Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a security guard make in Denver-Aurora, CO?

In the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metropolitan area, security guards earned a median of $45,420 a year ($21.84 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 10,910 of these jobs there. That is 27% below the $62,320 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $36,780 and $57,330; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Colorado tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $37,385 in take-home pay.

Security guard pay in Denver-Aurora, CO at a glance

Median salary

$45,420$21.84 per hour · $3,785 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$36,780$17.69/hr
25th percentile$38,960$18.73/hr
75th percentile$47,560$22.86/hr
90th percentile$57,330$27.56/hr
Jobs in this metro10,910Location quotient 0.82 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here27% belowAll-jobs median $62,320
Against Colorado1% aboveStatewide median $45,150
Against the U.S.19% 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.

Security guard salary in Denver-Aurora, CO after taxes

$45,420
$15,000$95,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$45,420
Net 82%
Fed 7%
CO 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$37,385After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,115Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,438Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate17.7%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,270 / yr
Colorado state income tax$1,290 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,475 / yr

Security guards pay range in Denver-Aurora, CO, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What security guards earned in the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (CO)
10th percentile$17.69/hr$3,065$36,780$30,823
25th percentile$18.73/hr$3,247$38,960$32,479
MedianMedian$21.84/hr$3,785$45,420$37,385
75th percentile$22.86/hr$3,963$47,560$39,010
90th percentile$27.56/hr$4,778$57,330$46,431

Is $45,420 a good salary in Denver-Aurora, CO?

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$105,762Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)105.85.8% above national average
One paycheck vs. a household42.9%of area median income

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

Security guard pay in Denver-Aurora, CO: common questions

What is the median salary for security guards in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO?

The BLS median annual wage for security guards in the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro area was $45,420 in May 2025, about $3,785 a month or $21.84 an hour. Statewide, the Colorado median for this job is $45,150, so the metro pays 1% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for security guards in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO?

The median hourly wage for security guards in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO was $21.84 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $17.69 an hour and one in ten earned more than $27.56.

How many security guards work in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO?

BLS estimated 10,910 jobs for security guards in the metro in May 2025, or 6.8 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.82 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for security guards in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO?

BLS wage estimates for security guards in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO run from $36,780 at the 10th percentile to $38,960 at the 25th, $47,560 at the 75th, and $57,330 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do security guards take home after taxes in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO?

On a median gross salary of $45,420, an estimated $37,385 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,438 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Colorado in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $8,035 (an effective rate of 17.7%).

How much do security guards make per month in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO?

On the median annual salary of $45,420, gross monthly income is $3,785. After federal, FICA, and Colorado state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $3,115 per month (or $1,438 every two weeks).

Is $45,420 a good salary in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO?

At $45,420, the median salary for security guards is 42.9% of the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO median household income ($105,762). It is 27% below the $62,320 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 105.8, so prices here run 5.8% above the U.S. average.