Security guard industry statistics
How many security guards work in the US, the UK and Canada, what they earn, how many guard companies there are and how much crime is reported, from official statistics only. Updated October 2026.
How many security guards are there in the United States?
There were 1,283,470 security guards in the United States in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), at a mean wage of $20.42 an hour. 17,622 security guard and patrol service locations employed 825,447 people in 2025.
Security guards by state
The largest state markets. Guards and wages: BLS, May 2025. Company locations: BLS QCEW, 2025 (a company with several offices counts once per office). Crime: offenses reported to the FBI for 2025, per 100,000 people (the FBI's estimates for the whole US: 1,534.8 property, 327.6 violent).
| State | Security guards | Per 1,000 jobs | Mean wage | Guard company locations | Property crime /100k | Violent crime /100k |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 199,480 | 10.95 | $21.60 | 2,790 | 1,822.3 | 435.1 |
| New York | 134,700 | 13.90 | $22.33 | 876 | 1,565.6 | 367.7 |
| Texas | 106,210 | 7.55 | $18.54 | 1,469 | 1,808.8 | 348.4 |
| Florida | 95,370 | 9.60 | $18.08 | 2,103 | n/a | n/a |
| Illinois | 53,830 | 8.83 | $21.27 | 398 | 1,556.3 | 257.7 |
| Pennsylvania | 43,610 | 7.19 | $19.32 | 477 | 1,360.2 | 229.3 |
| Virginia | 34,870 | 8.49 | $22.63 | 660 | 1,394.7 | 210.8 |
| Ohio | 34,450 | 6.21 | $19.21 | 583 | 1,471.1 | 287.9 |
| North Carolina | 29,830 | 6.04 | $18.79 | 412 | 1,815.1 | 334.2 |
| Arizona | 29,820 | 9.21 | $19.69 | 338 | 1,542.6 | 385.0 |
| Maryland | 27,670 | 10.02 | $21.41 | 376 | 1,852.7 | 365.0 |
| Nevada | 26,680 | 17.20 | $19.12 | 302 | 2,029.4 | 384.1 |
| Washington | 25,800 | 7.26 | $24.41 | 416 | 2,017.9 | 292.2 |
Florida's 2025 crime figures are left out: police agencies covering about 84% of the state's people reported to the FBI, so a statewide rate would undercount.
The 20 metro areas with the most security guards
BLS, May 2025. The New York–Newark–Jersey City metro area, with 142,760 security guards in May 2025. The Las Vegas–Henderson–North Las Vegas area has the highest concentration: 20.93 guards for every 1,000 jobs (BLS).
| Metro area | Security guards | Per 1,000 jobs | Mean wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York–Newark–Jersey City | 142,760 | 15.04 | $22.18 |
| Los Angeles–Long Beach–Anaheim | 83,280 | 13.28 | $21.10 |
| Chicago–Naperville–Elgin | 48,360 | 10.72 | $21.33 |
| Miami–Fort Lauderdale–West Palm Beach | 41,530 | 14.73 | $18.22 |
| Washington–Arlington–Alexandria | 40,950 | 13.06 | $26.17 |
| Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington | 34,000 | 8.40 | $19.31 |
| Houston–Pasadena–The Woodlands | 29,250 | 8.89 | $18.40 |
| San Francisco–Oakland–Fremont | 26,830 | 11.30 | $24.17 |
| Philadelphia–Camden–Wilmington | 25,460 | 8.79 | $20.28 |
| Las Vegas–Henderson–North Las Vegas | 23,800 | 20.93 | $18.92 |
| Phoenix–Mesa–Chandler | 23,160 | 9.75 | $19.99 |
| Atlanta–Sandy Springs–Roswell | 22,730 | 7.87 | $18.65 |
| Riverside–San Bernardino–Ontario | 22,010 | 12.82 | $20.24 |
| Boston–Cambridge–Newton | 19,250 | 7.12 | $21.94 |
| Seattle–Tacoma–Bellevue | 17,030 | 8.16 | $24.71 |
| San Diego–Chula Vista–Carlsbad | 16,090 | 10.46 | $20.73 |
| Baltimore–Columbia–Towson | 16,020 | 11.81 | $20.49 |
| Orlando–Kissimmee–Sanford | 14,870 | 10.54 | $17.67 |
| Detroit–Warren–Dearborn | 12,570 | 6.60 | $19.61 |
| San Antonio–New Braunfels | 11,420 | 10.13 | $17.61 |
SIA licence holders by area
457,736 people held a Security Industry Authority licence in September 2025, 127,568 of them in the London travel-to-work area (SIA). The 17 travel-to-work areas with the most licence holders:
