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Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a security guard make in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY?

In the Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY metropolitan area, security guards earned a median of $38,420 a year ($18.47 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 3,860 of these jobs there. That is 24% below the $50,790 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $32,240 and $60,250; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and New York tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $31,572 in take-home pay.

Security guard pay in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY at a glance

Median salary

$38,420$18.47 per hour · $3,202 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$32,240$15.50/hr
25th percentile$36,100$17.36/hr
75th percentile$49,400$23.75/hr
90th percentile$60,250$28.97/hr
Jobs in this metro3,860Location quotient 0.88 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here24% belowAll-jobs median $50,790
Against New York13% belowStatewide median $44,240
Against the U.S.1% 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.

Take-home payWhat $38,000 a year leaves after tax in New YorkFederal tax, FICA and New York withholding on that salary, with the other 49 states beside it.
By the hour$18 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $38,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $38,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation New York publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about New York.

Security guard salary in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY after taxes

$38,420
$15,000$80,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$38,420
Net 82%
Fed 6%
NY 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$31,572After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,631Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,214Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate17.8%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,430 / yr
New York state income tax$1,478 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,939 / yr
Customize deductions in full New York calculator

Security guards pay range in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY, hourly and yearly

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

What security guards earned in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (NY)
10th percentile$15.50/hr$2,687$32,240$26,940
25th percentile$17.36/hr$3,008$36,100$29,834
MedianMedian$18.47/hr$3,202$38,420$31,572
75th percentile$23.75/hr$4,117$49,400$39,802
90th percentile$28.97/hr$5,021$60,250$47,934

Is $38,420 a good salary in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY?

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$72,237Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)95.84.2% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household53.2%of area median income

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

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Security guards pay in other New York metros

Metros in the same state that are closest in size to Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY. A statewide average can hide differences this large.

Security guard pay in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY: common questions

What is the median salary for security guards in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY?

The BLS median annual wage for security guards in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY metro area was $38,420 in May 2025, about $3,202 a month or $18.47 an hour. Statewide, the New York median for this job is $44,240, so the metro pays 13% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for security guards in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY?

The median hourly wage for security guards in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY was $18.47 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $15.50 an hour and one in ten earned more than $28.97.

How many security guards work in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY?

BLS estimated 3,860 jobs for security guards in the metro in May 2025, or 7.2 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.88 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for security guards in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY?

BLS wage estimates for security guards in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY run from $32,240 at the 10th percentile to $36,100 at the 25th, $49,400 at the 75th, and $60,250 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do security guards take home after taxes in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY?

On a median gross salary of $38,420, an estimated $31,572 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,214 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in New York in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $6,848 (an effective rate of 17.8%).

How much do security guards make per month in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY?

On the median annual salary of $38,420, gross monthly income is $3,202. After federal, FICA, and New York state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,631 per month (or $1,214 every two weeks).

Is $38,420 a good salary in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY?

At $38,420, the median salary for security guards is 53.2% of the Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY median household income ($72,237). It is 24% below the $50,790 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 95.8, so prices here run 4.2% below the U.S. average.