Albuquerque, NM metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a security guard make in Albuquerque, NM?

In the Albuquerque, NM metropolitan area, security guards earned a median of $44,780 a year ($21.53 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 4,440 of these jobs there. That is 7% below the $48,060 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $30,880 and $64,340; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and New Mexico tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $37,187 in take-home pay.

Security guard pay in Albuquerque, NM at a glance

Median salary

$44,780$21.53 per hour · $3,732 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$30,880$14.85/hr
25th percentile$36,400$17.50/hr
75th percentile$54,790$26.34/hr
90th percentile$64,340$30.94/hr
Jobs in this metro4,440Location quotient 1.33 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here7% belowAll-jobs median $48,060
Against New Mexico3% aboveStatewide median $43,320
Against the U.S.18% aboveNational median $38,020

Run the numbers on your own pay

Same U.S. tax tables as the rest of the site. Change the salary, state, or filing status.

Security guard salary in Albuquerque, NM after taxes

$44,780
$15,000$90,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$44,780
Net 83%
Fed 7%
NM 2%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$37,187After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,099Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,430Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate17%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,194 / yr
New Mexico state income tax$973 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,426 / yr

Security guards pay range in Albuquerque, NM, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Albuquerque, NM metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What security guards earned in the Albuquerque, NM metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (NM)
10th percentile$14.85/hr$2,573$30,880$26,629
25th percentile$17.50/hr$3,033$36,400$30,816
MedianMedian$21.53/hr$3,732$44,780$37,187
75th percentile$26.34/hr$4,566$54,790$44,778
90th percentile$30.94/hr$5,362$64,340$52,002

Is $44,780 a good salary in Albuquerque, NM?

It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for security guards next to both.

Median household income$70,783Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)95.54.5% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household63.3%of area median income

The same job statewide and nationally, and a calculator for your own paycheck.

Security guard pay in Albuquerque, NM: common questions

What is the median salary for security guards in Albuquerque, NM?

The BLS median annual wage for security guards in the Albuquerque, NM metro area was $44,780 in May 2025, about $3,732 a month or $21.53 an hour. Statewide, the New Mexico median for this job is $43,320, so the metro pays 3% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for security guards in Albuquerque, NM?

The median hourly wage for security guards in Albuquerque, NM was $21.53 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $14.85 an hour and one in ten earned more than $30.94.

How many security guards work in Albuquerque, NM?

BLS estimated 4,440 jobs for security guards in the metro in May 2025, or 11.0 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.33 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for security guards in Albuquerque, NM?

BLS wage estimates for security guards in Albuquerque, NM run from $30,880 at the 10th percentile to $36,400 at the 25th, $54,790 at the 75th, and $64,340 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do security guards take home after taxes in Albuquerque, NM?

On a median gross salary of $44,780, an estimated $37,187 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,430 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in New Mexico in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $7,593 (an effective rate of 17%).

How much do security guards make per month in Albuquerque, NM?

On the median annual salary of $44,780, gross monthly income is $3,732. After federal, FICA, and New Mexico state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $3,099 per month (or $1,430 every two weeks).

Is $44,780 a good salary in Albuquerque, NM?

At $44,780, the median salary for security guards is 63.3% of the Albuquerque, NM median household income ($70,783). It is 7% below the $48,060 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 95.5, so prices here run 4.5% below the U.S. average.