Security Guards pay in California
$44,920avg. a year
$21.60 an hour · 199,480 employed
Security Guards in California earn an average of $44,920 a year. That is $2,450 (6%) more than the U.S. average of $42,470. The best-paying metro area is San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA at $51,110.
$43,240Median pay
$21.60Average hourly
+25%Avg. pay since 2020
#15Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying California metro areas
Average pay for security guards by metro area. Swipe to see all 25.
1530 jobs
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
$51,110
$24.57 an hour
211,800 jobs
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$51,020
$24.53 an hour
3760 jobs
Napa, CA
$50,400
$24.23 an hour
426,830 jobs
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$50,270
$24.17 an hour
5470 jobs
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
$47,870
$23.02 an hour
6950 jobs
Vallejo, CA
$46,870
$22.53 an hour
71,560 jobs
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
$46,490
$22.35 an hour
8800 jobs
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
$44,970
$21.62 an hour
9930 jobs
Modesto, CA
$44,260
$21.28 an hour
1083,280 jobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$43,880
$21.10 an hour
111,520 jobs
Salinas, CA
$43,730
$21.03 an hour
121,880 jobs
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
$43,580
$20.95 an hour
13490 jobs
Redding, CA
$43,390
$20.86 an hour
1411,930 jobs
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
$43,150
$20.75 an hour
1516,090 jobs
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$43,110
$20.73 an hour
16240 jobs
Hanford-Corcoran, CA
$42,540
$20.45 an hour
172,970 jobs
Stockton-Lodi, CA
$42,480
$20.42 an hour
182,020 jobs
Bakersfield-Delano, CA
$42,130
$20.26 an hour
1922,010 jobs
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
$42,090
$20.24 an hour
20670 jobs
El Centro, CA
$41,590
$19.99 an hour
21340 jobs
Chico, CA
$41,430
$19.92 an hour
22750 jobs
Visalia, CA
$41,200
$19.81 an hour
23400 jobs
Merced, CA
$40,660
$19.55 an hour
243,620 jobs
Fresno, CA
$40,640
$19.54 an hour
25390 jobs
Yuba City, CA
$40,340
$19.40 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Security Guards pay in California, charted
Pay over time
California, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where California security guards work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · California highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $40k$40k–$42k$42k–$45k$45k+California
California vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $42,470 | $20.42 |
| California | $44,920 | $21.60 |
| Oregon | $46,420 | $22.32 |
| Arizona | $40,950 | $19.69 |
| Nevada | $39,770 | $19.12 |
Related jobs in California
Average pay, California, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do security guards make in California?
The average is $44,920 a year, and the median is $43,240. That is $2,450 (6%) more than the U.S. average of $42,470.
What is the hourly wage in California?
$21.60 an hour on average; the median is $20.79.
Where in California do they earn the most?
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA ($51,110), followed by San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($51,020). The lowest average among 25 metro areas with data is Yuba City, CA ($40,340).
How does California rank?
California ranks #15 of 51 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 33-9032. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national security guards page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.