Security Guards Salary in Oregon
Security Guards in Oregon earn a median $45,500 a year, +20% against the national median of $38,020; they and rank 5th of 51 states by median. That is 20% less than the median across all occupations in Oregon ($57,000). Among neighbouring states, Washington pays more (up to $47,100 in Washington) and California, Idaho and Nevada pay less (down to $37,310 in Nevada). Oregon employs 12,200 security guards, 6.20 per 1,000 jobs, the 29th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.75 means it is less common in Oregon than nationally.
Oregon vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Oregon | Hourly | $17.55 | $19.08 | $21.88 | $23.28 | $28.13 | $22.32 | 12,200 | 6.20 | 0.75 |
| Annual | $36,500 | $39,680 | $45,500 | $48,420 | $58,510 | $46,420 | ||||
| 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
- 5th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 29th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 0.75
- Jobs per 1,000
- 6.20
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Oregon'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 Oregon
8 metropolitan areas and 3 nonmetropolitan areas touching Oregon 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $22.51 | $46,820 | $38,360 | $60,020 | 9,110 | 7.54 | 0.91 |
| Salem, OR | $22.19 | $46,150 | $36,210 | $60,770 | 1,030 | 5.48 | 0.66 |
| Corvallis, OR | $22.11 | $45,980 | $39,040 | $58,530 | 160 | 4.18 | 0.51 |
| Medford, OR | $21.28 | $44,250 | $33,960 | $53,930 | 310 | 3.46 | 0.42 |
| Albany, OR | $21.18 | $44,050 | $33,430 | $60,070 | 90 | 1.98 | 0.24 |
| Bend, OR | $21.05 | $43,790 | $37,640 | $55,660 | 350 | 3.21 | 0.39 |
| Eugene-Springfield, OR | $19.11 | $39,750 | $35,130 | $57,240 | 730 | 4.61 | 0.56 |
| Grants Pass, OR | $17.80 | $37,030 | $34,180 | $55,690 | 120 | 4.07 | 0.49 |
| Central Oregon nonmetropolitan area | $20.92 | $43,510 | $34,640 | $55,240 | 180 | 3.52 | 0.43 |
| Eastern Oregon nonmetropolitan area | $20.83 | $43,330 | $32,500 | $53,210 | 230 | 3.11 | 0.38 |
| Coast Oregon nonmetropolitan area | $18.31 | $38,070 | $31,420 | $46,500 | 670 | 5.90 | 0.71 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | $21.88 | $45,500 | 12,200 | 0.75 |
| California | $20.79 | $43,240 | 199,480 | 1.33 |
| Idaho | $18.41 | $38,300 | 3,750 | 0.53 |
| Nevada | $17.94 | $37,310 | 26,680 | 2.08 |
| Washington | $22.64 | $47,100 | 25,800 | 0.88 |
See the national page for Security Guards (every state ranked) and the Oregon 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 Oregon 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.