Security Guards pay range in Greenville
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $28,690 a year or less, while the top 10% make $45,190 or more. The middle half of security guards in Greenville earn between $29,940 and $36,590.
- $29K10th
- $30K25th
- $36KMedian
- $37K75th
- $45K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $36,090 | $3,008 | $17.35 |
| Median | $35,760 | $2,980 | $17.19 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $29,940 | $2,495 | $14.39 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $36,590 | $3,049 | $17.59 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Security Guards salary after taxes in Greenville
On the average salary of $36,090, a single filer in Greenville takes home about $30,759 a year, or $2,563 a month and $1,183 every two weeks. Taxes take 15% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Greenville a good place for security guards? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Greenville area are 7% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 93.3), so the average $36,090 buys what about $38,698 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Greenville ($46,580). A typical home costs $315,285, or 8.7 years of this average salary before tax.
Security Guards salary in other South Carolina cities
Greenville ranks 6th of 8 South Carolina metro areas for this job; Spartanburg pays the most ($42,410).
- Spartanburg$42,410
- Florence$41,810
- Charleston$39,510
- Hilton Head Island$39,020
- Sumter$38,350
- Greenville$36,090
- Columbia$36,000
- Myrtle Beach$33,420
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 Greenville: questions
How much do security guards make an hour in Greenville?
$17.35 an hour on average, and $17.19 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level security guards salary in Greenville?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $28,690 a year and the 25th percentile is $29,940, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the security guards take-home pay in Greenville?
About $30,759 a year ($2,563 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $36,090.
Do security guards earn more in Greenville 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 Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC (24860). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.8%.
- 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 0.83, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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