Auburn-Opelika, AL metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a security guard make in Auburn-Opelika, AL?

In the Auburn-Opelika, AL metropolitan area, security guards earned a median of $34,840 a year ($16.75 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 320 of these jobs there. That is 11% below the $39,070 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $20,590 and $45,500; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Alabama tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $28,774 in take-home pay.

Security guard pay in Auburn-Opelika, AL at a glance

Median salary

$34,840$16.75 per hour · $2,903 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$20,590$9.90/hr
25th percentile$27,800$13.36/hr
75th percentile$37,890$18.22/hr
90th percentile$45,500$21.87/hr
Jobs in this metro320Location quotient 0.54 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here11% belowAll-jobs median $39,070
Against Alabama3% aboveStatewide median $33,720
Against the U.S.8% 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 Auburn-Opelika, AL after taxes

$34,840
$15,000$70,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$34,840
Net 83%
Fed 6%
AL 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$28,774After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,398Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,107Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate17.4%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,001 / yr
Alabama state income tax$1,399 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,665 / yr

Security guards pay range in Auburn-Opelika, AL, hourly and yearly

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

What security guards earned in the Auburn-Opelika, AL metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (AL)
10th percentile$9.90/hr$1,716$20,590$17,824
25th percentile$13.36/hr$2,317$27,800$23,432
MedianMedian$16.75/hr$2,903$34,840$28,774
75th percentile$18.22/hr$3,158$37,890$31,088
90th percentile$21.87/hr$3,792$45,500$36,868

Is $34,840 a good salary in Auburn-Opelika, AL?

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$63,649Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)87.912.1% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household54.7%of area median income

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

Security guard pay in Auburn-Opelika, AL: common questions

What is the median salary for security guards in Auburn-Opelika, AL?

The BLS median annual wage for security guards in the Auburn-Opelika, AL metro area was $34,840 in May 2025, about $2,903 a month or $16.75 an hour. Statewide, the Alabama median for this job is $33,720, so the metro pays 3% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for security guards in Auburn-Opelika, AL?

The median hourly wage for security guards in Auburn-Opelika, AL was $16.75 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $9.90 an hour and one in ten earned more than $21.87.

How many security guards work in Auburn-Opelika, AL?

BLS estimated 320 jobs for security guards in the metro in May 2025, or 4.4 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.54 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for security guards in Auburn-Opelika, AL?

BLS wage estimates for security guards in Auburn-Opelika, AL run from $20,590 at the 10th percentile to $27,800 at the 25th, $37,890 at the 75th, and $45,500 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do security guards take home after taxes in Auburn-Opelika, AL?

On a median gross salary of $34,840, an estimated $28,774 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,107 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Alabama in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $6,066 (an effective rate of 17.4%).

How much do security guards make per month in Auburn-Opelika, AL?

On the median annual salary of $34,840, gross monthly income is $2,903. After federal, FICA, and Alabama state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,398 per month (or $1,107 every two weeks).

Is $34,840 a good salary in Auburn-Opelika, AL?

At $34,840, the median salary for security guards is 54.7% of the Auburn-Opelika, AL median household income ($63,649). It is 11% below the $39,070 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 87.9, so prices here run 12.1% below the U.S. average.