Skip to content
AffordMap
Salary comparison

Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators vs. Security Guards: Who Earns More?

Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigatorss out-earn Security Guardss by $5K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigatorss land at $43,370 and Security Guardss at $38,020. The education gap is real: gambling surveillance officers and gambling investigator programs typically require high school diploma or equivalent, while security guard programs require high school diploma or equivalent. Top-paying state for Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigatorss is Massachusetts ($61,770); for Security Guardss it's District of Columbia ($64,210).

Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators
Security Guards
Median salary
$43,370
$38,020
Hourly rate
$20.85/hr
$18.28/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$32,730
$30,210
Senior level (90th %)
$61,970
$58,840
Education required
High school diploma or equivalent
High school diploma or equivalent
U.S. employment
9,520
1,283,470
Job growth (10-year)
N/A
N/A
Category
Public Safety
Public Safety
Top-paying state
Massachusetts
District of Columbia

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators median pay.

State
Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators
Security Guards
Massachusetts
$61,770
$44,670
Connecticut
$56,300
$39,920
Oregon
$50,120
$45,500
New York
$49,110
$44,240
New Jersey
$48,620
$38,880
North Dakota
$46,740
$39,310
Washington
$45,740
$47,100
California
$44,740
$43,240
Colorado
$44,340
$45,150
Minnesota
$44,080
$43,380
Illinois
$42,760
$39,490
Virginia
$41,980
$43,640
Missouri
$38,860
$40,390
Idaho
$38,850
$38,300
New Mexico
$36,930
$43,320

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigatorss or Security Guardss?

Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigatorss earn more nationally. The median is $43,370 for Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigatorss versus $38,020 for Security Guardss, a difference of $5K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators or Security Guards?

BLS Employment Projections data is not available for one or both occupations. Check the individual career pages for current outlook figures.

Which requires more education, Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators or Security Guards?

Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators typically requires high school diploma or equivalent. Security Guards requires high school diploma or equivalent. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigatorss get paid the most?

Massachusetts is the top-paying state for Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigatorss at $61,770/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators vs. Security Guards pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In Massachusetts, Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigatorss earn $61,770 vs. $44,670 for Security Guardss. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators salary breakdownView →Full Security Guards salary breakdownView →Best cities for Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigatorss by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Security Guardss by take-home payExplore →How to become a gambling surveillance officers and gambling investigatorsGuide →How to become a security guardsGuide →