82 | $34,980 | 36,210 | 0.90 |
| South Carolina | $17.05 | $35,460 | 16,610 | 0.87 |
| Tennessee | $17.31 | $36,000 | 27,690 | 1.02 |
| Virginia | $20.98 | $43,640 | 34,870 | 1.03 |
See the national page for Security Guards (every state ranked) and the North Carolina 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 North Carolina 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.