Security Guards pay in Virginia
$47,070avg. a year
$22.63 an hour · 34,870 employed
Security Guards in Virginia earn an average of $47,070 a year. That is $4,600 (11%) more than the U.S. average of $42,470. The best-paying metro area is Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV at $54,430.
$43,640Median pay
$22.63Average hourly
+22%Avg. pay since 2020
#6Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying Virginia metro areas
Average pay for security guards by metro area. Swipe to see all 11.
140,950 jobs
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
$54,430
$26.17 an hour
2570 jobs
Lynchburg, VA
$52,570
$25.27 an hour
3340 jobs
Charlottesville, VA
$45,300
$21.78 an hour
4170 jobs
Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA
$43,500
$20.92 an hour
57,470 jobs
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC
$42,280
$20.33 an hour
64,630 jobs
Richmond, VA
$42,150
$20.27 an hour
71,300 jobs
Roanoke, VA
$41,790
$20.09 an hour
8400 jobs
Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA
$41,560
$19.98 an hour
9260 jobs
Winchester, VA-WV
$40,420
$19.44 an hour
10200 jobs
Harrisonburg, VA
$39,920
$19.19 an hour
11500 jobs
Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA
$38,870
$18.69 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 Virginia, charted
Pay over time
Virginia, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where Virginia security guards work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · Virginia highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $40k$40k–$42k$42k–$45k$45k+Virginia
Virginia vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $42,470 | $20.42 |
| Virginia | $47,070 | $22.63 |
| District of Columbia | $60,720 | $29.19 |
| Maryland | $44,530 | $21.41 |
| North Carolina | $39,090 | $18.79 |
| Kentucky | $38,540 | $18.53 |
| Tennessee | $38,500 | $18.51 |
Related jobs in Virginia
Average pay, Virginia, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do security guards make in Virginia?
The average is $47,070 a year, and the median is $43,640. That is $4,600 (11%) more than the U.S. average of $42,470.
What is the hourly wage in Virginia?
$22.63 an hour on average; the median is $20.98.
Where in Virginia do they earn the most?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($54,430), followed by Lynchburg, VA ($52,570). The lowest average among 11 metro areas with data is Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA ($38,870).
How does Virginia rank?
Virginia ranks #6 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.