Security guard pay in Ames, IA at a glance
Median salary
$37,430$17.99 per hour · $3,119 monthly · BLS May 2025Run the numbers on your own pay
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Security guard salary in Ames, IA after taxes
Security guards pay range in Ames, IA, hourly and yearly
BLS May 2025 estimates for the Ames, IA metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.
| Percentile | Hourly | Monthly | Yearly | After tax a year (IA) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $14.43/hr | $2,501 | $30,010 | $25,804 |
| 25th percentile | $17.11/hr | $2,965 | $35,580 | $30,068 |
| MedianMedian | $17.99/hr | $3,119 | $37,430 | $31,484 |
| 75th percentile | $23.09/hr | $4,002 | $48,020 | $39,591 |
| 90th percentile | $25.61/hr | $4,438 | $53,260 | $43,602 |
Is $37,430 a good salary in Ames, IA?
It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for security guards next to both.
Security guards pay in Iowa and across the U.S.
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Security guard pay in Ames, IA: common questions
What is the median salary for security guards in Ames, IA?
The BLS median annual wage for security guards in the Ames, IA metro area was $37,430 in May 2025, about $3,119 a month or $17.99 an hour. Statewide, the Iowa median for this job is $37,080, so the metro pays 1% above the state.
What is the hourly pay for security guards in Ames, IA?
The median hourly wage for security guards in Ames, IA was $17.99 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $14.43 an hour and one in ten earned more than $25.61.
How many security guards work in Ames, IA?
BLS estimated 260 jobs for security guards in the metro in May 2025, or 4.7 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.56 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.
What is the pay range for security guards in Ames, IA?
BLS wage estimates for security guards in Ames, IA run from $30,010 at the 10th percentile to $35,580 at the 25th, $48,020 at the 75th, and $53,260 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.
How much do security guards take home after taxes in Ames, IA?
On a median gross salary of $37,430, an estimated $31,484 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,211 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Iowa in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,946 (an effective rate of 15.9%).
How much do security guards make per month in Ames, IA?
On the median annual salary of $37,430, gross monthly income is $3,119. After federal, FICA, and Iowa state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,624 per month (or $1,211 every two weeks).
Is $37,430 a good salary in Ames, IA?
At $37,430, the median salary for security guards is 51.2% of the Ames, IA median household income ($73,127). It is 25% below the $50,220 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 88.8, so prices here run 11.2% below the U.S. average.