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Security Guard salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a security guard is $94,500 per annum, before tax, up $19,600 since 2018.
- Most guards are paid under the Security Services Industry Award or a site-specific enterprise agreement, so pay depends on the classification and the contract your employer holds.
- Night, weekend and public holiday penalties make a bigger difference to take-home pay than the base rate does.
- In-house roles at hospitals, councils and government buildings generally pay above the contract market, and endorsements such as crowd control or monitoring can move you into a higher classification.
The median salary rose by $19,600 between 2018 and 2024; the dashed line shows a projection to 2028 based on the real ABS Wage Price Index growth rate, not a role-specific forecast.
Roles that pay more than security guard
The largest typical pay rise is $18,900 a year, moving into Security Manager.
- Security Manager+$18,900/yr
- Corrections Officer+$13,700/yr
- Truck Driver+$7,400/yr
How to negotiate a higher security guard salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time security guard salary is $94,500; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Lead with what's scarce, not just tenure. Skills like Emergency response tend to command a premium over general security guard experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Security Manager pays a typical $18,900 a year more and draws on similar skills, even mentioning you're weighing it up is a legitimate data point in a pay conversation.
- Time it deliberately. Reviews, the end of a project you delivered, or taking on responsibility beyond your job description are stronger moments to ask than an arbitrary date on the calendar.
- Ask for a number, not a raise. "Based on the market rate and [specific contribution], I'd like to move to X" gets a clearer answer than "I think I deserve more."
Security Guard salary questions
How much do security guards earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a security guard is $94,500 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is security guard pay rising or falling?
The median security guard salary is up $19,600 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than security guard?
Security Manager pays a typical $18,900 a year more and draws on similar skills to security guard.
Related salaries
- Corrections Officer salary
- Security Manager salary
- Truck Driver salary
- Security Consultant salary
- Crowd Controller salary
- Defence Force Member salary
Pay advice
- How to ask for a pay rise, and back it up with real numbersWhat national wage growth looks like right now, how to work out a figure for your own role, wording you can adapt for the conversation, and what to do if the answer is no.
- The average salary in Australia (2026)Full-time adults in Australia averaged $2,083.70 a week in May 2026. Several measures get called the average salary, and this explains which one fits your situation.
- Overtime pay, time in lieu and what your award saysOvertime rates come from your award or agreement, not one national rule. How rates work, what happens on a salary, and how time off in lieu works.