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Salary comparison

Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers vs. Security Guards: Who Earns More?

Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers out-earn Security Guards by $38K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers land at $76,210 and Security Guards at $38,020. The education gap is real: police and sheriff's patrol officer programs typically require high school diploma or equivalent, while security guard programs require high school diploma or equivalent. Top-paying state for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers is California ($118,880); for Security Guards it's District of Columbia ($64,210).

Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers
Security Guards
Median salary
$76,210
$38,020
Hourly rate
$36.64/hr
$18.28/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$47,510
$30,210
Senior level (90th %)
$115,120
$58,840
Education required
High school diploma or equivalent
High school diploma or equivalent
U.S. employment
670,520
1,283,470
Job growth (10-year)
3.1%
0.4%
Category
Public Safety
Public Safety
Top-paying state
California
District of Columbia

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers median pay.

State
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers
Security Guards
California
$118,880
$43,240
Washington
$102,080
$47,100
Alaska
$99,130
$47,480
Colorado
$97,350
$45,150
New York
$92,790
$44,240
District of Columbia
$88,650
$64,210
Oregon
$88,140
$45,500
Hawaii
$83,820
$42,820
Minnesota
$83,360
$43,380
Massachusetts
$78,940
$44,670
Utah
$77,310
$42,700
New Hampshire
$71,640
$45,200
New Mexico
$69,180
$43,320
Vermont
$68,910
$45,550
Virginia
$65,870
$43,640

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

Common questions

Who earns more, Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers or Security Guards?

Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers earn more nationally. The median is $76,210 for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers versus $38,020 for Security Guards, a difference of $38K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers or Security Guards?

Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers has the better 10-year outlook at 3.1% projected growth, compared to 0.4% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers or Security Guards?

Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers 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 Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers get paid the most?

California is the top-paying state for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers at $118,880/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers vs. Security Guards pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In California, Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers earn $118,880 vs. $43,240 for Security Guards. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers salary breakdownView →Full Security Guards salary breakdownView →Best cities for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Security Guards by take-home payExplore →How to become a police and sheriff's patrol officersGuide →How to become a security guardsGuide →