General Contractor vs Security Guard

Side-by-side license comparison

Live DataLast updated: April 13, 2026·Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics & State Licensing Boards

Quick Verdict

Higher Earning

General Contractor

Easier to Obtain

Security Guard

Lower Fee

Security Guard

Detailed Comparison

Metric	General Contractor	Security Guard
Category	Trades	Public Safety
Median Salary	$101,480	$36,970
Avg Initial Fee	$359	$74
Difficulty	Medium-High	Low
Education	Experience-based (2-5 years)	Guard Training (8-40 hours)
Exam	State Contractor Exam	State Guard Card Exam
Time to License	3-6 years	1-2 weeks
Renewal Period	Every 2 yr	Every 2 yr
CE Hours / Cycle	14 hrs	8 hrs
States Requiring	41 of 53	35 of 53

Salary Comparison

General Contractor

Median Salary$101,480

Avg Salary$101,480

Avg License Fee$359

Security Guard

Median Salary$36,970

Avg Salary$36,970

Avg License Fee$74

General Contractor earns $64,510 more per year on average. Over a 10-year career span, that adds up to approximately $645,100 in additional earnings.

Explore Each Occupation

General ContractorView all 53 state requirements Security GuardView all 53 state requirements

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LicenseWize Editorial TeamData Specialists

The LicenseWize editorial team aggregates and verifies licenses data from Bureau of Labor Statistics & State Licensing Boards. Every statistic on this site is cross-referenced against the official source before publication, with quarterly re-verification cycles.

✓ Sourced from Bureau of Labor Statistics & State Licensing Boards✓ Quarterly review✓ No paid placements

Read our full methodology or contact us with corrections.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which pays more: General Contractor or Security Guard?

General Contractor has a higher median salary at $101,480 per year, compared to $36,970 for Security Guard — a difference of $64,510 annually.

Is it harder to get licensed as a General Contractor or a Security Guard?

General Contractor licensing is rated Medium-High difficulty, while Security Guard is rated Low. General Contractor requires Experience-based (2-5 years) and typically takes 3-6 years, compared to Guard Training (8-40 hours) and 1-2 weeks for Security Guard.

Which license costs more: General Contractor or Security Guard?

General Contractor has a higher average initial fee of $359, while Security Guard averages $74 — a difference of $285.

Do all states require a license for General Contractor and Security Guard?

General Contractor requires licensing in 41 of 53 jurisdictions, while Security Guard requires it in 35 of 53 jurisdictions. Requirements vary significantly by state.

Which career is faster to enter: General Contractor or Security Guard?

General Contractor typically takes 3-6 years from start to licensure, while Security Guard takes 1-2 weeks. Consider both the time investment and earning potential when making your decision.

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Detailed Comparison

Metric	General Contractor	Security Guard
Category	Trades	Public Safety
Median Salary	$101,480	$36,970
Avg Initial Fee	$359	$74
Difficulty	Medium-High	Low
Education	Experience-based (2-5 years)	Guard Training (8-40 hours)
Exam	State Contractor Exam	State Guard Card Exam
Time to License	3-6 years	1-2 weeks
Renewal Period	Every 2 yr	Every 2 yr
CE Hours / Cycle	14 hrs	8 hrs
States Requiring	41 of 53	35 of 53