Security Guards pay range in Traverse City
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $31,750 a year or less, while the top 10% make $47,530 or more. The middle half of security guards in Traverse City earn between $37,120 and $43,350.
- $32K10th
- $37K25th
- $40KMedian
- $43K75th
- $48K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $40,280 | $3,357 | $19.37 |
| Median | $40,060 | $3,338 | $19.26 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $37,120 | $3,093 | $17.85 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $43,350 | $3,612 | $20.84 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Security Guards salary after taxes in Traverse City
On the average salary of $40,280, a single filer in Traverse City takes home about $33,080 a year, or $2,757 a month and $1,272 every two weeks. Taxes take 18% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
Is Traverse City a good place for security guards? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Traverse City area are 7% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 93.4), so the average $40,280 buys what about $43,139 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Traverse City ($47,470). A typical home costs $421,806, or 10.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Security Guards salary in other Michigan cities
Traverse City ranks 9th of 14 Michigan metro areas for this job; Grand Rapids pays the most ($44,570).
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 Traverse City: questions
How much do security guards make an hour in Traverse City?
$19.36 an hour on average, and $19.26 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level security guards salary in Traverse City?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $31,750 a year and the 25th percentile is $37,120, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the security guards take-home pay in Traverse City?
About $33,080 a year ($2,757 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $40,280.
Do security guards earn more in Traverse City than elsewhere?
The average here is 5% 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 Traverse City, MI (45900). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.5%.
- 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).
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.32, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.32).
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