Security Guards pay in Memphis
$36,570avg. a year
$17.58 an hour · 8,450 employed
Security Guards in the Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area earn an average of $36,570 a year. That is $1,930 (5%) less than the Tennessee average of $38,500. The U.S. average is $42,470.
$35,100Median pay
$17.58Average hourly
-5%vs. Tennessee average
8,450Jobs in this metro
Other Tennessee metro areas
Average pay for security guards in other Tennessee metro areas. Swipe to see all 9.
110,710 jobs
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN
$40,010
$19.24 an hour
22,860 jobs
Knoxville, TN
$39,730
$19.10 an hour
3340 jobs
Clarksville, TN-KY
$39,480
$18.98 an hour
41,820 jobs
Chattanooga, TN-GA
$38,910
$18.71 an hour
5500 jobs
Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA
$38,870
$18.69 an hour
6460 jobs
Jackson, TN
$36,850
$17.71 an hour
7100 jobs
Cleveland, TN
$36,660
$17.62 an hour
870 jobs
Morristown, TN
$34,170
$16.43 an hour
9570 jobs
Johnson City, TN
$31,360
$15.08 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 Memphis compares
Pay range: metro vs. state vs. U.S.
Annual wage percentiles, May 2025
This metroTennesseeU.S.
Tennessee metro areas
Average pay, May 2025 · this metro highlighted
Related jobs in Memphis
| Job | Avg. pay in this metro |
|---|---|
| Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers | $26,820 |
| Crossing Guards and Flaggers | $32,570 |
| Protective Service Workers, All Other | $53,130 |
| School Bus Monitors | $31,010 |
| Transportation Security Screeners | $60,970 |
| Private Detectives and Investigators | $78,160 |
Questions and answers
How much do security guards make in Memphis?
The average is $36,570 a year, and the median is $35,100. About 8,450 people work in this job in the metro area.
Is that more than the Tennessee average?
That is $1,930 (5%) less than the Tennessee average of $38,500.
Is this job common in Memphis?
It makes up 13.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the metro area, 1.67 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: Memphis, TN-MS-AR metropolitan statistical area (BLS area code 32820). 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.