- The average base salary for a security guard in Florida is $28,950 a year, or $12.51 an hour, which will of course vary by experience and industry (Source)
- According to salary.com, armed security guards can make 36,000 to over 46,000 dollars a year. The average salary is approximately 40,000 dollars a year. These statistics are based on education and experience.
- Trade College states that most people were paid approximately 24,000 dollars a year in 2018. When you break the annual amount down to an hourly rate, it comes out to be around 11 dollars an hour. The hourly rate was raised about 60 cents from the year before.
- As of May 2020, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the average salary for a security guard in Florida was around 34,000 dollars a year. The average hourly rate was around 14 dollars an hour.
- Glassdoor produces some cool facts about unarmed security guards. They state that the base pay is approximately 28,000 dollars a year, but they can also receive around 22,000 dollars in addition to their base pay. The additional money comes from commission, bonuses, or tips that accumulate throughout each year. It brings the total to approximately 50,000 dollars a year.
- According to Career Explorer, the average amount of money to have a career as a security guard is approximately 27,000 dollars a year. You may start out making 19,000 a year, and your salary can increase to 40,000 dollars a year based on the amount of experience you have.
As stated above, the salaries between unarmed and armed security guards are different. It will depend on what you’re looking for and what you feel comfortable doing as a part of your job.
If you are satisfied with what you read above, then continue reading to find out how to get your new career started.
Highest Paying Security Officer Jobs Breakdown
How to Become a Security Guard in Florida?
As long as you’re 21 years old and have a valid driver’s license and social security card, anyone can become an unarmed security guard. You have to go through the fingerprinting process and complete training.
You also have to submit two passport photos. You also have to submit a notarized copy of your application to the Florida Division of Licensing.
The training is a 40-hour class, and you will learn how to respond to emergencies, legal issues, and patrol procedures.
The process is a little different for an armed security guard. It’s best to have a clean record, and it is required for you to complete a 28-hour training course before you submit your application for licensing.
During the course, you will learn how to handle weapons properly. You will also learn how to take care of them safely. Another thing to focus on during this course is firing practice.
How to Submit the Security Guard Application
Submitting your application is the next step once you have completed your course requirements.
You have to submit proof that you have finished and passed the course when applying for your license. You can fill out your application in front of someone at their office, but you need to select an appointment time
. If you don’t have the time to go in person, you can download the form and fill it out. Once it’s filled out, you can submit it to their mailing address. You can mail it to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Licensing, P.O. Box 5767, Tallahassee, FL 32314-5767
Becoming a Security Guard
Once you have completed your course, you can start applying to become a security guard. As everyone knows, it can be frustrating applying because no one will hire you.
If you don’t have experience, it can be hard to start your career as a security guard. Try getting an internship anywhere where they have security guards. Shadow someone, so you can gain the experience. The more experience you have, the more money you will earn.
Now that you know what it takes to become a security guard in Florida and you understand some of the statistics, you may be interested in changing your career field to something a bit more suitable for what you want. Remember, you cannot become a security guard overnight.
The process takes perseverance, hard work, and patience to land your dream career.
Hi, my name’s David. I started this pricing blog as a side project to help people figure out the best prices on common services. Whether you’re trying to figure out how much it costs to get scanning done at Staples or the expense to bleach short hair, more than likely I’ve blogged about it. Shoot me an email if you have any questions: david@mightyprice.com.
