Security Guards and Patrol Services Revenue Benchmarks
The average security guards and patrol services business in the United States generates $5.4M in annual revenue, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB 2021). There are 7,361 security guards and patrol services businesses in the U.S., employing 753,571 workers with an average profit margin of 8.0%. The average employee in this industry earns $38K per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW 2023).
What Does a Security Guards and Patrol Business Actually Do?
Businesses that provide uniformed security officers for property protection, event security, executive protection, and mobile patrol.
Who buys: Commercial property managers, event operators, retail chains (loss prevention), corporate offices.
Average Revenue
$5.4M
per year
Profit Margin
8.0%
industry average
Revenue / Employee
$53K
per year
Total Businesses
7,361
in the US
Est. Owner Income
$431K
small business avg
Labor Cost
55.0%
of revenue
Avg Employee Wage
$38K
per year (BLS)
Market Saturation
2.2
firms per 100K people
How Much Do Security Guards and Patrol Services Charge?
Security guard services are priced per hour with post type and shift length as drivers.
| Service | Typical range |
|---|---|
Unarmed guard | $18–35/hour |
Armed guard | $30–65/hour |
Executive protection | $75–200/hour |
Event security | $25–50/hour |
Mobile patrol | $25–60 per stop |
Ranges based on industry rate surveys and typical published pricing. Actual quotes vary by city, business size, and job complexity.
Complete security guards and patrol business plan
A 12-section data-backed business plan for a security guards and patrol services business — executive summary, market analysis, competitive landscape, revenue model, 3-year financial projections, operations, marketing, staffing, funding request. Pre-populated with real Census, IRS, and BLS data on this industry. Free to view.
Cost Structure — Where Every $100 in Revenue Goes
Approximate P&L breakdown for the security guards and patrol services industry. Labor share and net profit are grounded in Census SUSB and IRS SOI data. Other lines are split using sector-typical ratios.
| Category | Per $100 revenue | Per typical business | What's in it |
|---|---|---|---|
Direct service costs | $7 | $398K | Cleaning supplies, uniforms, equipment consumables — depends on service type. |
Wages & benefits | $55 | $3.0M | Payroll for all employees at the business (owner comp not included for small owner-operators). |
Rent & facilities | $6 | $299K | Rent or mortgage on business location plus utilities tied to the space. |
Marketing & advertising | $4 | $199K | Google/Meta ads, SEO, print, referral fees, event sponsorships. |
Other operating costs | $20 | $1.1M | Insurance, background checks, training, transportation, admin. |
Net profit | $8 | $431K | What remains for the owner or shareholders after all business expenses. |
Directionally accurate for a typical business in the industry. Individual businesses vary widely — a franchise may run a very different cost mix from an independent, and older established businesses often have lower labor share than newer ones.
Average Revenue by Business Size
Industry Dynamics (Census BDS 2023)
New Business Rate
10.72%
openings/year
Closure Rate
8.92%
closings/year
Net Job Growth
+4.51%
annual
Businesses Closed
1,757
in 2023
Firm Count Trend
Should You Start a Security Guards and Patrol Business?
Startup Cost
$50K – $250K
Break-Even
4 months
5-Year Survival Rate
50.0%
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Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a security guards and patrol services business do?
- Businesses that provide uniformed security officers for property protection, event security, executive protection, and mobile patrol. Commercial property managers, event operators, retail chains (loss prevention), corporate offices.
- How much do security guards and patrol services charge?
- Security guard services are priced per hour with post type and shift length as drivers. See the pricing table above for typical rates by service type.
- How much does the average security guards and patrol services make per year?
- The average security guards and patrol services business generates $5.4M in annual revenue, based on U.S. Census Bureau data (SUSB 2021). After expenses, the estimated owner profit is $431K per year at a 8.0% profit margin.
- How many security guards and patrol services businesses are there in the US?
- There are 7,361 security guards and patrol services businesses operating in the United States, employing a total of 753,571 workers.
- How much does it cost to start a security guards and patrol services business?
- Startup costs for a security guards and patrol services business typically range from $50K to $250K, with a 5-year survival rate of 50.0%.
- What is the average salary in the security guards and patrol services industry?
- The average employee in the security guards and patrol services industry earns $38K per year, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data (QCEW 2023).
Industry Growth & Survival
The security guards and patrol services industry is actively growing — adding jobs at a net rate of 4.5% per year. New establishments are opening faster than existing ones close (10.7% entry vs 8.9% exit), indicating healthy demand.
Approximately 63% of security guards and patrol services businesses survive their first 5 years. This is above the national average (~50%), making it a relatively safe industry to enter. In 2023, 1,757 firms in this industry closed permanently.
Employment & Wages
The average employee in the security guards and patrol services industry earns $37,663/year. This is below the national average of ~$65K — typical for this sector. With 16,908 establishments employing 783,706 people, the typical business has about 46 employees.
Industry Trend (2000–2023)
The security guards and patrol services industry has grown 23% since 2000 (from 15,525 to 19,038 firms).
See full historical statistics →Compare Security Guards and Patrol Services revenue with other industries: