Security Guards Salary in Tennessee
Security Guards in Tennessee have a median of $36,000 a year, below the national $38,020 (−5%); the state ranks 39th of 51 states by median. That is 24% less than the median across all occupations in Tennessee ($47,380). Among neighbouring states, Virginia and Missouri pay more (up to $43,640 in Virginia) and Arkansas, Kentucky, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi pay less (down to $29,180 in Mississippi). Tennessee employs 27,690 security guards, 8.44 per 1,000 jobs, the 13th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.02 is close to the national share.
Tennessee vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Tennessee | Hourly | $14.09 | $14.83 | $17.31 | $19.53 | $24.84 | $18.51 | 27,690 | 8.44 | 1.02 |
| Annual | $29,310 | $30,850 | $36,000 | $40,620 | $51,680 | $38,500 | ||||
| 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
- 39th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 13th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.02
- Jobs per 1,000
- 8.44
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Tennessee'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 Tennessee
10 metropolitan areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas touching Tennessee 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $17.80 | $37,010 | $30,360 | $56,270 | 10,710 | 9.74 | 1.18 |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $17.44 | $36,270 | $28,410 | $52,310 | 500 | 4.16 | 0.50 |
| Jackson, TN | $17.29 | $35,960 | $29,630 | $45,410 | 460 | 5.43 | 0.66 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | $17.26 | $35,900 | $28,930 | $53,280 | 340 | 3.25 | 0.39 |
| Knoxville, TN | $17.22 | $35,810 | $29,420 | $57,010 | 2,860 | 6.74 | 0.82 |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | $17.14 | $35,650 | $26,980 | $63,440 | 1,820 | 6.77 | 0.82 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $16.88 | $35,100 | $29,060 | $45,930 | 8,450 | 13.81 | 1.67 |
| Morristown, TN | $14.80 | $30,790 | $26,620 | $44,150 | 70 | 1.55 | 0.19 |
| Cleveland, TN | $14.75 | $30,680 | $27,090 | $46,280 | 100 | 2.42 | 0.29 |
| Johnson City, TN | $13.33 | $27,720 | $27,720 | $37,430 | 570 | 6.99 | 0.85 |
| West Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $17.65 | $36,710 | $26,540 | $45,910 | 300 | 2.59 | 0.31 |
| East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $17.58 | $36,570 | $28,840 | $63,440 | 630 | 4.45 | 0.54 |
| South Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $17.48 | $36,360 | $30,270 | $56,370 | 520 | 4.74 | 0.57 |
| North Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $16.02 | $33,320 | $28,220 | $46,340 | 460 | 4.03 | 0.49 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee | $17.31 | $36,000 | 27,690 | 1.02 |
| Alabama | $16.21 | $33,720 | 15,210 | 0.87 |
| Arkansas | $17.20 | $35,770 | 6,390 | 0.59 |
| Georgia | $16.82 | $34,980 | 36,210 | 0.90 |
| Kentucky | $17.03 | $35,420 | 13,580 | 0.82 |
| Missouri | $19.42 | $40,390 | 18,630 | 0.77 |
| Mississippi | $14.03 | $29,180 | 10,160 | 1.06 |
| North Carolina | $16.83 | $35,010 | 29,830 | 0.73 |
| Virginia | $20.98 | $43,640 | 34,870 | 1.03 |
See the national page for Security Guards (every state ranked) and the Tennessee 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 Tennessee 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.