| Area | SIA licence holders | Share of the UK |
|---|---|---|
| London | 127,568 | 27.9% |
| Manchester | 32,133 | 7.0% |
| Birmingham | 25,829 | 5.6% |
| Slough and Heathrow | 24,468 | 5.3% |
| Luton | 10,245 | 2.2% |
| Glasgow | 8,086 | 1.8% |
| Bradford | 7,125 | 1.6% |
| Liverpool | 6,806 | 1.5% |
| Leicester | 6,461 | 1.4% |
| Leeds | 5,948 | 1.3% |
| Sheffield | 5,887 | 1.3% |
| Cardiff | 5,702 | 1.2% |
| Bristol | 5,398 | 1.2% |
| Nottingham | 5,319 | 1.2% |
| Wolverhampton and Walsall | 5,316 | 1.2% |
| Newcastle | 5,261 | 1.1% |
| Belfast | 5,108 | 1.1% |
For running guards in the UK, see ForceVera in the UK.
Licensed guards in Ontario and crime by province
156,874 security guards held an Ontario licence in 2024-25, with 649 licensed security guard agencies and 221 combined guard and investigator agencies (Ontario Private Security and Investigative Services Branch). Police-reported crime is measured by Statistics Canada's Crime Severity Index (Canada: 75.0 in 2025):
| Province | Crime Severity Index 2025 |
|---|---|
| Saskatchewan | 146.6 |
| Manitoba | 130.0 |
| British Columbia | 92.4 |
| Alberta | 90.6 |
| New Brunswick | 90.4 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 88.7 |
| Nova Scotia | 73.0 |
| Prince Edward Island | 68.4 |
| Quebec | 61.6 |
| Ontario | 57.2 |
For running guards in Canada, see ForceVera in Canada.
Security guard statistics: questions, answered
How many security guards are there in the United States?
There were 1,283,470 security guards in the United States in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), at a mean wage of $20.42 an hour. 17,622 security guard and patrol service locations employed 825,447 people in 2025.
Which state has the most security guards?
California, with 199,480 security guards in May 2025, 15.5% of all US guards (BLS).
Which US city has the most security guards?
The New York–Newark–Jersey City metro area, with 142,760 security guards in May 2025. The Las Vegas–Henderson–North Las Vegas area has the highest concentration: 20.93 guards for every 1,000 jobs (BLS).
How much do security guards earn in the US?
The mean wage for security guards was $20.42 an hour in May 2025 (BLS). It varies by place: Washington–Arlington–Alexandria $26.17 and Seattle–Tacoma–Bellevue $24.71 an hour were the highest among the 20 largest guard markets.
How many SIA licence holders are there in the UK?
457,736 people held a Security Industry Authority licence in September 2025, 127,568 of them in the London travel-to-work area (SIA).
How many licensed security guards are there in Ontario?
156,874 security guards held an Ontario licence in 2024-25, with 649 licensed security guard agencies and 221 combined guard and investigator agencies (Ontario Private Security and Investigative Services Branch).
Sources and how to cite
Every figure comes from an official publication, checked October 2026. You're welcome to quote these figures; please name the original source and link to this page.
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025: Security Guards (33-9032)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025: Security Guards and Patrol Services (NAICS 561612)
- FBI Crime Data Explorer: offenses reported for 2025
- FBI: Summary of Reported Crimes in the Nation, 2025
- Security Industry Authority: licence holders by region (FOI, September 2025)
- Ontario: Private Security and Investigative Services Branch annual report 2024-25
- Statistics Canada: Crime severity index, table 35-10-0026-01
Your next shift could be verified.
Get your team on ForceVera this week. Try every core feature free for 14 days, with no charge until the trial ends and no contract.
- Nothing charged during the trial
- Cancel anytime
- Your data stays yours