If you're weighing whether to become a security guard — or wondering whether it's worth renewing your license and staying in the field — you've probably run into two conflicting stories. One says the industry is barely growing. The other says AI and cameras are about to make guards obsolete. Neither tells you what you actually need to know: whether you can get hired, and whether the job will still be there in a few years.
The real answer sits in between the headlines. Growth is slow, but hiring demand is strong, because so many guards leave the field every year that employers are constantly filling seats. What determines whether you're one of the people who gets hired — and stays employed — isn't the industry's growth rate. It's your training and licensing status. Here's what the current data says, and what it means for you.
Key Takeaways
- BLS projects only 1% employment growth for security guards from 2025-2035, but about 157,200 openings are expected each year — mostly from turnover, not new positions.
- High turnover (77% industry-wide in 2024, per ASIS International) means hiring demand stays strong even though the total number of jobs isn't expanding much.
- Median pay was ,020 in May 2025, but the range runs from under ,210 to over ,840 depending on armed status, specialization, and location.
- AI and camera systems are changing which guard jobs exist (fewer static overnight posts, more concierge/specialized roles), but current data shows no evidence of trained human guards being eliminated wholesale.
Is the Security Guard Field Actually Growing in 2025?
What the 2025-2035 BLS projection actually says
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, overall employment of security guards and gambling surveillance officers is projected to grow just 1 percent from 2025 to 2035 — slower than the average for all occupations. Security guards held about 1.3 million jobs in 2025, making it one of the larger protective service occupations in the country.
If you've seen older articles citing 0% growth for 2024-2034, that's a previous BLS release, not the current one. The methodology and the years covered differ slightly between releases, so it's worth checking which projection period a source is actually using before comparing numbers.
Why 1% growth doesn't mean the field is dying
A 1 percent growth rate sounds unimpressive next to faster-growing occupations, and it is. But "flat growth" and "no jobs available" are two different things. Growth rate measures how much the total number of positions expands. It says nothing about how many people are hired each year to fill existing roles that open up — which, in this field, turns out to be a much bigger number.
Why There Are Still 157,200 Openings a Year If Growth Is Flat
Turnover, not expansion, drives most hiring
Despite that limited growth, the BLS projects about 157,200 openings for security guards and gambling surveillance officers each year, on average, over the coming decade. Most of those openings aren't new jobs — they come from the need to replace workers who transfer to other occupations or leave the labor force entirely, whether that's retirement or simply moving on to different work.
What 77% turnover means for someone looking for work now
That replacement cycle is intense. Security guard turnover hit 77% in 2024, according to ASIS International — up from a pre-pandemic rate of 69.3% in 2019, per industry tracking data. In practical terms, this means that even with almost no net growth in total positions, employers are constantly re-hiring. If you're job-hunting, that steady churn is what actually puts openings in front of you — far more than the growth rate does.
What Security Guards Actually Earn in 2025
Median wage and the full pay range
The median annual wage for security guards was ,020 in May 2025, per BLS data. But "median" hides a wide spread. The lowest 10 percent earned less than ,210, while the highest 10 percent earned more than ,840.
| Pay tier | Annual wage (May 2025) |
|---|---|
| Bottom 10% | Under ,210 |
| Median | ,020 |
| Top 10% | Over ,840 |
What pushes pay toward the top 10%
That gap isn't random. Armed versus unarmed status, specialization (executive protection, healthcare security, event security), and geographic location all factor into where a given guard lands on that scale. Not every security guard job pays the same, and the roles clustered near the top of the range tend to require more training, more responsibility, or both.
Will AI and Cameras Replace Security Guards?
What's actually shrinking: static and overnight posts
This is the question most people actually want answered, and it deserves a straight answer rather than a dodge. Current industry data points to real change in where guard jobs exist, not a wholesale disappearance of the role. Segments in decline include overnight monitoring posts, static assignments at low-risk sites, and wide-area patrol — the kinds of roles where a camera system or sensor network can reasonably cover a lot of the same ground.
