Prevailing Wage for Security Guards
Security Guards (SOC 33-9032) must meet DOL prevailing wage requirements for any sponsored visa position, including H-1B, E-3, and green card petitions. Whether the posting lists the title as Armed Security Officer, Loss Prevention Officer, or Campus Security Officer (CSO), the same wage floor applies. DOL sets four experience levels, and the floor shifts considerably by city.
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Entry-level guards with limited experience, typically new to the occupation. Work under close supervision, following established security procedures with minimal independent judgment. Common for candidates transitioning into the field without prior formal training or guard licensure.
The most common filing level for Security Guards. Candidates have a working knowledge of standard patrol and monitoring procedures, require only general supervision, and can handle routine situations independently. Typically one to three years of relevant experience.
Experienced guards who perform complex security duties with significant autonomy. May cover specialized assignments such as armed patrol, access control systems, or sensitive-facility monitoring. Usually reflects three or more years of progressively responsible experience.
Senior or lead security professionals who set procedures, train others, or oversee a post or shift. Fully competent across all aspects of the role with minimal supervision required. Often corresponds to site supervisor or senior protection officer titles.
Prevailing Wage for Security Guards by OES area
Each shape is a DOL OES area, the unit prevailing wage is published for.
What’s an OES area?
The Department of Labor publishes prevailing wages for geographic zones called OES areas. Every U.S. county belongs to exactly one, and the wage floor applies across the whole area. A worker in Oakland gets the San Francisco metro wage, not a separate Oakland wage.
Top 10 cities · Level 1
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See which U.S. employers are actively hiring for Security Guards and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
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Watch for title aliasing in LCA filings
Employers sometimes post roles as Loss Prevention Officer or Custom Protection Officer (CPO) but file the LCA under a different SOC. Confirm the petition cites SOC 33-9032 so your sponsored wage is benchmarked against the correct Security Guards floor, not a lower-paying classification.
Know which metros set the highest floors
Security Guards prevailing wages vary more by geography than many occupations. Markets like Kennewick, WA and Idaho Falls, ID carry L4 floors well above the national median, while Puerto Rico metros sit near the national L1 floor. Worksite city on the LCA controls which OES survey applies.
Verify your level before accepting contract or agency offers
Contract security agencies frequently staff guards through staffing arrangements where the worksite employer differs from the petitioner. DOL requires the LCA wage to reflect the actual worksite, so agency-placed Armed Security Officers should confirm their wage level matches the client site's OES data, not the agency's home office metro.
Find employers who have sponsored Security Guards on Migrate Mate
Security Guard sponsorship is concentrated among a smaller set of employers than most professional occupations. Migrate Mate shows which companies have an actual H-1B or green card filing history for this role, so you can focus applications on proven sponsors rather than guessing from job postings alone.
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Find Jobs for Security GuardsPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 33-9032.00 alongside Security Guards, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Armed Security Officer Prevailing Wage
Armed Security Officer Prevailing Wage
Armed Security Officer positions fall under SOC 33-9032.00 (Security Guards). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Campus Security Officer (CSO) Prevailing Wage
Campus Security Officer (CSO) Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Campus Security Officer (CSO) for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 33-9032.00 (Security Guards). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Custom Protection Officer (CPO) Prevailing Wage
Custom Protection Officer (CPO) Prevailing Wage
Custom Protection Officer (CPO) is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 33-9032.00 (Security Guards). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Customer Service Security Officer Prevailing Wage
Customer Service Security Officer Prevailing Wage
Customer Service Security Officer positions fall under SOC 33-9032.00 (Security Guards). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Hotel Security Officer Prevailing Wage
Hotel Security Officer Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Hotel Security Officer for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 33-9032.00 (Security Guards). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Loss Prevention Officer Prevailing Wage
Loss Prevention Officer Prevailing Wage
Loss Prevention Officer is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 33-9032.00 (Security Guards). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Safety and Security Officer Prevailing Wage
Safety and Security Officer Prevailing Wage
Safety and Security Officer positions fall under SOC 33-9032.00 (Security Guards). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Security Agent Prevailing Wage
Security Agent Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Security Agent for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 33-9032.00 (Security Guards). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Security Officer Prevailing Wage
Security Officer Prevailing Wage
Security Officer is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 33-9032.00 (Security Guards). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for Security Guards?
DOL uses Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics across more than 600 geographic areas. For Security Guards (SOC 33-9032), OFLC maps survey results to four wage levels based on experience and responsibility. Employers sponsoring a Security Guard for an H-1B or PERM green card must offer at least the wage level that matches the employee's experience, as certified on the Labor Condition Application.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which one applies to me?
Level 1 covers entry-level guards under close supervision with limited experience. Level 2, the most common filing level for Security Guards, applies to those who work with general supervision and handle routine duties independently. Level 3 reflects experienced guards on complex or specialized assignments. Level 4 applies to senior or lead personnel who train others or oversee a post. Your level should match your actual duties and years of experience, not just your job title.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same Security Guard role differ so much city to city?
OFLC calculates prevailing wages from regional OES surveys, which capture actual wages paid in each labor market. Dense urban markets with higher costs of living and strong union presence, such as Washington, DC or Anchorage, AK, produce higher survey medians than rural or low-wage regions like Puerto Rico metros. The LCA must list the actual worksite address, so the wage floor is always tied to where the work is performed, not where the employer is headquartered.
What happens if an employer's offer is below the prevailing wage for a sponsored Security Guard position?
DOL will not certify an LCA if the offered wage falls below the prevailing wage for the worksite and level. Without a certified LCA, USCIS cannot approve an H-1B petition. For PERM green card cases, OFLC similarly requires the offered wage to meet or exceed the prevailing wage. An employer can resolve a gap by reclassifying the position to a lower wage level, increasing the offered salary, or selecting a worksite metro where the floor is lower, provided the change accurately reflects the role.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for Security Guards in a specific U.S. location?
Use the OFLC Wage Search to look up current prevailing wages by SOC code 33-9032 and the specific metropolitan area where the job is located. Select the wage year that matches the intended LCA filing period. For sponsored job searches, Migrate Mate lets you filter by role and location to see which employers have a verified history of sponsoring Security Guards, so you can cross-reference offered salaries against the applicable wage floor before accepting an offer.
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