Ranked by median pay, with jobs and rent share; from BLS and Census data.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
3 metro areas in Nevada publish pay for this occupation with at least 100 jobs, together 25,820 jobs. The three largest employers of security guards are Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas (23,800 jobs), Reno (1,900 jobs), Carson City (120 jobs), which hold 100.0% of those jobs. Median pay across these metros runs from $37,210 to $43,640 a year, against $37,310 for the whole state and $38,020 for the whole country.
BLS reports a national median of $38,020 a year for security guards (the lowest-paid tenth earn under $30,210 and the highest-paid tenth over $58,840). Employment is projected to change by +0.9% between 2025 and 2035, with about 156,000 openings a year including replacements. The typical entry route is: High school diploma or equivalent; on-the-job training: Short-term on-the-job training. Education requirements are BLS's typical ones, not legal rules; many states also license this work, so check the state board before applying.
Higher pay is not the whole story: look at the rent share column (yearly rent divided by median pay) and the price level (100 is the national average). A metro with a lower salary but cheaper housing can leave more money at the end of the month. The location quotient shows where the occupation is concentrated; employers cluster where it is above 1, which usually means more openings and more competition among employers for the same skills.
Security guards in Nevada: the highest median pay is in the Carson City, NV area ($43,640 a year); the most jobs are in the Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV area (23,800). Statewide the median is $37,310 with 26,680 jobs. Metro areas with at least 100 jobs in this occupation are listed; click a column to sort.
| Metropolitan area ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Median pay ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Yearly rent as % of median pay ⇅ | Price level (US = 100) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carson City, NV | 120 | $43,640 | $32,940 | $67,040 | 0.46 | 34% | 98.1 |
| Reno, NV | 1,900 | $39,370 | $30,270 | $55,010 | 0.83 | 49% | 101.0 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | 23,800 | $37,210 | $29,100 | $47,930 | 2.54 | 52% | 100.2 |
National page: Security guards →Cities of Nevada
Rent uses the metro median gross rent (ACS) and appears only for metros that contain a city of this guide. "n/a" means BLS suppressed the figure or we have no rent for that metro.
In the Carson City, NV area, with a median of $43,640 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025; metro areas with at least 100 jobs).
In the Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV area, with 23,800 jobs.