Columbus, GA-AL metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a security guard make in Columbus, GA?

In the Columbus, GA-AL metropolitan area, security guards earned a median of $29,720 a year ($14.29 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 1,150 of these jobs there. That is 32% below the $43,540 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $26,680 and $53,870; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Alabama tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $24,898 in take-home pay.

Security guard pay in Columbus, GA at a glance

Median salary

$29,720$14.29 per hour · $2,477 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$26,680$12.83/hr
25th percentile$29,190$14.04/hr
75th percentile$37,870$18.21/hr
90th percentile$53,870$25.90/hr
Jobs in this metro1,150Location quotient 1.20 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here32% belowAll-jobs median $43,540
Against Alabama12% belowStatewide median $33,720
Against the U.S.22% 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 Columbus, GA after taxes

$29,720
$15,000$60,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$29,720
Net 84%
Fed 5%
AL 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$24,898After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,075Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$958Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate16.2%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,386 / yr
Alabama state income tax$1,162 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,274 / yr

Security guards pay range in Columbus, GA, hourly and yearly

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

What security guards earned in the Columbus, GA-AL metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (AL)
10th percentile$12.83/hr$2,223$26,680$22,562
25th percentile$14.04/hr$2,433$29,190$24,497
MedianMedian$14.29/hr$2,477$29,720$24,898
75th percentile$18.21/hr$3,156$37,870$31,073
90th percentile$25.90/hr$4,489$53,870$43,225

Is $29,720 a good salary in Columbus, GA?

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$59,336Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)89.310.7% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household50.1%of area median income

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

Security guard pay in Columbus, GA: common questions

What is the median salary for security guards in Columbus, GA-AL?

The BLS median annual wage for security guards in the Columbus, GA-AL metro area was $29,720 in May 2025, about $2,477 a month or $14.29 an hour. Statewide, the Alabama median for this job is $33,720, so the metro pays 12% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for security guards in Columbus, GA-AL?

The median hourly wage for security guards in Columbus, GA-AL was $14.29 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $12.83 an hour and one in ten earned more than $25.90.

How many security guards work in Columbus, GA-AL?

BLS estimated 1,150 jobs for security guards in the metro in May 2025, or 9.9 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.20 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for security guards in Columbus, GA-AL?

BLS wage estimates for security guards in Columbus, GA-AL run from $26,680 at the 10th percentile to $29,190 at the 25th, $37,870 at the 75th, and $53,870 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do security guards take home after taxes in Columbus, GA-AL?

On a median gross salary of $29,720, an estimated $24,898 lands in net take-home pay per year ($958 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Alabama in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $4,822 (an effective rate of 16.2%).

How much do security guards make per month in Columbus, GA-AL?

On the median annual salary of $29,720, gross monthly income is $2,477. After federal, FICA, and Alabama state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,075 per month (or $958 every two weeks).

Is $29,720 a good salary in Columbus, GA-AL?

At $29,720, the median salary for security guards is 50.1% of the Columbus, GA-AL median household income ($59,336). It is 32% below the $43,540 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 89.3, so prices here run 10.7% below the U.S. average.