Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a security guard make in Allentown-Bethlehem, PA?

In the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ metropolitan area, security guards earned a median of $36,020 a year ($17.32 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 2,570 of these jobs there. That is 26% below the $48,990 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $30,850 and $49,500; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and New Jersey tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $30,579 in take-home pay.

Security guard pay in Allentown-Bethlehem, PA at a glance

Median salary

$36,020$17.32 per hour · $3,002 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$30,850$14.83/hr
25th percentile$35,190$16.92/hr
75th percentile$44,390$21.34/hr
90th percentile$49,500$23.80/hr
Jobs in this metro2,570Location quotient 0.83 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here26% belowAll-jobs median $48,990
Against New Jersey7% belowStatewide median $38,880
Against the U.S.5% belowNational 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 Allentown-Bethlehem, PA after taxes

$36,020
$15,000$75,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$36,020
Net 85%
Fed 6%
NJ 2%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$30,579After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,548Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,176Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate15.1%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,142 / yr
New Jersey state income tax$543 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,756 / yr

Security guards pay range in Allentown-Bethlehem, PA, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What security guards earned in the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (NJ)
10th percentile$14.83/hr$2,571$30,850$26,516
25th percentile$16.92/hr$2,933$35,190$29,927
MedianMedian$17.32/hr$3,002$36,020$30,579
75th percentile$21.34/hr$3,699$44,390$36,943
90th percentile$23.80/hr$4,125$49,500$40,766

Is $36,020 a good salary in Allentown-Bethlehem, PA?

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$84,587Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)100.0Exact national baseline
One paycheck vs. a household42.6%of area median income

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

Security guard pay in Allentown-Bethlehem, PA: common questions

What is the median salary for security guards in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ?

The BLS median annual wage for security guards in the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ metro area was $36,020 in May 2025, about $3,002 a month or $17.32 an hour. Statewide, the New Jersey median for this job is $38,880, so the metro pays 7% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for security guards in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ?

The median hourly wage for security guards in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ was $17.32 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $14.83 an hour and one in ten earned more than $23.80.

How many security guards work in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ?

BLS estimated 2,570 jobs for security guards in the metro in May 2025, or 6.8 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.83 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for security guards in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ?

BLS wage estimates for security guards in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ run from $30,850 at the 10th percentile to $35,190 at the 25th, $44,390 at the 75th, and $49,500 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do security guards take home after taxes in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ?

On a median gross salary of $36,020, an estimated $30,579 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,176 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in New Jersey in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,441 (an effective rate of 15.1%).

How much do security guards make per month in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ?

On the median annual salary of $36,020, gross monthly income is $3,002. After federal, FICA, and New Jersey state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,548 per month (or $1,176 every two weeks).

Is $36,020 a good salary in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ?

At $36,020, the median salary for security guards is 42.6% of the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ median household income ($84,587). It is 26% below the $48,990 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 100.0, so prices here run 0% above the U.S. average.