The average salary for a security guard in Virginia is around $43,640 per year.
Avg Salary
Security guards earn an average yearly salary of $43,640.
Wages typically start from $30,990 and go up to $73,060.
38% below national average Updated in 2025
Security guard earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level security guard earnings begin at:
$35.12 per hour
$73,060 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level security guard earnings begin at:
$26.37 per hour
$54,850 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level security guard earnings begin at:
$20.98 per hour
$43,640 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level security guard earnings begin at:
$17.30 per hour
$35,990 per year
10th percentile
Starting level security guard earnings begin at:
$14.90 per hour
$30,990 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Security guard salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $64,210 |
| Alaska | $47,480 |
| Washington | $47,100 |
| Vermont | $45,550 |
| Oregon | $45,500 |
| New Hampshire | $45,200 |
| Colorado | $45,150 |
| Massachusetts | $44,670 |
| New York | $44,240 |
| Virginia | $43,640 |
| Minnesota | $43,380 |
| New Mexico | $43,320 |
| California | $43,240 |
| Hawaii | $42,820 |
| Utah | $42,700 |
| Missouri | $40,390 |
| Connecticut | $39,920 |
| Nebraska | $39,840 |
| Illinois | $39,490 |
| North Dakota | $39,310 |
| Wyoming | $39,200 |
| Maine | $39,100 |
| New Jersey | $38,880 |
| Montana | $38,480 |
| Idaho | $38,300 |
| Arizona | $38,290 |
| Maryland | $38,220 |
| Wisconsin | $37,440 |
| Nevada | $37,310 |
| South Dakota | $37,150 |
| Iowa | $37,080 |
| Kansas | $37,080 |
| Michigan | $37,080 |
| Pennsylvania | $37,050 |
| Rhode Island | $36,940 |
| Indiana | $36,490 |
| Delaware | $36,360 |
| Oklahoma | $36,270 |
| Tennessee | $36,000 |
| Texas | $35,980 |
| Florida | $35,900 |
| Arkansas | $35,770 |
| Ohio | $35,770 |
| South Carolina | $35,460 |
| Kentucky | $35,420 |
| North Carolina | $35,010 |
| Georgia | $34,980 |
| Alabama | $33,720 |
| Louisiana | $32,240 |
| Mississippi | $29,180 |
| West Virginia | $28,800 |
| Virgin Islands, U.S. | $23,850 |
| Guam | $19,560 |
| Puerto Rico | $18,160 |
How do security guard salaries compare to similar careers?
Security guards earn about the same as related careers in Virginia. On average, they make less than office clerks but more than printing workers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Office clerk salary | $46K |
| Painting, coating & decorating worker salary | $47K |
| Exterminator salary | $46K |
| Aesthetician salary | $39K |
| Hazardous materials removal worker salary | $45K |
| Security guard salary | $44K |
| Food server salary | $45K |
| Medical secretary salary | $46K |
| Garbage collector salary | $47K |
| Printing worker salary | $44K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)