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Salary comparison

School Bus Monitors vs. Security Guards: Who Earns More?

Security Guardss out-earn School Bus Monitorss by $3K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. School Bus Monitorss land at $35,100 and Security Guardss at $38,020. The education gap is real: school bus monitor programs typically require high school diploma or equivalent, while security guard programs require high school diploma or equivalent. Top-paying state for School Bus Monitorss is Washington ($42,330); for Security Guardss it's District of Columbia ($64,210).

School Bus Monitors
Security Guards
Median salary
$35,100
$38,020
Hourly rate
$16.88/hr
$18.28/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$28,130
$30,210
Senior level (90th %)
$43,250
$58,840
Education required
High school diploma or equivalent
High school diploma or equivalent
U.S. employment
78,420
1,283,470
Job growth (10-year)
N/A
N/A
Category
Public Safety
Public Safety
Top-paying state
Washington
District of Columbia

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by School Bus Monitors median pay.

State
School Bus Monitors
Security Guards
Washington
$42,330
$47,100
District of Columbia
$41,720
$64,210
Oregon
$40,900
$45,500
Hawaii
$40,250
$42,820
Vermont
$39,020
$45,550
Minnesota
$38,590
$43,380
California
$38,360
$43,240
Utah
$38,020
$42,700
New Hampshire
$37,620
$45,200
New York
$36,910
$44,240
Virginia
$36,510
$43,640
New Mexico
$36,250
$43,320
Massachusetts
$36,020
$44,670
Alaska
$33,990
$47,480
Colorado
$33,540
$45,150

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

Common questions

Who earns more, School Bus Monitorss or Security Guardss?

Security Guardss earn more nationally. The median is $35,100 for School Bus Monitorss versus $38,020 for Security Guardss, a difference of $3K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, School Bus Monitors 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, School Bus Monitors or Security Guards?

School Bus Monitors 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 School Bus Monitorss get paid the most?

Washington is the top-paying state for School Bus Monitorss at $42,330/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does School Bus Monitors vs. Security Guards pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In Washington, School Bus Monitorss earn $42,330 vs. $47,100 for Security Guardss. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full School Bus Monitors salary breakdownView →Full Security Guards salary breakdownView →Best cities for School Bus Monitorss by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Security Guardss by take-home payExplore →How to become a school bus monitorsGuide →How to become a security guardsGuide →