Security Guards Salary in South Carolina
Security Guards in South Carolina have a median of $35,460 a year, below the national $38,020 (−7%); the state ranks 44th of 51 states by median. That is 24% less than the median across all occupations in South Carolina ($46,490). South Carolina pays more than every neighbouring state: North Carolina and Georgia range from $34,980 in Georgia to $35,010 in North Carolina. South Carolina employs 16,610 security guards, 7.21 per 1,000 jobs, the 23rd largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.87 is close to the national share.
South Carolina vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| South Carolina | Hourly | $13.18 | $14.49 | $17.05 | $18.38 | $23.49 | $17.82 | 16,610 | 7.21 | 0.87 |
| Annual | $27,420 | $30,130 | $35,460 | $38,220 | $48,850 | $37,060 | ||||
| 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
- 44th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 23rd of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 0.87
- Jobs per 1,000
- 7.21
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of South 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 South Carolina
10 metropolitan areas and 3 nonmetropolitan areas touching South 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florence, SC | $18.78 | $39,060 | $26,930 | $76,500 | 610 | 6.87 | 0.83 |
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC | $17.70 | $36,810 | $28,940 | $48,250 | 680 | 8.28 | 1.00 |
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $17.61 | $36,620 | $29,950 | $52,380 | 2,190 | 5.56 | 0.67 |
| Spartanburg, SC | $17.48 | $36,350 | $28,800 | $69,210 | 770 | 4.64 | 0.56 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $17.19 | $35,760 | $28,690 | $45,190 | 3,000 | 6.89 | 0.83 |
| Columbia, SC | $16.90 | $35,140 | $28,120 | $45,790 | 5,290 | 13.42 | 1.63 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $16.83 | $35,010 | $29,520 | $46,740 | 12,020 | 8.85 | 1.07 |
| Sumter, SC | $16.66 | $34,660 | $26,120 | $55,440 | 90 | 2.52 | 0.31 |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $16.08 | $33,450 | $28,360 | $47,260 | 3,370 | 14.51 | 1.76 |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC | $15.13 | $31,480 | $25,870 | $38,800 | 1,020 | 6.96 | 0.84 |
| Northwestern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $29.58 | $61,530 | $29,640 | $76,440 | 360 | 3.87 | 0.47 |
| Southern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $15.41 | $32,040 | $22,720 | $42,970 | 140 | 2.68 | 0.33 |
| Northeastern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $14.43 | $30,010 | $22,780 | $46,150 | 130 | 1.69 | 0.20 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | $17.05 | $35,460 | 16,610 | 0.87 |
| Georgia | $16.82 | $34,980 | 36,210 | 0.90 |
| North Carolina | $16.83 | $35,010 | 29,830 | 0.73 |
See the national page for Security Guards (every state ranked) and the South 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 South 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.