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Decatur, AL metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a security guard make in Decatur, AL?

In the Decatur, AL metropolitan area, security guards earned a median of $38,500 a year ($18.51 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 450 of these jobs there. That is 17% below the $46,280 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $28,840 and $63,440; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Alabama tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $31,552 in take-home pay.

Security guard pay in Decatur, AL at a glance

Median salary

$38,500$18.51 per hour · $3,208 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$28,840$13.87/hr
25th percentile$36,510$17.55/hr
75th percentile$63,440$30.50/hr
90th percentile$63,440$30.50/hr
Jobs in this metro450Location quotient 0.90 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here17% belowAll-jobs median $46,280
Against Alabama14% aboveStatewide median $33,720
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 AlabamaFederal tax, FICA and Alabama withholding on that salary, with the other 49 states beside it.
By the hour$19 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 Alabama publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about Alabama.

Security guard salary in Decatur, AL after taxes

$38,500
$15,000$80,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$38,500
Net 82%
Fed 6%
AL 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$31,552After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,629Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,214Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate18.1%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,440 / yr
Alabama state income tax$1,563 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,945 / yr
Customize deductions in full Alabama calculator

Security guards pay range in Decatur, AL, hourly and yearly

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

What security guards earned in the Decatur, AL metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (AL)
10th percentile$13.87/hr$2,403$28,840$24,232
25th percentile$17.55/hr$3,043$36,510$30,040
MedianMedian$18.51/hr$3,208$38,500$31,552
75th percentile$30.50/hr$5,287$63,440$50,494
90th percentile$30.50/hr$5,287$63,440$50,494

Is $38,500 a good salary in Decatur, 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$68,116Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)87.212.8% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household56.5%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 Alabama metros

Metros in the same state that are closest in size to Decatur, AL. A statewide average can hide differences this large.

Security guard pay in Decatur, AL: common questions

What is the median salary for security guards in Decatur, AL?

The BLS median annual wage for security guards in the Decatur, AL metro area was $38,500 in May 2025, about $3,208 a month or $18.51 an hour. Statewide, the Alabama median for this job is $33,720, so the metro pays 14% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for security guards in Decatur, AL?

The median hourly wage for security guards in Decatur, AL was $18.51 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $13.87 an hour and one in ten earned more than $30.50.

How many security guards work in Decatur, AL?

BLS estimated 450 jobs for security guards in the metro in May 2025, or 7.4 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.90 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for security guards in Decatur, AL?

BLS wage estimates for security guards in Decatur, AL run from $28,840 at the 10th percentile to $36,510 at the 25th, $63,440 at the 75th, and $63,440 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do security guards take home after taxes in Decatur, AL?

On a median gross salary of $38,500, an estimated $31,552 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,214 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Alabama in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $6,948 (an effective rate of 18%).

How much do security guards make per month in Decatur, AL?

On the median annual salary of $38,500, gross monthly income is $3,208. After federal, FICA, and Alabama state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,629 per month (or $1,214 every two weeks).

Is $38,500 a good salary in Decatur, AL?

At $38,500, the median salary for security guards is 56.5% of the Decatur, AL median household income ($68,116). It is 17% below the $46,280 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 87.2, so prices here run 12.8% below the U.S. average.