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Where is it easiest to open: Security Guards and Patrol Services
51 states, side by side. Operator counts and wages from Census and BLS; licence records matched on “SOC 33-9032” (soc) for Security Guards. A blank gate means NO RECORD MATCHED, which is not the same as no licence.
| State | Operators | Avg staff | Pay / employee | Gate | Licence titles matched |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CA | 2,160 | 71.6 | $33,753 | licence | Baton Permit; Exposed Firearm Permit |
| FL | 975 | 56.3 | $27,820 | exam | Corporate Officer or LLC Member for Se; General Individual Occupational |
| TX | 964 | 62.4 | $29,259 | licence | Racing -- Law Enforcement; Racing -- Security Officer |
| NY | 777 | 110.8 | $32,361 | licence | Armored Car Guard; Security Guard |
| IL | 340 | 100.3 | $30,136 | exam | INTERTRACK EMPLOYEE |
| VA | 338 | 95.1 | $50,624 | licence | Armed Security Officer; Armored Car Personnel |
| GA | 295 | 76.8 | $25,591 | exam | Employee - In-House Armed Security; Employee - Security Guard |
| PA | 288 | 100.2 | $27,619 | not matched | — |
| MD | 274 | 79.4 | $32,265 | licence | GUARDS |
| WA | 230 | 63.5 | $36,765 | exam | Guard (Security); Security Guard |
| NJ | 221 | 106.0 | $31,220 | licence | SECURITY OFFICER; SECURITY OFFICER INSTRUCTOR |
| OH | 220 | 68.3 | $29,579 | licence | Security Guard License |
| AZ | 218 | 68.5 | $29,320 | licence | Armed Security Guard; Unarmed Security Guard |
| TN | 213 | 86.4 | $32,449 | exam | ARMED SECURITY GUARD/OFFICER; CONTRACT SECURITY COMPANY (INDIVIDUAL |
| CO | 202 | 60.4 | $30,920 | not matched | — |
| MI | 193 | 71.2 | $27,347 | exam | Horse Racing Occupational License; Security Guard |
| NC | 180 | 79.5 | $26,422 | licence | Armored Car Profession; Close Personal Protection |
| MA | 167 | 98.2 | $32,930 | exam | GAMING EMPLOYEE |
| NV | 165 | 75.9 | $27,577 | not matched | — |
| IN | 156 | 55.5 | $24,179 | exam | Occupational Riverboat Gambling Licens |
| MO | 135 | 76.0 | $30,702 | not matched | — |
| OR | 121 | 50.2 | $34,650 | licence | Private Security Manager/Supervisor; Private Security Professionals |
| LA | 105 | 66.7 | $23,728 | exam | Security Officer |
| OK | 102 | 49.5 | $34,687 | exam | Security Guard/Armed Security Guard |
| AL | 97 | 69.4 | $23,507 | licence | Licensed Armed Personal Security Offic; Licensed Personal Security Officer |
| MN | 84 | 85.7 | $29,743 | licence | Protective Agent Services License |
| SC | 84 | 104.0 | $26,963 | not matched | — |
| NM | 80 | 31.1 | $31,060 | exam | Private Patrol Operation Company/Trade; Private Patrol Operator |
| KY | 80 | 76.3 | $26,335 | not matched | — |
| HI | 78 | 77.2 | $29,071 | exam | Guard; Guard Employee |
| MS | 76 | 49.7 | $19,272 | not matched | — |
| CT | 72 | 80.6 | $28,176 | not matched | — |
| DC | 69 | 86.4 | $50,004 | exam | REAL ESTATE SALESPERSON; Security Officer |
| WI | 69 | 56.0 | $28,315 | licence | PRIVATE SECURITY PERSON |
| KS | 49 | 55.4 | $32,004 | licence | Level III Gaming Occupation |
| UT | 49 | 61.6 | $33,292 | licence | SECURITY GUARD |
| NE | 41 | 47.3 | $30,837 | not matched | — |
| AR | 40 | 64.7 | $23,585 | exam | Class "B" Security Contractor Manager; Commissioned School Security Officer ( |
| IA | 39 | 83.1 | $25,254 | licence | Private Security Agent (Security Guard |
| RI | 35 | 81.3 | $28,815 | not matched | — |
| ID | 32 | 22.2 | $27,744 | not matched | — |
| AK | 26 | 64.4 | $48,823 | licence | Security Guard |
| DE | 24 | 73.9 | $25,671 | not matched | — |
| MT | 23 | 23.8 | $22,774 | licence | Private Security - Alarm Response Runn; Private Security - Certified Firearm I |
| ND | 18 | 21.4 | $28,803 | exam | Armed First Responders; Individual Security Providers |
| NH | 17 | 56.6 | $29,196 | licence | Security Guard |
| WV | 16 | 59.0 | $26,677 | not matched | — |
| ME | 12 | 34.1 | $36,252 | licence | Security Company, Licensed Contract; Security Guard, Private |
| WY | 10 | 16.7 | $33,796 | not matched | — |
| SD | 10 | 11.2 | $31,268 | not matched | — |
| VT | 4 | 111.8 | $17,911 | exam | Licensed Private Investigator and/or S |
Axes are shown side by side and deliberately NOT collapsed into a ranking. A composite would be a score with no measured interval, and an unmeasured score is the thing this product exists to argue against. A high licence gate is a cost to enter and a moat once cleared — which of those matters more is the operator's call, not ours.
Licence data courtesy of CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor. Free to read, no account, always — a condition of the data licence as well as our own position.