Security Guards pay range in Los Angeles
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $36,300 a year or less, while the top 10% make $56,750 or more. The middle half of security guards in Los Angeles earn between $37,130 and $45,730.
- $36K10th
- $37K25th
- $40KMedian
- $46K75th
- $57K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $43,880 | $3,657 | $21.10 |
| Median | $40,030 | $3,336 | $19.25 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $37,130 | $3,094 | $17.85 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $45,730 | $3,811 | $21.99 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Security Guards salary after taxes in Los Angeles
On the average salary of $43,880, a single filer in Los Angeles takes home about $36,547 a year, or $3,046 a month and $1,406 every two weeks. Taxes take 17% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is Los Angeles a good place for security guards? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Los Angeles area are 14% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 113.6), so the average $43,880 buys what about $38,638 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Los Angeles ($55,850). A typical home costs $968,608, or 22.1 years of this average salary before tax.
Security Guards salary in other California cities
Los Angeles ranks 10th of 25 California metro areas for this job; San Luis Obispo pays the most ($51,110).
- San Luis Obispo$51,110
- San Jose$51,020
- Napa$50,400
- San Francisco$50,270
- Santa Cruz$47,870
- Vallejo$46,870
- Santa Rosa$46,490
- Santa Maria$44,970
- Modesto$44,260
- Los Angeles$43,880
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
Does this match what you are paid?
Anonymous, no account. Results update as visitors answer.
Share your pay anonymously
Security Guards salary in Los Angeles: questions
How much do security guards make an hour in Los Angeles?
$21.10 an hour on average, and $19.25 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level security guards salary in Los Angeles?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $36,300 a year and the 25th percentile is $37,130, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the security guards take-home pay in Los Angeles?
About $36,547 a year ($3,046 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $43,880. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do security guards earn more in Los Angeles than elsewhere?
The average here is 4% 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 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA (31080). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 0.7%.
- 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 (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.61, this job is 1.6 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
Read the full methodology. Spotted an error? Tell us.