How we make this list: we compare pricing pages, product documentation and public user reviews. Ratings come from G2, Capterra or Trustpilot, with the date we checked them.
Key takeaways
- Allied Universal and Securitas hire the most guards in North America, so they offer the widest choice of sites, shifts, and cities for new officers.
- Pay in contract security is set by the client site contract, not just the company, so the same employer can pay very different rates across town.
- Constellis and Paragon style federal contract work pays at the top end but asks for clearances, experience, and stricter screening.
- Benefits, training quality, and schedule stability vary by branch and site, so verify the actual assignment before you accept an offer.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|
 Allied Universal | Most openings and site choice | See website | No |
 Securitas | Structured training and global reach | See website | No |
 GardaWorld | Armed and cash services routes | See website | No |
 Constellis | Federal and high risk contracts | See website | No |
 Prosegur | Technology led security roles | See website | No |
 Sunstates Security | Regional firm with strong retention | See website | No |
 Andy Frain Services | Events, venues, and sports sites | See website | No |
 Signal | Local franchise patrol work | See website | No |
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The best security companies to work for
#1
Allied Universal
Best for: Most openings and site choice
Visit aus.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
What we like- Allied Universal is the largest security services employer in North America, staffing offices, hospitals, campuses, logistics sites, retail, and government buildings, so it almost always has an opening near you. Full time roles commonly list medical, dental, and vision cover, retirement plans, paid holidays at premium rates when worked, and vacation after the first year. The range of sites means you can move between assignments without changing employer, and supervisor and account manager roles give the clearest promotion ladder in the industry.
Watch out for- Pay is set by each client contract, so rates swing widely between sites in the same city, and the lowest paying retail posts pull the company average down. Branch quality varies, and guards at some sites report thin supervision and slow uniform or equipment support. Large size means hiring is fast but impersonal, and your experience depends heavily on your local branch and site supervisor.
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
What we like- Securitas is one of the world's largest security firms, with a long history in guarding and a structured approach to training and site procedures. Its Securitas Technology arm and operations centre roles add monitoring and SOC operator jobs beyond standing posts, which suits guards who want desk based security work. The company staffs corporate, industrial, healthcare, and data centre sites, where pay and conditions tend to sit above basic retail guarding.
Watch out for- As with every firm here, the contract sets the pay, and entry posts start near local norms rather than at the top of the market. Some branches rely on on call and flex officers to cover gaps, which can mean irregular hours early in your time there. Advancement is real but slow at small branches with few supervisory roles.
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
What we like- GardaWorld combines guarding with cash services and armoured transport, so it offers armed roles and driver messenger work that pure guarding firms cannot. Current postings for armed supervisory work list full benefits including medical, dental, and vision cover, a 401(k), uniforms, sick leave, and paid time off. Guards who want to move toward armed, tactical, or cash handling work find more of those rungs inside one company here.
Watch out for- Armed and cash roles carry higher risk and stricter licensing, firearms qualification, and screening than unarmed posts. The firm's roots and largest footprint are Canadian, so US coverage is strong in some regions and thin in others. Cash services schedules can involve early starts and route pressure that does not suit everyone.
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
What we like- Constellis staffs federal facilities, diplomatic protection, and critical infrastructure contracts, including well known federal protective work in the Washington area. These contracts sit at the top of the guarding pay range, with structured posts, clear rules of engagement, and full federal contractor benefits. For veterans and experienced officers with clean records, it is one of the most credible routes into high responsibility security work.
Watch out for- Screening is strict, and many posts require a clearance, prior military or law enforcement experience, or both, so it is not an entry level door. Contract work follows government awards, which means a lost contract can move or end your post. Openings cluster around federal hubs rather than spreading evenly across the country.
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
What we like- Prosegur is a global firm that mixes guarding with monitoring, alarm response, and security technology, and its US arm staffs corporate, logistics, and retail sites. Officers with an interest in the technology side of security, such as remote monitoring and integrated systems, find more of that work here than at traditional guarding firms. The company runs formal training and uniform standards across its contracts.
Watch out for- Prosegur's US footprint is smaller than Allied or Securitas, so openings depend on your region. Pay still follows the client contract, and technology roles are a minority of its total posts. Some US operations have grown through acquisition, so local practices can differ between former firms.
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
What we like- Sunstates is a privately held US firm based in North Carolina that staffs corporate campuses, distribution centres, and gated communities, mostly across the South and Midwest. It promotes heavily from within and markets a management model built on site visits and officer support, which shows up in better than average retention for the sector. Guards who feel like a number at the giant firms often rate regional firms like this one higher for day to day treatment.
