Security Guards pay range in New Orleans
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $23,590 a year or less, while the top 10% make $48,990 or more. The middle half of security guards in New Orleans earn between $30,300 and $38,310.
- $24K10th
- $30K25th
- $32KMedian
- $38K75th
- $49K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $36,440 | $3,037 | $17.52 |
| Median | $32,240 | $2,687 | $15.50 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $30,300 | $2,525 | $14.57 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $38,310 | $3,192 | $18.42 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Security Guards salary after taxes in New Orleans
On the average salary of $36,440, a single filer in New Orleans takes home about $30,753 a year, or $2,563 a month and $1,183 every two weeks. Taxes take 16% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is New Orleans a good place for security guards? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the New Orleans area are 7% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 92.6), so the average $36,440 buys what about $39,353 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in New Orleans ($47,290). A typical home costs $261,414, or 7.2 years of this average salary before tax.
Security Guards salary in other Louisiana cities
New Orleans ranks 3rd of 9 Louisiana metro areas for this job; Slidell pays the most ($40,080).
- Slidell$40,080
- Baton Rouge$39,690
- New Orleans$36,440
- Shreveport$35,560
- Alexandria$35,000
- Lafayette$34,400
- Lake Charles$33,780
- Hammond$31,430
- Houma$30,820
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 New Orleans: questions
How much do security guards make an hour in New Orleans?
$17.52 an hour on average, and $15.50 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level security guards salary in New Orleans?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $23,590 a year and the 25th percentile is $30,300, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the security guards take-home pay in New Orleans?
About $30,753 a year ($2,563 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $36,440.
Do security guards earn more in New Orleans than elsewhere?
The average here is 14% less 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 New Orleans-Metairie, LA (35380). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.4%.
- 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).
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.81, this job is 1.8 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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