Security Guards pay range in Pittsburgh
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $29,690 a year or less, while the top 10% make $55,410 or more. The middle half of security guards in Pittsburgh earn between $34,580 and $43,650.
- $30K10th
- $35K25th
- $36KMedian
- $44K75th
- $55K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $39,530 | $3,294 | $19.00 |
| Median | $35,850 | $2,988 | $17.24 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $34,580 | $2,882 | $16.62 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $43,650 | $3,638 | $20.99 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Security Guards salary after taxes in Pittsburgh
On the average salary of $39,530, a single filer in Pittsburgh takes home about $32,729 a year, or $2,727 a month and $1,259 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 Pittsburgh a good place for security guards? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Pittsburgh area are 5% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 94.7), so the average $39,530 buys what about $41,755 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Pittsburgh ($49,650). A typical home costs $231,356, or 5.9 years of this average salary before tax.
Security Guards salary in other Pennsylvania cities
Pittsburgh ranks 10th 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 Pittsburgh: questions
How much do security guards make an hour in Pittsburgh?
$19.00 an hour on average, and $17.23 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level security guards salary in Pittsburgh?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $29,690 a year and the 25th percentile is $34,580, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the security guards take-home pay in Pittsburgh?
About $32,729 a year ($2,727 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $39,530. Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.
Do security guards earn more in Pittsburgh than elsewhere?
The average here is 6% 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 Pittsburgh, PA (38300). 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 1.01, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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