Security Guards pay range in Altoona
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $29,690 a year or less, while the top 10% make $57,300 or more. The middle half of security guards in Altoona earn between $29,690 and $40,280.
- $30K10th
- $30K25th
- $36KMedian
- $40K75th
- $57K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $38,650 | $3,221 | $18.58 |
| Median | $35,900 | $2,992 | $17.26 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $29,690 | $2,474 | $14.27 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $40,280 | $3,357 | $19.37 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Security Guards salary after taxes in Altoona
On the average salary of $38,650, a single filer in Altoona takes home about $32,049 a year, or $2,671 a month and $1,233 every two weeks. Taxes take 17% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.
Is Altoona a good place for security guards? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Altoona area are 10% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 89.5), so the average $38,650 buys what about $43,181 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Altoona ($44,270). A typical home costs $178,052, or 4.6 years of this average salary before tax.
Security Guards salary in other Pennsylvania cities
Altoona ranks 12th of 16 Pennsylvania metro areas for this job; Chambersburg pays the most ($44,550).
- Chambersburg$44,550
- Philadelphia$42,180
- Gettysburg$41,170
- Lancaster$40,720
- York$40,680
- Harrisburg$40,500
- Scranton$40,080
- Allentown$39,900
- Reading$39,680
- Altoona$38,650
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 Altoona: questions
How much do security guards make an hour in Altoona?
$18.58 an hour on average, and $17.26 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level security guards salary in Altoona?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $29,690 a year and the 25th percentile is $29,690, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the security guards take-home pay in Altoona?
About $32,049 a year ($2,671 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $38,650. Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.
Do security guards earn more in Altoona than elsewhere?
The average here is 8% 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 Altoona, PA (11020). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.0%.
- 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 (2025 rules). Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.48, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.48).
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