Security Guards pay range in Hickory
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $23,880 a year or less, while the top 10% make $58,150 or more. The middle half of security guards in Hickory earn between $28,920 and $41,340.
- $24K10th
- $29K25th
- $32KMedian
- $41K75th
- $58K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $36,010 | $3,001 | $17.31 |
| Median | $31,860 | $2,655 | $15.32 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $28,920 | $2,410 | $13.90 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $41,340 | $3,445 | $19.88 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Security Guards salary after taxes in Hickory
On the average salary of $36,010, a single filer in Hickory takes home about $30,186 a year, or $2,515 a month and $1,161 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 Hickory a good place for security guards? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Hickory area are 12% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 88.5), so the average $36,010 buys what about $40,696 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Hickory ($45,220). A typical home costs $271,739, or 7.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Security Guards salary in other North Carolina cities
Hickory ranks 13th of 15 North Carolina metro areas for this job; Fayetteville pays the most ($43,580).
- Fayetteville$43,580
- Wilmington$42,750
- Greenville$42,040
- Winston-Salem$41,090
- Raleigh$40,750
- Rocky Mount$40,680
- Durham$40,650
- Asheville$39,820
- Charlotte$38,340
- Hickory$36,010
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 Hickory: questions
How much do security guards make an hour in Hickory?
$17.31 an hour on average, and $15.32 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level security guards salary in Hickory?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $23,880 a year and the 25th percentile is $28,920, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the security guards take-home pay in Hickory?
About $30,186 a year ($2,515 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $36,010.
Do security guards earn more in Hickory than elsewhere?
The average here is 15% 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 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC (25860). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.6%.
- 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 0.44, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.44).
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