As of June 2026, Security Guards has an AI-exposure score of 62/100 (Elevated exposure) on the AI-Safe Careers index, blending O*NET tasks, the Anthropic Economic Index, the Penn/OpenAI study, and BLS data. This is an estimate of task exposure, not a prediction of job loss.
Security Guards
More exposed than 74% of the roles we track. Median pay ~US$38,020. About 161,000 projected openings a year (BLS 2024–34 — growth plus replacement).
Pay & demand figures are US medians (BLS, in USD) — your local figures will differ. Your exposure score applies broadly.
How you compare to similar Protective Service roles
Your tasks, by AI exposure
- Answer telephone calls to take messages, answer questions, and provide information during non-business hours or when switchboard is closed.
- Operate detecting devices to screen individuals and prevent passage of prohibited articles into restricted areas.
- Escort or drive motor vehicle to transport individuals to specified locations or to provide personal protection.
- Lock doors and gates of entrances and exits to secure buildings.
- Monitor and adjust controls that regulate building systems, such as air conditioning, furnace, or boiler.
- Write reports of daily activities and irregularities, such as equipment or property damage, theft, presence of unauthorized persons, or unusual occurrences.
- Patrol industrial or commercial premises to prevent and detect signs of intrusion and ensure security of doors, windows, and gates.
- Circulate among visitors, patrons, or employees to preserve order and protect property.
- Warn persons of rule infractions or violations, and apprehend or evict violators from premises, using force when necessary.
- Respond to medical emergencies by administering basic first aid or by obtaining assistance from paramedics.
- Monitor and authorize entrance and departure of employees, visitors, and other persons to guard against theft and maintain security of premises.
- Call police or fire departments in cases of emergency, such as fire or presence of unauthorized persons.
- Inspect and adjust security systems, equipment, or machinery to ensure operational use and to detect evidence of tampering.
- Answer alarms and investigate disturbances.
No durable tasks identified for this role — its real, individually-assessed tasks consistently read as augmentable (57%).
Safer adjacent roles
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Workers with AI skills earn a roughly 62% wage premium — adapting pays. — PwC Global AI Jobs Barometer, 2026
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Security Guards — median pay by US state (BLS OEWS, USD)
Median annual wage, in USD. US national: US$38,020. More states are being added.