You also need a state or territory security licence for most of this work. Licensing is separate from the award and does not change your minimum rate.
Which award covers security guards
Security guards employed by security companies are covered by the Security Services Industry Award 2020 [MA000016]. The award has five Security Officer levels based on skills and duties.
Level 1 covers watching and guarding premises, basic crowd control at venues and events, controlling entry and exit, and responding to basic alarms at your post. Level 2 adds work from complex instructions, first response to incidents, mobile patrols of two or more sites, monitoring alarm and access-control systems, x-ray and walk-through screening, dog handling and frisk searches.
Levels 3 to 5 cover progressively more senior, technical and supervisory work, as defined in Schedule A of the award.
Read the Security Services Industry Award 2020 [MA000016] on the Fair Work Commission’s site (consolidated to 1 July 2026), or see every classification on our MA000016 award rates page.
Security Guard award pay rates 2026–27
These rates apply from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026. Part-time employees are paid the same hourly rates for the hours they work.
Security guard pay rates by level, 2026–27
Clause 15.1, Table 4 of the award. Casual day rates are from the award's Schedule B.3.
| Classification | Hourly | Weekly (38 hrs) | Annual | Casual hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Security Officer Level 1Guarding, basic crowd control, access control | $28.42 | $1,080.10 | $56,165 | $35.53 |
| Security Officer Level 2Mobile patrol, screening, alarm monitoring, dog handling | $29.24 | $1,111.00 | $57,772 | $36.55 |
| Security Officer Level 3 | $29.73 | $1,129.80 | $58,750 | $37.16 |
| Security Officer Level 4 | $30.23 | $1,148.70 | $59,732 | $37.79 |
| Security Officer Level 5 | $31.20 | $1,185.70 | $61,656 | $39.00 |
Annual is the weekly rate × 52, before tax and before superannuation. Casual hourly includes the 25% casual loading.
Security Guard penalty rates and overtime
| When you work | Full-time / part-time | Casual |
|---|---|---|
| Monday–Friday, 6 am to 6 pm | 100% | 125% |
| Monday–Friday, midnight–6 am and 6 pm–midnight | 121.7% | 146.7% |
| Permanent night work | 130% | 155% |
| Saturday | 150% | 175% |
| Sunday | 200% | 225% |
| Public holiday | 250% | 275% |
Percentages of the minimum hourly rate (cl 20.2, Table 7). Casual percentages include the 25% casual loading. Permanent night work means more than two-thirds of your shifts in a roster cycle include midnight to 6 am (cl 20.3).
Overtime
- Monday to Saturday: 150% for the first 2 hours, then 200% (cl 19.3, Table 5).
- Sunday: 200%. Public holiday: 250%.
- Overtime on each day stands alone from overtime worked on any other day.
Work out a shift with penalties or overtime using the overtime pay calculator.
Allowances
| Allowance | Amount | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| First aid allowance | $7.68 per shift (max $38.19 a week) | If you hold a current Senior First Aid (Provide First Aid) certificate and the employer asks or nominates you to act as a first aider (cl 17.2). |
| Firearm allowance | $3.84 per shift (max $19.21 a week) | If you are required to carry a firearm (cl 17.3). |
| Broken shift allowance | $18.30 per rostered shift | For a rostered broken shift (cl 17.4). |
Security Guard pay after tax
On the Security Officer Level 1 rate of $1,080.10 a week, a full-time security guard earns $56,165 a year before tax.
| Gross annual pay | $56,165 |
|---|---|
| Income tax (after LITO) | −$7,212 |
| Medicare levy | −$1,123 |
| Take-home per year | $47,830 |
| Take-home per week | $920 |
2026–27 resident tax rates with the low income tax offset and the 2% Medicare levy; no HECS-HELP repayment and no Medicare levy surcharge. Superannuation is paid on top by your employer. For the full breakdown see take-home pay on $55,000 (the nearest step to $56,165), or put in your own hours with the weekly pay calculator.
What security guards actually earn
Jobs and Skills Australia puts median full-time earnings for Security Officers and Guards (ANZSCO 4422) at $1,818 a week ($42 an hour), against $1,852 a week for all occupations.
Median weekly pay of full-time, non-managerial adult employees before tax and salary sacrifice, from the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours (May 2025) as published by Jobs and Skills Australia. It reflects what employers actually pay, including people on enterprise agreements or above-award salaries, so it is a market figure, not a legal minimum.
What this page does not show
- Detailed Level 3 to 5 duty definitions — read Schedule A of the award for those.
- Cash-in-transit and armoured vehicle allowances.
- Junior and trainee rates.
Security Guard pay questions
Pay rates for other jobs
How this page is sourced▼
Every minimum rate was read from the Fair Work Commission's consolidated text of the Security Services Industry Award 2020, consolidated to 1 July 2026, on 23 September 2026. Casual rates are the award's own published figures wherever it publishes them. Nothing is estimated.
The median comes from Jobs and Skills Australia’s occupation profile and is a market figure, not an entitlement. Take-home figures use the same tax engine as the rest of this site. Award rates change every 1 July, so re-check after the next Annual Wage Review.
Sources & References
- 1Security Services Industry Award 2020 [MA000016] — consolidated to 1 July 2026— Fair Work Commission
- 2Pay guides for modern awards— Fair Work Ombudsman
- 3Annual Wage Review 2025–26 decision [2026] FWCFB 3500— Fair Work Commission
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Last verified: 23 September 2026. Our content is based on the latest information from official Australian government sources.
Anita Bell
AuthorFounder & Senior Bookkeeper
Accountancy degree (2015); certified in Xero, QuickBooks Online, MYOB, Saasu, Zoho and Reckon One
Anita Bell earned her accountancy degree in 2015 and has worked as a senior bookkeeper with Prime Bookkeeping for over 5 years. This built her skills in Australian and New Zealand tax legislation and industry regulations. She is certified in Xero, QuickBooks Online, MYOB, Saasu, Zoho and Reckon One, and works with payroll and rostering software including Gusto, Deputy, Tsheets and KeyPay. She has strong experience in hospitality, building and construction, financial services, real estate, ecommerce, and medical and health services.
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