Finance category
Mortgage, loan, investing, tax, and money calculators.
Security Guard Cost Calculator
Security guard services price by bill rate (typically $25-55/hour depending on armed status, license requirements, and region). 24/7 coverage = 8,760 hours per post per year, making security a major opex line for many commercial properties. This calculator computes weekly, monthly, and annual cost so operators can compare guard service against camera/access-control alternatives.
Unarmed $25-40; armed $35-55
Annual security cost
$139,776
Monthly
$11,648
Weekly
$2,688
Effective rate / hr
$32.00
How the math works
Bill rates: unarmed $25-40/hr, armed $35-55/hr (premiums vary by region and license requirements). Bill rate ≠ guard wage — typical 50-65% goes to wages, balance to overhead, training, equipment, and profit.
24/7/365 = 8,760 hr/yr per post. Two posts (e.g., front + back) at $32/hr = $560K/yr — meaningful opex line item that drives toward camera/access-control alternatives.
How to Use
- Enter number of guards on site, hours per day, and days per week.
- Enter bill rate per hour and choose armed/unarmed.
- Read annual, monthly, and weekly cost.
Frequently Asked Questions
Bill rate vs guard wage?
Bill rate includes wage, payroll tax, workers comp, uniform, training, supervision, and 10-15% margin. Guard wage typically 55-65% of bill rate.
Armed premium worth it?
Cash-handling, jewelry, and ATM/bank locations need armed. Standard office/retail rarely justifies the 25% premium and additional liability exposure.
Cameras as substitute?
Modern AI-enabled camera systems with remote monitoring run $5-15K install + $200-800/mo monitoring — often 80-90% cheaper than 24/7 guards. Hybrid (camera + roving guard 2-4 hr nightly) common.
Related Calculators
More Finance Calculators
Browse all finance →AI Cost Calculator
Compare token costs across OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google AI models. Calculate monthly API spending for GPT-4o, Claude, Gemini, and more.
Tip Calculator
Calculate the perfect tip and split the bill between friends. Choose preset percentages or enter a custom tip amount.
Bill Splitter Calculator
Split an uneven restaurant bill by item, divide tax and tip proportionally, and see exactly who owes whom.
Discount Calculator
Calculate sale price, discount amount, stacked discounts, sales tax, and total savings for any markdown.
Gas Mileage Calculator
Calculate MPG or km/L, estimate trip fuel cost, and compare annual fuel expenses between two vehicles.
Sales Tax Calculator
Add sales tax to a price, reverse-calculate the pre-tax amount from a total, and estimate tax for multiple items on one receipt.
Keep exploring
Next steps in Finance
Previous calculator
Security Deposit Refund Calculator
Itemize lawful deductions — unpaid rent, cleaning, damage, prorated carpet and paint — and calculate the exact refund owed at move-out.
Next calculator
Self-Employment Tax Calculator
Calculate self-employment tax (SECA) including Social Security, Medicare, and the additional Medicare surtax.