Quick answer: how much does security cost?
Security pricing in the U.S. varies significantly by guard type, based on 6,464 real booked jobs. Here is the full picture, from lowest to highest cost tier:
| Guard Type | Relative Cost Tier | Typical Structure |
|---|---|---|
| Event / Venue | Lowest | Priced per event, for crowd management and access control |
| Unarmed | Entry-to-standard | Most common structure, hourly with a shift minimum |
| Lead / Supervisor | Standard-plus | Oversight premium layered on the base unarmed rate |
| Armed | Mid-premium | Licensing, weapons certification, and added insurance load |
| Armed + Vehicle | High-premium | Vehicle, fuel, and patrol-route costs on top of the armed rate |
| Executive Protection | Highest | Retainer-based, reflecting advance work and close-protection expertise |
Traditional security agencies add 25–75% markup over guard wages. The cost tiers above reflect real market patterns from actual booked engagements, not padded agency estimates.
Average price of private security in the United States
Private security pricing spans a wide range, from entry-level unarmed coverage in lower-cost markets at the low end to specialized armed services in major coastal cities at the high end. At the premium tier, executive protection and armed patrol vehicle services sit well above standard guard pricing.
Private security pricing in the U.S. has risen steadily over the past several years, driven by increased licensing requirements, higher guard wage floors from minimum wage increases, rising liability insurance costs, and sustained demand growth as businesses reinvested in physical security post-pandemic.
For most commercial clients, standard unarmed and armed deployments fall within a predictable mid-range band. Specialized needs, executive protection, armed vehicle patrol, high-risk environments, sit outside that band by design.
Hourly rates for security guards
Hourly rates are the most common pricing structure for ongoing security engagements. You pay for actual hours worked, typically subject to a minimum booking (usually four hours). Rates are set by guard type, location, and the specific agency's pricing model.
What drives the rate, from lowest to highest tier:
- •Entry-level unarmed coverage in secondary and suburban markets sits at the low end
- •Standard unarmed coverage in most metropolitan markets runs a step above entry-level
- •Armed guards across most U.S. markets carry a meaningful premium for licensing, weapons certification, and insurance
- •Armed patrol vehicle or specialty armed services add vehicle and route costs on top of the armed premium
- •Executive protection and close-protection details sit at the top of the market, reflecting specialized training and retainer-based engagement
Overnight, weekend, and holiday shifts typically carry a 10–25% premium over standard daytime rates. See our full security guard cost guide for a deeper breakdown of what drives hourly pricing.
Daily rates for security guards
For many event and project-based clients, it is easier to think in terms of shift costs rather than hourly rates. Most security engagements run 8-hour or 12-hour shifts, and the total shift cost simply follows the hourly rate for the guard type you book, scaled by shift length.
Longer shifts do not always scale in perfect proportion. Overnight and extended shifts often carry an additional premium on top of the base rate, since fewer guards are willing to work late-night or extended hours. Construction sites, special events, and retail locations with extended hours are commonly serviced on 10–12 hour shift structures, so it is worth asking any agency you are evaluating exactly how they price the step from an 8-hour to a 12-hour post.
Factors that affect the cost of security
Location
Where you need security is one of the single biggest drivers of price. Based on real booked jobs across major U.S. metros, coastal and high-cost-of-living markets like Miami and New York City consistently price above the national picture, while metros with lower guard wage floors and denser agency competition, like Atlanta and Dallas-Fort Worth, tend to run below it. Markets in between, including Denver, San Antonio, Newark, Nashville, Austin, Chicago, and Phoenix, cluster closer to the middle of the range.
Location affects pricing through guard wage levels, state licensing costs, local insurance rates, and the competitive density of the agency market. View rates by location for more detail.
Experience and training
A guard's professional background directly affects the rate. Entry-level guards with basic licensing anchor the low end. Guards with military, law enforcement, or specialized industry experience (healthcare, gaming, aviation) command 15–30% premiums. For high-stakes environments, that experience premium is well worth paying.
Advanced certifications, such as active threat response, CPR/AED, defensive tactics, and bilingual capability, also affect rates. When requesting quotes, ask specifically about the experience levels of the guards being proposed for your deployment.
