How much money do security guards make?
Are you looking to start a new career? Does Security sound like a good fit for you? It’s essential to know everything about the job you are looking into. We are here to help.
How much a security guard makes is dependent upon three things: location, training and experience.
Average Security Guard Salaries by Province
Location is one of the three factors that contribute to security guard salaries. The following wages were gathered from Indeed. Security Guards in Canada make an average of $16.62. Salaries will vary based on if you work in the public or private security sector.
Ontario
$16.50
Quebec
$18.57
Manitoba
$16.12
British Columbia
$17.85
Saskatchewan
$16.17
Alberta
$17.43
New Brunswick
$14.30
Nova Scotia
$14.04
P.E.I
$14.42
Yukon
$18.94
Newfoundland
$16.27
Nunavut
$17.33
How does experience affect your pay?
Experience is going to be the most significant factor in determining your pay. The more experience you have, the better your income. In general, at least two years of experience working as a security guard is the minimum amount of experience you can have and see an increase in your salary.
How does education affect your pay?
There are many benefits to continuing education, but the biggest is how it can boost your salary. Having a certificate or degree that is relevant to the security industry can increase your salary as a security guard, in some cases as much as double what someone with only a high school diploma would earn. This does not include the special training you will need to go through to get your license, as every security guard must take it.
What are my Career paths and Pay Rates?
As a security guard, there are many branches you can go into (including average salary):
- Security Supervisor $18.45 per hour
- Security Officer $17.38 per hour
- Cyber-security specialist $23.71 per hour
- Armed guard $21.11 per hour
- Border security $26.02 per hour
- Private security consultant $57.14 per hour
- Correctional officer $28.44 per hour
- Fire protection specialists $21.97 per hour
- Private detective or investigator $24.98 per hour
- Policing $31.38 per hour
Each one comes with its own unique requirements. If you are interested in expanding into one of these security sectors, we recommend researching what you need to do to be prepared and successful.
Bonuses/Benefits
As well as your salary, working as a security guard can also give you access to benefits and bonuses, the scale of which depends on your employer. The most common type of bonus given out to security guards is holiday and individual performance-based bonuses. Most security guards are offered benefits for medical, dental and vision.
Is a career in Security the right choice for you?
Now that we have covered all the bases in terms of the pay for security guards, you can begin your security journey.
There are many more things to consider when looking into working at a security company. So here are some next steps for you:
- Research requirements for your location (including education, licensing, age and criminal record)
- Find a Security Training course approved by your province/state (which will teach you about security protocols, maintaining order, and report writing)
- Get your license
- Start working as a Security Guard
If you are unsure how to get started in Security, or are looking for a security job, check out our website, www.baigsecurity.com or send us an email at info@baigsecurity.com.
Have questions about the security guard training program? Check out our post on security training in Canada here: https://qr.ae/pGIMbI