Security Guards Salary in West Virginia
In West Virginia, security guards earn a median $28,800 a year, well below the national median of $38,020 (−24%); the state ranks 51st of 51 states by median. That is 36% less than the median across all occupations in West Virginia ($45,300). Every neighbouring state pays more: Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Kentucky range from $35,420 in Kentucky to $43,640 in Virginia. West Virginia employs 5,200 security guards, 7.41 per 1,000 jobs, the 39th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.90 is close to the national share.
West Virginia vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| West Virginia | Hourly | $10.00 | $10.00 | $13.85 | $17.31 | $22.78 | $15.06 | 5,200 | 7.41 | 0.90 |
| Annual | $20,800 | $20,800 | $28,800 | $35,990 | $47,370 | $31,320 | ||||
| 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
- 51st of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 39th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 0.90
- Jobs per 1,000
- 7.41
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of West Virginia'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 West Virginia
9 metropolitan areas and 2 nonmetropolitan areas touching West Virginia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $22.52 | $46,830 | $36,530 | $78,790 | 40,950 | 13.06 | 1.58 |
| Winchester, VA-WV | $18.22 | $37,900 | $29,830 | $48,030 | 260 | 3.79 | 0.46 |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $16.73 | $34,800 | $26,700 | $46,180 | 700 | 4.96 | 0.60 |
| Morgantown, WV | $16.49 | $34,290 | $23,090 | $47,850 | 360 | 5.30 | 0.64 |
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | $16.34 | $33,990 | $27,240 | $54,630 | 760 | 7.07 | 0.86 |
| Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH | $15.01 | $31,230 | $25,620 | $56,430 | 150 | 4.24 | 0.51 |
| Wheeling, WV-OH | $14.89 | $30,960 | $21,250 | $45,060 | 330 | 5.75 | 0.70 |
| Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | $14.30 | $29,730 | $22,860 | $46,630 | 160 | 4.47 | 0.54 |
| Charleston, WV | $10.00 | $20,800 | $20,800 | $37,060 | 2,160 | 20.83 | 2.52 |
| Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $14.77 | $30,730 | $23,750 | $47,980 | 440 | 2.99 | 0.36 |
| Southern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $14.22 | $29,590 | $22,380 | $47,760 | 380 | 5.06 | 0.61 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Virginia | $13.85 | $28,800 | 5,200 | 0.90 |
| Kentucky | $17.03 | $35,420 | 13,580 | 0.82 |
| Maryland | $18.37 | $38,220 | 27,670 | 1.21 |
| Ohio | $17.20 | $35,770 | 34,450 | 0.75 |
| Pennsylvania | $17.81 | $37,050 | 43,610 | 0.87 |
| Virginia | $20.98 | $43,640 | 34,870 | 1.03 |
See the national page for Security Guards (every state ranked) and the West Virginia 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 West Virginia 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.