Security Guards pay range in Baltimore
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $32,810 a year or less, while the top 10% make $62,200 or more. The middle half of security guards in Baltimore earn between $35,390 and $45,460.
- $33K10th
- $35K25th
- $37KMedian
- $45K75th
- $62K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $42,620 | $3,552 | $20.49 |
| Median | $36,970 | $3,081 | $17.77 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $35,390 | $2,949 | $17.01 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $45,460 | $3,788 | $21.86 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Security Guards salary after taxes in Baltimore
On the average salary of $42,620, a single filer in Baltimore takes home about $34,612 a year, or $2,884 a month and $1,331 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 (2025 rules). Maryland's county income tax (2.25%–3.30%, charged in every county) is not included, so real take-home pay is lower.
Is Baltimore a good place for security guards? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Baltimore area are 4% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 104.5), so the average $42,620 buys what about $40,790 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Baltimore ($59,070). A typical home costs $405,877, or 9.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Security Guards salary in other Maryland cities
Baltimore ranks 2nd of 4 Maryland metro areas for this job; Lexington Park pays the most ($52,860).
- Lexington Park$52,860
- Baltimore$42,620
- Salisbury$39,870
- Hagerstown$38,620
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 Baltimore: questions
How much do security guards make an hour in Baltimore?
$20.49 an hour on average, and $17.78 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level security guards salary in Baltimore?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $32,810 a year and the 25th percentile is $35,390, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the security guards take-home pay in Baltimore?
About $34,612 a year ($2,884 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $42,620. Maryland's county income tax (2.25%–3.30%, charged in every county) is not included, so real take-home pay is lower.
Do security guards earn more in Baltimore than elsewhere?
The average here is about the same as 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 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD (12580). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.1%.
- 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). Maryland's county income tax (2.25%–3.30%, charged in every county) is not included, so real take-home pay is lower.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.43, this job is 1.4 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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