Security Guards pay range in Appleton
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $30,410 a year or less, while the top 10% make $50,220 or more. The middle half of security guards in Appleton earn between $32,050 and $45,730.
- $30K10th
- $32K25th
- $36KMedian
- $46K75th
- $50K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $39,480 | $3,290 | $18.98 |
| Median | $36,040 | $3,003 | $17.33 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $32,050 | $2,671 | $15.41 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $45,730 | $3,811 | $21.99 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Security Guards salary after taxes in Appleton
On the average salary of $39,480, a single filer in Appleton takes home about $32,844 a year, or $2,737 a month and $1,263 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 (2026 rules).
Is Appleton a good place for security guards? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Appleton area are 8% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 92.4), so the average $39,480 buys what about $42,718 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Appleton ($49,910). A typical home costs $350,370, or 8.9 years of this average salary before tax.
Security Guards salary in other Wisconsin cities
Appleton ranks 11th of 13 Wisconsin metro areas for this job; Racine pays the most ($43,530).
- Racine$43,530
- Madison$42,680
- Milwaukee$42,380
- Green Bay$42,360
- Janesville$41,570
- Sheboygan$41,320
- Eau Claire$40,300
- Kenosha$40,110
- Fond du Lac$39,720
- Appleton$39,480
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 Appleton: questions
How much do security guards make an hour in Appleton?
$18.98 an hour on average, and $17.33 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level security guards salary in Appleton?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $30,410 a year and the 25th percentile is $32,050, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the security guards take-home pay in Appleton?
About $32,844 a year ($2,737 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $39,480.
Do security guards earn more in Appleton 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 Appleton, WI (11540). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 4.2%.
- 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 0.53, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.53).
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