Watch out for- The regional footprint means fewer transfer options if you move across the country. Total openings are far fewer than the national firms, so the right site may take longer to appear. Pay follows the same contract logic as everywhere else, so a good culture does not always come with the top rate on a given site.
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
What we like- Andy Frain specialises in venue and event security, staffing stadiums, arenas, racetracks, and large public events across the US. Event work suits people who want part time or seasonal hours around another job, school, or retirement, and the atmosphere at a ballpark differs a lot from a warehouse gate. The firm also runs guest services and ushering teams, which broadens the roles on offer beyond guarding.
Watch out for- Event schedules follow the sports and concert calendar, so hours are uneven and rarely a full time living on their own. Posts are heavily weekend and evening based. Career progression into full time site supervision exists but is narrower than at the big contract firms.
#8Signal
Best for: Local franchise patrol work4.4/5 on
G2 (453 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit teamsignal.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
What we like- Signal, formerly Signal 88 Security, runs through locally owned franchises that provide patrol and dedicated officer services to businesses, apartment communities, and retail centres. Patrol work means driving a marked route and checking properties rather than standing one post all shift, which many officers prefer. Because each franchise is locally owned, hiring and day to day management are close to home, and good officers are known by name.
Watch out for- Your employer is the local franchise, so pay, benefits, and management quality vary more between locations than at the national firms. Benefits at small franchise operations are often thinner than at Allied or Securitas. Patrol roles need a clean driving record and comfort working alone at night.
How we chose
We compared these firms as employers on hiring volume, range of site types, benefits listed on current postings, training and promotion routes, and the kinds of roles each firm can offer beyond a basic unarmed post. We favoured firms with a real US hiring presence in 2026 and excluded firms whose US guarding operations were absorbed into another company on this list. Pay figures in this category come from live postings and change constantly, so we describe pay factors rather than print hourly rates that would be stale within weeks.
How to choose the right security company to work for
Decide what kind of post you want before you compare company names. Standing posts at hospitals, data centres, and corporate sites offer steady hours and indoor work. Patrol and event roles offer variety and part time flexibility. Armed and federal work pays the most and screens the hardest, and it usually asks for experience first, so many officers start unarmed and move up.
Then look at the assignment, not the logo. Ask which site you would work, what the site pays, what the schedule actually is, and who your supervisor would be. Confirm the licensing your state requires, who pays for the licence and training, and whether uniforms and equipment are provided. Check the benefits that apply to your assignment, since part time and flex roles often exclude health cover. Finally, verify current openings on the company's own careers page before you apply anywhere, and treat any recruiter who asks you to pay for training, a licence, or a background check up front as a warning sign: legitimate firms here do not charge applicants to get hired. Pay and benefits described in this guide are general information and vary by site, state, and contract.
Frequently asked questions
How much do security guards earn in the US in 2026?
It depends on the site, the state, and whether the role is armed. Basic unarmed posts in many markets sit in the mid teens to low twenties per hour, while hospital, data centre, and supervisor roles pay more, and federal contract and armed posts sit at the top of the range. Night and weekend shifts often carry extra pay or overtime. The posting for your specific site is the only number that matters.
Do I need a licence to work as a security guard?
Most states require a guard licence or registration for unarmed work, with extra licensing, firearms qualification, and age requirements for armed roles. Employers usually explain the process during hiring and some cover the cost, but the licence is issued by the state, not the company. Federal contract posts add background investigations and sometimes a clearance.
Which company is best for a first security job?
Allied Universal and Securitas hire at the largest scale, so they are the most realistic first door, and both run paid training for new officers. A regional firm such as Sunstates can be a better experience where it operates. Andy Frain suits a first part time role around events. Constellis generally asks for experience or a service background first.
Is G4S still hiring in the United States?
G4S's US guarding business became part of Allied Universal after the 2021 acquisition, so US applicants apply through Allied Universal rather than a separate G4S careers route. Listings that still show the old name usually belong to that structure or to G4S operations outside the US.
Do security companies charge applicants for training or licences?
The firms on this list do not charge you to get hired. Training is paid or provided, and where a state licence fee exists the employer will explain who covers it. Anyone asking for up front payment for a uniform, a background check, or guaranteed placement is running a common job scam pattern, so walk away and apply through the company's own careers page instead.
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Shihab Mia · Founder, Rankite
Shihab has 5+ years in B2B and SaaS SEO. He writes Rankite's software buying guides from pricing pages, documentation and public user reviews. More about Shihab.