Security Guards pay range in Decatur
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $28,840 a year or less, while the top 10% make $63,440 or more. The middle half of security guards in Decatur earn between $36,510 and $63,440.
- $29K10th
- $37K25th
- $38KMedian
- $63K75th
- $63K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $45,680 | $3,807 | $21.96 |
| Median | $38,500 | $3,208 | $18.51 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $36,510 | $3,042 | $17.55 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $63,440 | $5,287 | $30.50 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Security Guards salary after taxes in Decatur
On the average salary of $45,680, a single filer in Decatur takes home about $37,005 a year, or $3,084 a month and $1,423 every two weeks. Taxes take 19% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). City occupational taxes (for example in Birmingham and Gadsden) are not included.
Is Decatur a good place for security guards? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Decatur area are 13% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 87.2), so the average $45,680 buys what about $52,378 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Decatur ($46,280). A typical home costs $232,614, or 5.1 years of this average salary before tax.
Security Guards salary in other Alabama cities
Decatur ranks 1st of 12 Alabama metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Decatur$45,680
- Huntsville$39,160
- Anniston$35,750
- Dothan$35,120
- Birmingham$34,350
- Auburn$33,950
- Mobile$33,510
- Montgomery$33,320
- Florence$33,090
- Daphne$33,010
Highest-paying cities for security guards
Idaho Falls, ID pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($68,260).
- Idaho Falls, ID$68,260
- Fairbanks, AK$60,120
- Kennewick, WA$59,640
- Burlington, VT$55,360
- Anchorage, AK$54,540
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Security Guards salary in Decatur: questions
How much do security guards make an hour in Decatur?
$21.96 an hour on average, and $18.51 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level security guards salary in Decatur?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $28,840 a year and the 25th percentile is $36,510, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the security guards take-home pay in Decatur?
About $37,005 a year ($3,084 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $45,680. City occupational taxes (for example in Birmingham and Gadsden) are not included.
Do security guards earn more in Decatur than elsewhere?
The average here is 8% more than the U.S. metro average for this job ($42,221).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 33-9032; area Decatur, AL (19460). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.2%.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). City occupational taxes (for example in Birmingham and Gadsden) are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.90, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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