Security Guards pay range in Johnson City
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $27,720 a year or less, while the top 10% make $37,430 or more. The middle half of security guards in Johnson City earn between $27,720 and $31,040.
- $28K10th
- $28K25th
- $28KMedian
- $31K75th
- $37K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $31,360 | $2,613 | $15.08 |
| Median | $27,720 | $2,310 | $13.33 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $27,720 | $2,310 | $13.33 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $31,040 | $2,587 | $14.92 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Security Guards salary after taxes in Johnson City
On the average salary of $31,360, a single filer in Johnson City takes home about $27,378 a year, or $2,281 a month and $1,053 every two weeks. Taxes take 13% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.
Is Johnson City a good place for security guards? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Johnson City area are 12% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 87.9), so the average $31,360 buys what about $35,666 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Johnson City ($43,480). A typical home costs $282,532, or 9.0 years of this average salary before tax.
Security Guards salary in other Tennessee cities
Johnson City ranks 10th of 10 Tennessee metro areas for this job; Nashville pays the most ($40,010).
- Nashville$40,010
- Knoxville$39,730
- Clarksville$39,480
- Chattanooga$38,910
- Kingsport$38,870
- Jackson$36,850
- Cleveland$36,660
- Memphis$36,570
- Morristown$34,170
- Johnson City$31,360
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 Johnson City: questions
How much do security guards make an hour in Johnson City?
$15.08 an hour on average, and $13.33 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level security guards salary in Johnson City?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $27,720 a year and the 25th percentile is $27,720, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the security guards take-home pay in Johnson City?
About $27,378 a year ($2,281 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $31,360. Tennessee has no state income tax.
Do security guards earn more in Johnson City than elsewhere?
The average here is 26% 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 Johnson City, TN (27740). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.7%.
- 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 no state income tax.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.85, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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