Security Guards pay range in Philadelphia
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $31,330 a year or less, while the top 10% make $57,970 or more. The middle half of security guards in Philadelphia earn between $35,990 and $45,640.
- $31K10th
- $36K25th
- $37KMedian
- $46K75th
- $58K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $42,180 | $3,515 | $20.28 |
| Median | $37,450 | $3,121 | $18.00 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $35,990 | $2,999 | $17.30 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $45,640 | $3,803 | $21.94 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Security Guards salary after taxes in Philadelphia
On the average salary of $42,180, a single filer in Philadelphia takes home about $34,777 a year, or $2,898 a month and $1,338 every two weeks. Taxes take 18% of gross pay.
The Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in NJ | $35,289 | $2,941 |
| Working in PA | $34,777 | $2,898 |
| Working in DE | $34,298 | $2,858 |
| Working in MD | $34,280 | $2,857 |
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 Philadelphia a good place for security guards? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Philadelphia area are 3% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 102.6), so the average $42,180 buys what about $41,130 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Philadelphia ($54,310). A typical home costs $390,463, or 9.3 years of this average salary before tax.
Security Guards salary in other Pennsylvania cities
Philadelphia ranks 2nd 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
- Pittsburgh$39,530
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 Philadelphia: questions
How much do security guards make an hour in Philadelphia?
$20.28 an hour on average, and $18.00 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level security guards salary in Philadelphia?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $31,330 a year and the 25th percentile is $35,990, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the security guards take-home pay in Philadelphia?
About $34,777 a year ($2,898 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $42,180. Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.
Do security guards earn more in Philadelphia than elsewhere?
The average here is about the same as 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD (37980). 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 (2025 rules). Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.06, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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