Security Guards pay in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara
$51,020avg. a year
$24.53 an hour · 11,800 employed
Security Guards in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area earn an average of $51,020 a year. That is $6,100 (14%) more than the California average of $44,920. The U.S. average is $42,470.
$46,250Median pay
$24.53Average hourly
+14%vs. California average
11,800Jobs in this metro
Other California metro areas
Average pay for security guards in other California metro areas. Swipe to see all 24.
1530 jobs
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
$51,110
$24.57 an hour
2760 jobs
Napa, CA
$50,400
$24.23 an hour
326,830 jobs
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$50,270
$24.17 an hour
4470 jobs
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
$47,870
$23.02 an hour
5950 jobs
Vallejo, CA
$46,870
$22.53 an hour
61,560 jobs
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
$46,490
$22.35 an hour
7800 jobs
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
$44,970
$21.62 an hour
8930 jobs
Modesto, CA
$44,260
$21.28 an hour
983,280 jobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$43,880
$21.10 an hour
101,520 jobs
Salinas, CA
$43,730
$21.03 an hour
111,880 jobs
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
$43,580
$20.95 an hour
12490 jobs
Redding, CA
$43,390
$20.86 an hour
1311,930 jobs
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
$43,150
$20.75 an hour
1416,090 jobs
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$43,110
$20.73 an hour
15240 jobs
Hanford-Corcoran, CA
$42,540
$20.45 an hour
162,970 jobs
Stockton-Lodi, CA
$42,480
$20.42 an hour
172,020 jobs
Bakersfield-Delano, CA
$42,130
$20.26 an hour
1822,010 jobs
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
$42,090
$20.24 an hour
19670 jobs
El Centro, CA
$41,590
$19.99 an hour
20340 jobs
Chico, CA
$41,430
$19.92 an hour
21750 jobs
Visalia, CA
$41,200
$19.81 an hour
22400 jobs
Merced, CA
$40,660
$19.55 an hour
233,620 jobs
Fresno, CA
$40,640
$19.54 an hour
24390 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.
How San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara compares
Pay range: metro vs. state vs. U.S.
Annual wage percentiles, May 2025
This metroCaliforniaU.S.
California metro areas
Average pay, May 2025 · this metro highlighted
Related jobs in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara
| Job | Avg. pay in this metro |
|---|---|
| Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers | $43,270 |
| Crossing Guards and Flaggers | $53,870 |
| Protective Service Workers, All Other | $55,580 |
| Transportation Security Screeners | $76,000 |
| Private Detectives and Investigators | $77,160 |
| Animal Control Workers | $74,580 |
Questions and answers
How much do security guards make in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara?
The average is $51,020 a year, and the median is $46,250. About 11,800 people work in this job in the metro area.
Is that more than the California average?
That is $6,100 (14%) more than the California average of $44,920.
Is this job common in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara?
It makes up 10.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the metro area, 1.26 times the national share.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025, occupation code 33-9032. Metro area: San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metropolitan statistical area (BLS area code 41940). Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.