Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a security guard make in Baltimore-Columbia, MD?

In the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD metropolitan area, security guards earned a median of $36,970 a year ($17.78 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 16,020 of these jobs there. That is 37% below the $59,070 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $32,810 and $62,200; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Maryland tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $30,493 in take-home pay.

Security guard pay in Baltimore-Columbia, MD at a glance

Median salary

$36,970$17.78 per hour · $3,081 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$32,810$15.77/hr
25th percentile$35,390$17.01/hr
75th percentile$45,460$21.86/hr
90th percentile$62,200$29.91/hr
Jobs in this metro16,020Location quotient 1.43 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here37% belowAll-jobs median $59,070
Against Maryland3% belowStatewide median $38,220
Against the U.S.3% 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 Baltimore-Columbia, MD after taxes

$36,970
$15,000$75,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$36,970
Net 82%
Fed 6%
MD 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$30,493After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,541Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,173Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate17.5%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,256 / yr
Maryland state income tax$1,392 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,828 / yr

Security guards pay range in Baltimore-Columbia, MD, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What security guards earned in the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (MD)
10th percentile$15.77/hr$2,734$32,810$27,348
25th percentile$17.01/hr$2,949$35,390$29,298
MedianMedian$17.78/hr$3,081$36,970$30,493
75th percentile$21.86/hr$3,788$45,460$36,911
90th percentile$29.91/hr$5,183$62,200$49,567

Is $36,970 a good salary in Baltimore-Columbia, MD?

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$99,470Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)104.54.5% above national average
One paycheck vs. a household37.2%of area median income

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

Security guard pay in Baltimore-Columbia, MD: common questions

What is the median salary for security guards in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD?

The BLS median annual wage for security guards in the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD metro area was $36,970 in May 2025, about $3,081 a month or $17.78 an hour. Statewide, the Maryland median for this job is $38,220, so the metro pays 3% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for security guards in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD?

The median hourly wage for security guards in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD was $17.78 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $15.77 an hour and one in ten earned more than $29.91.

How many security guards work in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD?

BLS estimated 16,020 jobs for security guards in the metro in May 2025, or 11.8 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.43 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for security guards in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD?

BLS wage estimates for security guards in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD run from $32,810 at the 10th percentile to $35,390 at the 25th, $45,460 at the 75th, and $62,200 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do security guards take home after taxes in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD?

On a median gross salary of $36,970, an estimated $30,493 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,173 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Maryland in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $6,477 (an effective rate of 17.5%).

How much do security guards make per month in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD?

On the median annual salary of $36,970, gross monthly income is $3,081. After federal, FICA, and Maryland state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,541 per month (or $1,173 every two weeks).

Is $36,970 a good salary in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD?

At $36,970, the median salary for security guards is 37.2% of the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD median household income ($99,470). It is 37% below the $59,070 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 104.5, so prices here run 4.5% above the U.S. average.