How Much Does a Security Company Charge Per Hour? (2026 Pricing Guide)
Security companies quote a per-hour bill rate, and in 2026 that rate is usually about $22 to $34 an hour for an unarmed officer and $30 to $48 for an armed one in most U.S. markets. The number is not the guard's wage. It is a fully loaded price that carries payroll taxes, insurance, supervision, and the company's margin, which is why two companies can quote very different figures for the same site. Knowing what sits inside the rate is how you compare them fairly.
Indicative 2026 hourly rates by service type
| Setting | Unarmed (per hour) | Armed (per hour) |
|---|---|---|
| Retail, office, or residential (daytime) | $22–$32 | $30–$45 |
| Construction site or warehouse | $24–$34 | $32–$48 |
| Gated community / HOA | $22–$30 | $30–$42 |
| Events and crowd management | $28–$40 | $38–$55 |
| Executive protection / high-risk | Not typical | $60–$150+ |
Indicative 2026 U.S. contract-security bill rates. Ranges vary by market and are not a quote.
Where a company lands in these ranges depends on your location, the officer's armed status, shift length, and the risk of the site. For a buyer-side breakdown of how hours turn into headcount and monthly cost, see our sister guide on how many guards a site needs.
What is actually inside the bill rate
The single most useful thing to understand is that the hourly price is mostly not profit. A typical unarmed rate breaks down roughly like this:
| Component | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Officer wage | The guard's hourly pay (U.S. median is roughly $16–$18/hr) |
| Payroll burden | Employer payroll taxes, paid time off, unemployment |
| Insurance | General liability and workers' compensation |
| Uniforms & equipment | Uniforms, radios, reporting tools, patrol tech |
| Supervision & admin | Field supervisors, scheduling, payroll, screening |
| Margin | The company's profit |
Because wage is only part of the total, a bill rate of 1.5 to 2 times the guard's pay is normal. A quote well below the local market usually means one of these lines, most often insurance or supervision, has been trimmed, and that risk lands on you.
Why quotes vary so much by region and site
The same coverage can be priced very differently from one metro to the next, because bill rates track local wages, the minimum wage, and insurance costs. A quiet daytime lobby post and a high-risk overnight post in the same city also sit at opposite ends of the range. That is why a national average is only a rough guide: two honest companies can quote different numbers for the same job, and a written quote for your specific site, hours, and risk is the only figure you can actually budget against.
Premiums: nights, weekends, holidays, and minimums
- Overnight: often included, sometimes a small $1 to $3 per hour uplift.
- Weekends: frequently standard rate; some companies add a dollar or two.
- Holidays: commonly time-and-a-half (1.5x).
- Overtime: over 40 hours a week per officer is billed at 1.5x under federal law.
- Minimum shift: usually 4 hours, sometimes 8; one-off bookings cost more per hour.
How to compare two quotes apples-to-apples
The headline rate is the wrong thing to compare first. Line the bids up on what each includes:
- Same scope? Confirm both quotes cover the same posts, hours, and armed or unarmed status.
- Supervision included? A rate with no field supervision is not cheaper, it is less.
- Insurance limits? Ask for certificates and check the liability limits match.
- Reporting and patrol tech? Daily reports and GPS-verified checkpoints should be in the price, not an add-on.
- Holiday, overtime, and minimums? Get these in writing so the quote is not lower just because the premiums are hidden.
Our buyer's checklist turns this into a scored comparison you can use across several companies.
Get a real number for your site
Every figure here is indicative. A firm price comes from a short survey of your hours, layout, access points, and risk. Decide first whether you need an armed or unarmed provider, then use our tool to compare local security companies and ask two or three to quote the same written scope.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a security company charge per hour in 2026?
Most U.S. security companies charge about $22 to $34 per hour for an unarmed officer and $30 to $48 for an armed officer, with events and executive protection costing more. The exact rate depends on your location, the site's risk, shift length, and what the quote includes.
Why is the hourly rate higher than a guard's wage?
Because the bill rate is fully loaded. On top of the officer's pay, it covers employer payroll taxes, general liability and workers' compensation insurance, uniforms and equipment, field supervision, scheduling, and the company's margin. That is why the rate is typically 1.5 to 2 times the guard's wage.
Are cheaper security companies a bad deal?
Not always, but a rate far below the local market usually means something has been cut, often insurance, supervision, or training. Ask any low bidder to itemize the rate. If two quotes differ a lot, the gap is almost always in what is included, not pure profit.
Do security companies charge more at night or on holidays?
Overnight work is often included or carries a small uplift, and weekends are frequently billed at the standard rate. Recognized holidays are commonly billed at time-and-a-half, and any officer over 40 hours in a week is billed at overtime. Always confirm these terms in the contract.
Sources
- Indicative 2026 U.S. contract-guard bill rates (client-billed hourly), compiled from standard private-security pricing structures. Rates vary by market and are not a quote; obtain written, site-specific pricing.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Security Guards (SOC 33-9032) - guard wage context, most recent release.
- U.S. Department of Labor, Fair Labor Standards Act - overtime over 40 hours/week is required; holiday and weekend premiums are contractual, not federally mandated.