Security Guards pay in Pennsylvania

$40,180avg. a year
$19.32 an hour · 43,610 employed

Security Guards in Pennsylvania earn an average of $40,180 a year. That is $2,290 (5%) less than the U.S. average of $42,470. The best-paying metro area is Chambersburg, PA at $44,550.

$37,050Median pay
$19.32Average hourly
+28%Avg. pay since 2020
#36Of 50 states + D.C.

Top-paying Pennsylvania metro areas

Average pay for security guards by metro area. Swipe to see all 16.

1210 jobs
Chambersburg, PA
$44,550
$21.42 an hour
225,460 jobs
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
$42,180
$20.28 an hour
3130 jobs
Gettysburg, PA
$41,170
$19.79 an hour
4880 jobs
Lancaster, PA
$40,720
$19.58 an hour
5830 jobs
York-Hanover, PA
$40,680
$19.56 an hour
62,320 jobs
Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
$40,500
$19.47 an hour
72,070 jobs
Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA
$40,080
$19.27 an hour
82,570 jobs
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ
$39,900
$19.18 an hour
91,050 jobs
Reading, PA
$39,680
$19.08 an hour
109,250 jobs
Pittsburgh, PA
$39,530
$19.00 an hour
11130 jobs
Lebanon, PA
$38,740
$18.63 an hour
12230 jobs
Altoona, PA
$38,650
$18.58 an hour
13840 jobs
Erie, PA
$37,720
$18.14 an hour
14510 jobs
Williamsport, PA
$37,000
$17.79 an hour
15280 jobs
State College, PA
$34,740
$16.70 an hour
16260 jobs
Johnstown, PA
$33,200
$15.96 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.
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Security Guards pay in Pennsylvania, charted

Pay over time

Pennsylvania, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian

Where Pennsylvania security guards work

Employment by metro area, May 2025

Average pay by state

May 2025 · Pennsylvania highlighted · tap a state
Under $40k$40k–$42k$42k–$45k$45k+Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania vs. neighbors

Average pay, May 2025
AreaAvg. payHourly
United States$42,470$20.42
Pennsylvania$40,180$19.32
New York$46,450$22.33
Maryland$44,530$21.41
Delaware$43,750$21.04
New Jersey$43,520$20.92
Ohio$39,950$19.21

Questions and answers

How much do security guards make in Pennsylvania?

The average is $40,180 a year, and the median is $37,050. That is $2,290 (5%) less than the U.S. average of $42,470.

What is the hourly wage in Pennsylvania?

$19.32 an hour on average; the median is $17.81.

Where in Pennsylvania do they earn the most?

Chambersburg, PA ($44,550), followed by Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD ($42,180). The lowest average among 16 metro areas with data is Johnstown, PA ($33,200).

How does Pennsylvania rank?

Pennsylvania ranks #36 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.