Security Guards pay range in Houston
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $27,670 a year or less, while the top 10% make $48,140 or more. The middle half of security guards in Houston earn between $28,980 and $42,880.
- $28K10th
- $29K25th
- $35KMedian
- $43K75th
- $48K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $38,270 | $3,189 | $18.40 |
| Median | $35,460 | $2,955 | $17.05 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $28,980 | $2,415 | $13.93 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $42,880 | $3,573 | $20.62 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Security Guards salary after taxes in Houston
On the average salary of $38,270, a single filer in Houston takes home about $32,930 a year, or $2,744 a month and $1,267 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 Houston a good place for security guards? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Houston area are in line with the U.S. average (BEA price parity 98.6), so the average $38,270 buys what about $38,802 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Houston ($49,410). A typical home costs $308,306, or 8.1 years of this average salary before tax.
Security Guards salary in other Texas cities
Houston ranks 12th of 26 Texas metro areas for this job; Odessa pays the most ($45,950).
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 Houston: questions
How much do security guards make an hour in Houston?
$18.40 an hour on average, and $17.05 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level security guards salary in Houston?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $27,670 a year and the 25th percentile is $28,980, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the security guards take-home pay in Houston?
About $32,930 a year ($2,744 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $38,270. Texas has no state income tax.
Do security guards earn more in Houston than elsewhere?
The average here is 9% 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 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX (26420). 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 1.08, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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