Security Guards pay range in Portland
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $38,360 a year or less, while the top 10% make $60,020 or more. The middle half of security guards in Portland earn between $43,610 and $49,070.
- $38K10th
- $44K25th
- $47KMedian
- $49K75th
- $60K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $47,960 | $3,997 | $23.06 |
| Median | $46,820 | $3,902 | $22.51 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $43,610 | $3,634 | $20.97 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $49,070 | $4,089 | $23.59 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Security Guards salary after taxes in Portland
On the average salary of $47,960, a single filer in Portland takes home about $37,390 a year, or $3,116 a month and $1,438 every two weeks. Taxes take 22% of gross pay.
The Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in WA | $40,716 | $3,393 |
| Working in OR | $37,390 | $3,116 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). Portland-area Metro and Multnomah County taxes and the 0.1% statewide transit tax are not included.
Is Portland a good place for security guards? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Portland area are 5% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 105.4), so the average $47,960 buys what about $45,494 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Portland ($60,690). A typical home costs $552,022, or 11.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Security Guards salary in other Oregon cities
Portland ranks 1st of 8 Oregon metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
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 Portland: questions
How much do security guards make an hour in Portland?
$23.06 an hour on average, and $22.51 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level security guards salary in Portland?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $38,360 a year and the 25th percentile is $43,610, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the security guards take-home pay in Portland?
About $37,390 a year ($3,116 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $47,960. Portland-area Metro and Multnomah County taxes and the 0.1% statewide transit tax are not included.
Do security guards earn more in Portland than elsewhere?
The average here is 14% 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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA (38900). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.1%.
- 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). Portland-area Metro and Multnomah County taxes and the 0.1% statewide transit tax are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.91, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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