How Much Does a Security Guard Cost? (Honest Breakdown)

If you've called around for security quotes, you've probably gotten three different answers from three different companies, and none of them explained why. That's not an accident. Security pricing has more moving parts than most service quotes.

This is the breakdown we'd want if we were the ones budgeting for security coverage: real ranges, the factors that actually move the price, and what it costs to staff a typical property in Minneapolis and the surrounding Twin Cities metro.

The Short Answer: What You'll Pay

Nationally, unarmed security guards run $25–$40 per hour through a licensed agency, and armed guards run $40–$75 per hour. In the Twin Cities, rates typically land a bit under the national high end, though downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul properties can push toward it. Here's the range you should expect to see on a quote:

These are hourly bill rates — what a property pays a licensed agency, not what the guard takes home. The gap between the two covers payroll taxes, workers' comp, liability insurance, supervision, and training, which matters when you're comparing an agency quote to what you'd budget for an employee.

What Actually Drives the Price

Two properties with the same square footage can get quotes $10 an hour apart. Here's what's behind that gap.

• Armed vs. unarmed. Armed officers require additional state licensing, firearms qualification and requalification, higher liability coverage, and more rigorous screening — all of which get built into the rate.
• Experience and training level. An entry-level unarmed guard and a guard with de-escalation, CPR, and incident-report training aren't interchangeable, and pricing reflects that.
• Coverage hours and shift timing. Overnight, weekend, and holiday shifts carry a premium almost everywhere, since they're harder to staff.
• Property type and risk level. A quiet suburban office and a downtown parking structure with a history of break-ins are not the same staffing problem, even at similar square footage.
• Contract length and guaranteed hours. Short-term or unpredictable schedules typically cost more per hour than a standing annual contract.
• In-house vs. contracted. Hiring, training, and insuring your own guard adds costs that don't show up on an hourly wage — more on that below.

What Security Costs by Property Type in the Twin Cities

Hourly rates only tell part of the story — what property managers actually need to budget for is monthly coverage. Here's a realistic range by property type, based on standard coverage patterns:

These figures assume a single guard on standard patrol or fixed-post duty. Multi-guard sites, 24/7 coverage, or armed staffing will run higher — a property manager's best move is always to get a walkthrough-based quote rather than budget off averages alone.

The Hidden Costs Property Managers Often Miss

The hourly rate is the easy number. These are the ones that show up later:

• Overtime and no-show gaps. If an in-house guard calls in sick, you're either paying overtime to cover the shift or leaving the property unstaffed.
• Turnover and retraining. Security has high industry-wide turnover; every replacement hire means re-onboarding and a coverage gap.
• Liability and insurance. An uninsured or under-licensed guard on your property is a liability exposure, not a cost saving.
• Licensing compliance. Minnesota requires security guards and agencies to be licensed through the Department of Public Safety — unlicensed staffing is a real (and avoidable) risk.
• Lack of reporting and accountability. Cheaper providers often skip patrol logs, incident reports, and supervisor check-ins, which are the things you actually need when something happens.

In-House vs. Contracted: Which Is Actually Cheaper?

On paper, hiring your own guard looks cheaper because you're only comparing hourly wages. Once you add payroll taxes, workers' comp, liability insurance, uniforms, training, and the cost of covering call-offs, contracted security typically runs 15–35% less than an equivalent in-house hire — with a licensed agency absorbing the replacement-staffing risk instead of you.

Contracted security also converts an unpredictable cost (turnover, overtime, sick coverage) into a fixed monthly line item, which is usually the bigger win for a property manager building an annual budget.

How to Get an Accurate Quote

A quote that's worth comparing should come after, not before, someone actually looks at your property. Before you sign anything, make sure the provider:

• Walks the property and asks about entry points, past incidents, and peak-risk hours
• Confirms whether you need armed or unarmed coverage — and explains why
• Provides proof of Minnesota licensing and liability insurance in writing
• Explains their backup policy if a scheduled guard can't make a shift
• Gives you a rate that's all-in, with any overtime or holiday premiums spelled out up front

Get a Straight Answer From Watson Express Security

We built this breakdown because most pricing pages in this industry are vague on purpose. Watson Express Security is Minneapolis-based and works directly with property managers across the Twin Cities — apartment communities, commercial buildings, retail centers, and construction sites — to put together coverage that matches the actual risk on your property, not a one-size-fits-all package.

If you want a real number instead of a range, we'll walk your property, ask the right questions, and give you a quote in writing — no pressure, no inflated "starting at" pricing.