Security Guards pay range in Knoxville
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $29,420 a year or less, while the top 10% make $57,010 or more. The middle half of security guards in Knoxville earn between $30,200 and $43,470.
- $29K10th
- $30K25th
- $36KMedian
- $43K75th
- $57K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $39,730 | $3,311 | $19.10 |
| Median | $35,810 | $2,984 | $17.22 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $30,200 | $2,517 | $14.52 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $43,470 | $3,622 | $20.90 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Security Guards salary after taxes in Knoxville
On the average salary of $39,730, a single filer in Knoxville takes home about $34,103 a year, or $2,842 a month and $1,312 every two weeks. Taxes take 14% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.
Is Knoxville a good place for security guards? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Knoxville area are 7% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 92.6), so the average $39,730 buys what about $42,919 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Knoxville ($47,080). A typical home costs $367,158, or 9.2 years of this average salary before tax.
Security Guards salary in other Tennessee cities
Knoxville ranks 2nd 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 Knoxville: questions
How much do security guards make an hour in Knoxville?
$19.10 an hour on average, and $17.22 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level security guards salary in Knoxville?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $29,420 a year and the 25th percentile is $30,200, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the security guards take-home pay in Knoxville?
About $34,103 a year ($2,842 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $39,730. Tennessee has no state income tax.
Do security guards earn more in Knoxville 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 Knoxville, TN (28940). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.4%.
- 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 0.82, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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