Security Guards vs DEA Special Agents
Median pay is about $56k higher for DEA Special Agents. The usual entry education is high school for Security Guards and bachelor's plus fitness for DEA Special Agents.
marks the higher pay or growth. Education, difficulty and the AI rows depend on what you want, so they are not marked.
| Measure | Security Guards | DEA Special Agents |
|---|---|---|
| Pay | ||
| Median pay | $38,020 | $93,790, higher |
| Entry pay 25th percentile | $35,210 | $69,330, higher |
| Experienced pay 75th percentile | $46,200 | $120,520, higher |
| Outlook, 2025 to 2035 | ||
| Projected growth | +0.9% Stable, higher | +0.2% Stable |
| Openings a year | 156,000 | 7,800 |
| Getting in | ||
| Typical education | High school | Bachelor's plus fitness |
| Difficulty modeled | 1.6 / 5 | 3.4 / 5 |
| AI | ||
| Displacement risk modeled | Low | High |
| AI exposure modeled, percentile | 22nd pct | 79th pct |
Where the skills differ
Only Security Guards
- Monitoring
Only DEA Special Agents
- Writing
Both lean on active listening, speaking, critical thinking, reading comprehension, active learning.
More comparisons
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Pay and outlook: BLS (OEWS 2025, Employment Projections 2025-2035). Skills: O*NET 30.3. Difficulty, displacement risk and AI exposure are modeled estimates. How these numbers are made.