How Much Does a School Security Guard Make?

School security guards are trained professionals who work for an elementary school or high school.

They are responsible for ensuring campus policy, preventing crime on the school premises, and making sure that the students, teachers, and school staff are safe.

The types of illegal activities they have to prevent on school premises typically include thefts and vandalism but as a security guard, you have to be prepared for violent incidents as well.

In order to ensure school safety, security guards may patrol areas or even operate metal detectors or x-ray machines.

How much a school security guard makes depends, among other factors, on the job requirements and the guard’s training and experience.

Security Guard Average Salary

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for security guards was $29,490 as of May 2019 which means that half of all workers in this profession made more than this amount while half earned less.

According to the same report, the lowest 10 percent made less than $21,150 while the highest 10 percent earned more than $50,310.

Different Compensation Packages

Some guards are paid a fixed salary while others earn an hourly wage.

The median hourly wage for this profession was $14.27 in May 2019.

Hourly rates also vary depending on the guard’s experience and job description and the total monthly wage earned by a security guard who is paid on an hourly wage basis is also determined by the number of hours they work.

According to BLS, security guards can make anywhere between less than $10.17 and more than $25.19 per hour.

Some employers also offer paid vacation days, medical and dental insurance, and other perks.

Average Pay for School Guards

The Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the mean annual wage for security guards who are employed by elementary and secondary schools at $37,170- higher than the median across all industries.

There are also industries that pay significantly more, such as the natural gas distribution sector or wholesalers of machinery, equipment, and supplies.

The report shows that security guards who worked for natural gas distribution companies made a median salary of $59,600 per year while those who work for wholesalers earned $58,690, on average.

Being a security guard at a school with grades pre-K to 12^th grade, where the majority of school shootings occur, implies a lot of responsibility and you have to always be alert in order to keep yourself and others safe.

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigations, there were 250 shooting incidents at schools between 2000 and 2017.

Due to the increasing number of violent incidents, security guard positions will continue to be in demand at schools as time goes on.

Security Guard Salary by State

Salaries for security guards vary widely depending on the state of employment.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the top-paying states for this profession were the District of Columbia, Alaska, and Washington, with average annual salaries calculated at $44,200, $43,060, and $41,030 respectively.

On the other hand, security guards in Mississippi and Kentucky reported salaries that were in the $26,000-$27,000 range, on average.

In Conclusion

How much a school security guard makes each year, depends on the worker’s level of experience, training, and skills but also on the region and the type of institution they work for.

This profession can be quite stressful because as a security guard who works at a school you are responsible for a lot of people, many of whom are kids.

However, if you have the required training and skills, this job can be quite rewarding.