What's holding steady or growing: high-interaction and specialized roles
At the same time, roles that require human judgment and interaction — concierge-security positions, executive protection, healthcare and event security, and tech-enabled operations where a guard works alongside monitoring systems rather than being replaced by them — are holding steady or growing. As one industry analysis puts it, AI and automation are frequently discussed as threats to guard jobs, but the data tells a different story: technology tends to enhance what a trained guard can do rather than eliminate the need for a physical presence.
None of this is a guarantee about where the industry will be in ten years. But based on what the data shows right now, demand for trained human guards is holding up — it's just shifting toward roles that require more skill, not fewer.
Who Is Doing This Work — and What It Means for Newcomers
It helps to know who you'd actually be working alongside. About 60% of guards work for contract security firms rather than the businesses they protect, according to the Berkeley Labor Center. The workforce is predominantly male (76%) and majority workers of color (61%), with Black workers making up nearly one in three (31%). The median age is 40, and roughly six in seven guards have no bachelor's degree — meaning this is a field where relevant training and licensing, not a college degree, is the main credential that matters.
This context isn't a judgment on anyone's personal financial situation — it's simply a picture of the current workforce, useful for understanding where you'd fit and who you'd be competing with for the higher-paying, more specialized roles.
Does Training Actually Improve Your Job Prospects?
Why licensing status matters more than the growth rate
Here's the part that actually matters for your decision. The industry's 1% growth rate applies to the aggregate — it doesn't tell you anything about your individual odds. What does affect your odds is whether you're licensed and trained for the segments of the field that are stable or growing, rather than the ones that are shrinking.
Training won't guarantee you a job, a raise, or a promotion — no program can promise that. What proper licensing and specialized training can do is position you for consideration in the roles this data shows are holding up: armed positions, healthcare and event security, executive protection, and tech-enabled operations where guards work with monitoring systems rather than being replaced by them.
Armed vs. unarmed, and other specializations worth training for
Armed guard roles typically require more extensive licensing and carry more responsibility — and, as the wage data above suggests, they tend to sit higher on the pay scale. The same is often true for specialized verticals like healthcare security, where facility-specific training matters, or event security, where the work is inherently high-interaction and harder to automate. If you're deciding what to train for, these are the categories worth looking at first.
Ready to see where you'd fit? Explore Star Security Training's licensing and certification programs to find the credentials that match the roles currently in demand.
Is Security Guard Work a Stable Long-Term Career or Just a Stepping Stone?
Honestly, it can be either — and which one it becomes largely depends on the choices you make after you're hired. For some, guard work is a short-term job while they figure out what's next. For others, it's a stable, long-term career built on specialization and additional licensing over time.
The high turnover rate that makes hiring easier also creates real opportunity for the people who stay. When roughly three-quarters of the workforce cycles out each year, guards who stick around and pick up additional certifications are often the ones who move into supervisory roles, specialized posts, or higher-paying armed positions. Steady hiring demand is there. Whether it turns into a long-term career or a revolving-door job comes down to whether you treat training as a one-time requirement or an ongoing investment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the security guard job market growing or shrinking in 2025?
It's growing slightly, not shrinking. The BLS projects 1% employment growth for security guards from 2025 to 2035, which is slower than the average for all occupations but still positive. The field held about 1.3 million jobs in 2025. Slow growth doesn't mean limited hiring, though — high turnover means employers are filling positions constantly, so job openings remain steady even with minimal net expansion in total headcount.
How many security guard job openings are there per year?
The BLS projects about 157,200 openings for security guards and gambling surveillance officers each year, on average, over the coming decade. Most of these aren't new positions — they're created when current guards transfer to other occupations or leave the workforce, for reasons like retirement. That distinction matters: the opening exists because someone left, not because the industry expanded, but it's still a real opportunity for job seekers.
What is the average pay for a security guard in 2025?
The median annual wage for security guards was ,020 in May 2025. Pay varies widely, though — the lowest 10 percent earned less than ,210, while the highest 10 percent earned more than ,840. Armed status, specialization (like executive protection or healthcare security), and location all affect where a given job falls on that range, so "average pay" looks very different depending on the specific role.
Will AI or security cameras eventually replace security guards?
