Security Guards pay range in St. Louis
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $32,460 a year or less, while the top 10% make $60,590 or more. The middle half of security guards in St. Louis earn between $36,450 and $48,130.
- $32K10th
- $36K25th
- $43KMedian
- $48K75th
- $61K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $45,040 | $3,753 | $21.65 |
| Median | $42,600 | $3,550 | $20.48 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $36,450 | $3,038 | $17.52 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $48,130 | $4,011 | $23.14 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Security Guards salary after taxes in St. Louis
On the average salary of $45,040, a single filer in St. Louis takes home about $36,740 a year, or $3,062 a month and $1,413 every two weeks. Taxes take 18% of gross pay.
The St. Louis, MO-IL metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in MO | $36,740 | $3,062 |
| Working in IL | $36,281 | $3,023 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Includes St. Louis's local income tax (1%); the 1% earnings tax applies to people who live or work in Kansas City or St. Louis itself, not in the suburbs.
Is St. Louis a good place for security guards? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the St. Louis area are 5% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 95.1), so the average $45,040 buys what about $47,367 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.9 times the median wage of all jobs in St. Louis ($49,990). A typical home costs $276,878, or 6.1 years of this average salary before tax.
Security Guards salary in other Missouri cities
St. Louis ranks 4th of 8 Missouri metro areas for this job; Springfield pays the most ($48,360).
- Springfield$48,360
- Jefferson City$48,100
- Kansas City$45,690
- St. Louis$45,040
- Joplin$40,070
- St. Joseph$40,070
- Columbia$39,220
- Cape Girardeau$38,030
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 St. Louis: questions
How much do security guards make an hour in St. Louis?
$21.66 an hour on average, and $20.48 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level security guards salary in St. Louis?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $32,460 a year and the 25th percentile is $36,450, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the security guards take-home pay in St. Louis?
About $36,740 a year ($3,062 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $45,040. Includes St. Louis's local income tax (1%); the 1% earnings tax applies to people who live or work in Kansas City or St. Louis itself, not in the suburbs.
Do security guards earn more in St. Louis than elsewhere?
The average here is 7% 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 St. Louis, MO-IL (41180). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.0%.
- 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). Includes St. Louis's local income tax (1%); the 1% earnings tax applies to people who live or work in Kansas City or St. Louis itself, not in the suburbs.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.88, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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