Skip to content
AffordMap
Salary comparison

Security Guards vs. Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers: 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. Security Guards land at $38,020 and Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers at $76,210. The education gap is real: security guard programs typically require high school diploma or equivalent, while police and sheriff's patrol officer programs require high school diploma or equivalent. Top-paying state for Security Guards is District of Columbia ($64,210); for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers it's California ($118,880).

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

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Security Guards median pay.

State
Security Guards
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers
District of Columbia
$64,210
$88,650
Alaska
$47,480
$99,130
Washington
$47,100
$102,080
Oregon
$45,500
$88,140
Colorado
$45,150
$97,350
Massachusetts
$44,670
$78,940
New York
$44,240
$92,790
Minnesota
$43,380
$83,360
California
$43,240
$118,880
Hawaii
$42,820
$83,820
Connecticut
$39,920
$82,170
Illinois
$39,490
$100,520
New Jersey
$38,880
$92,610
Pennsylvania
$37,050
$85,470
Delaware
$36,360
$92,970

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

Common questions

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

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

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

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

Security Guards typically requires high school diploma or equivalent. Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers requires high school diploma or equivalent. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Security Guards get paid the most?

District of Columbia is the top-paying state for Security Guards at $64,210/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

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

The gap varies significantly by state. In District of Columbia, Security Guards earn $64,210 vs. $88,650 for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

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