Current data doesn't support that as a certainty. Some segments — overnight monitoring, static posts at low-risk sites, wide-area patrol — are shrinking as camera and sensor systems take on more of that work. But high-interaction and specialized roles, like concierge-security, executive protection, healthcare, and event security, are holding steady or growing. Technology is changing which guard jobs exist, but current BLS and industry data show ongoing demand for trained human guards.
Is armed security guard work in higher demand than unarmed?
Armed positions generally require more extensive licensing and carry more responsibility, and they tend to pay toward the higher end of the wage range. That doesn't mean unarmed work is in low demand — it remains a major share of the field. But if you're deciding where to specialize, armed licensing is one of several paths (along with healthcare or event security) associated with higher pay and roles less likely to be automated.
Do I need a license or certification to get hired as a security guard?
Licensing requirements vary by state and by the type of role (armed vs. unarmed, specific industries like healthcare or gaming). In general, proper licensing is what separates candidates who qualify for the field's more stable, higher-paying segments from those limited to entry-level, high-turnover posts. Training doesn't guarantee a job offer, but it's typically a baseline requirement employers screen for before considering an applicant at all.
Is security guard work a good long-term career or just a temporary job?
It can be either, depending on the guard. For some, it's a short-term job while they explore other options. For others — particularly those who pursue additional licensing and specialize in higher-demand areas — it becomes a stable, long-term career with room to advance into supervisory or specialized roles. High industry turnover means there's regular opportunity for advancement for guards who stay and continue building their credentials.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the security guard job market growing or shrinking in 2025?
It's growing slightly, not shrinking. The BLS projects 1% employment growth for security guards from 2025 to 2035, which is slower than the average for all occupations but still positive. The field held about 1.3 million jobs in 2025. Slow growth doesn't mean limited hiring, though — high turnover means employers are filling positions constantly, so job openings remain steady even with minimal net expansion in total headcount.
How many security guard job openings are there per year?
The BLS projects about 157,200 openings for security guards and gambling surveillance officers each year, on average, over the coming decade. Most of these aren't new positions — they're created when current guards transfer to other occupations or leave the workforce, for reasons like retirement. That distinction matters: the opening exists because someone left, not because the industry expanded, but it's still a real opportunity for job seekers.
What is the average pay for a security guard in 2025?
The median annual wage for security guards was ,020 in May 2025. Pay varies widely, though — the lowest 10 percent earned less than ,210, while the highest 10 percent earned more than ,840. Armed status, specialization (like executive protection or healthcare security), and location all affect where a given job falls on that range, so "average pay" looks very different depending on the specific role.
Will AI or security cameras eventually replace security guards?
Current data doesn't support that as a certainty. Some segments — overnight monitoring, static posts at low-risk sites, wide-area patrol — are shrinking as camera and sensor systems take on more of that work. But high-interaction and specialized roles, like concierge-security, executive protection, healthcare, and event security, are holding steady or growing. Technology is changing which guard jobs exist, but current BLS and industry data show ongoing demand for trained human guards.
Is armed security guard work in higher demand than unarmed?
Armed positions generally require more extensive licensing and carry more responsibility, and they tend to pay toward the higher end of the wage range. That doesn't mean unarmed work is in low demand — it remains a major share of the field. But if you're deciding where to specialize, armed licensing is one of several paths (along with healthcare or event security) associated with higher pay and roles less likely to be automated.
Do I need a license or certification to get hired as a security guard?
Licensing requirements vary by state and by the type of role (armed vs. unarmed, specific industries like healthcare or gaming). In general, proper licensing is what separates candidates who qualify for the field's more stable, higher-paying segments from those limited to entry-level, high-turnover posts. Training doesn't guarantee a job offer, but it's typically a baseline requirement employers screen for before considering an applicant at all.
Is security guard work a good long-term career or just a temporary job?
It can be either, depending on the guard. For some, it's a short-term job while they explore other options. For others — particularly those who pursue additional licensing and specialize in higher-demand areas — it becomes a stable, long-term career with room to advance into supervisory or specialized roles. High industry turnover means there's regular opportunity for advancement for guards who stay and continue building their credentials.