Type of property
The nature of your property shapes both the type of guards needed and the rate you will pay.
- •Retail locations: Unarmed coverage focused on deterrence and customer interaction, typically at standard unarmed rates
- •Financial institutions: Armed guards required by most insurance policies, higher rates with compliance documentation
- •Healthcare facilities: Often require specific healthcare security training, HIPAA awareness, and de-escalation certification, with a rate premium of 10–20%
- •Construction sites: Overnight unarmed or armed patrol, often with vehicle; site-specific rates depending on asset value
- •Data centers and tech campuses: High access-control requirements, often mixed armed/unarmed with rigid post order compliance
For industry-specific security needs, see our industries overview.
Technology and add-ons
Technology integration changes the security cost equation in both directions.
Cost-adding technologies: Body cameras, GPS tracking, visitor management systems, and security monitoring platforms may be priced as add-ons. Confirm whether these are bundled before comparing quotes.
Cost-reducing technologies: Live video monitoring can reduce the number of on-site guards required by extending the effective coverage area of each guard. A monitored camera network covering parking and exterior perimeter reduces the patrol burden on in-person staff.
Smart access control, alarm monitoring, and AI-based video analytics are increasingly paired with guard services to create hybrid security programs that deliver more coverage per dollar than guard-only deployments.
Specific types of security and their prices
Event security
Event security is priced at the lower end of the unarmed range for standard crowd management and access control roles. Events with VIP components, alcohol service, or large attendance often require supervisors and armed elements that raise the blended rate.
For a mid-size corporate event running a full day, a multi-guard deployment with a supervisor scales the total cost up from a single-guard booking, but the pricing still tracks the same drivers as any other engagement: guard count, armed-versus-unarmed mix, and shift length.
Executive protection
Executive protection is the premium tier of private security. EP specialists command the highest rates in the market and are deployed for high-profile individuals, corporate executives under threat, and situations requiring advance work, motorcade protocols, and close-protection techniques. EP engagements typically involve multi-day or ongoing retainers rather than hourly bookings.
Residential security
Residential security, guards for gated communities, luxury buildings, or private estates, typically runs in the standard unarmed or armed range depending on the community's security posture. Gated community guardhouses commonly use unarmed officers priced at the standard end of the market. High-net-worth private estate security may involve armed personnel or EP-level staff, which shifts pricing into the premium tier.
Retail security
Retail security is one of the highest-volume segments of the private security market. Standard unarmed retail guards price within the typical unarmed range for the local market. Loss prevention specialists with investigative training may run slightly higher. High-volume or organized retail crime environments may justify armed or off-duty police coverage.
How to save money on hiring security
Get multiple quotes. The single most effective cost control is competitive bidding. When agencies know they are competing, pricing sharpens. Calvis facilitates this automatically.
Right-size the guard type. Deploying armed guards where unarmed would be effective is a direct cost inefficiency. Conduct an honest risk assessment before specifying guard type.
Optimize shift timing. If your actual incident history shows risk concentrated in specific hours, adjust coverage accordingly rather than maintaining full-day staffing by default.
Bundle technology with guards. A monitored video solution covering low-risk perimeter areas allows you to concentrate human coverage on entry points and high-risk zones, reducing total hours billed.
Book ongoing rather than ad hoc. Last-minute and one-time bookings carry premiums. Monthly agreements with vetted providers typically deliver better rates.
Choosing a security service based on your budget
| Coverage Level | What You Can Get |
|---|---|
| Minimal | Part-time unarmed guard covering limited weekly hours; event-based coverage for a handful of events |
| Light | Part-time to near-full-time unarmed coverage for a single location |
| Standard | Full-time single guard post (unarmed), or part-time armed coverage |
| Elevated | Full-time armed single post, or a multi-guard unarmed program |
| Comprehensive | Multi-guard, multi-shift programs with 24/7 coverage and a mixed armed/unarmed team |
The most important first step is clarifying your actual coverage requirements before optimizing for price. A program designed around your real risk profile will deliver better value than the cheapest available option.
See what security costs in your market or post your job now to receive competitive quotes from licensed, vetted agencies, with no booking fees and no contracts.