Dubuque, IA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a security guard make in Dubuque, IA?

In the Dubuque, IA metropolitan area, security guards earned a median of $37,620 a year ($18.09 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 170 of these jobs there. That is 23% below the $48,750 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $29,510 and $44,330; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Iowa tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $31,630 in take-home pay.

Security guard pay in Dubuque, IA at a glance

Median salary

$37,620$18.09 per hour · $3,135 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$29,510$14.19/hr
25th percentile$31,660$15.22/hr
75th percentile$43,740$21.03/hr
90th percentile$44,330$21.31/hr
Jobs in this metro170Location quotient 0.35 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here23% belowAll-jobs median $48,750
Against Iowa1% aboveStatewide median $37,080
Against the U.S.1% 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 Dubuque, IA after taxes

$37,620
$15,000$80,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$37,620
Net 84%
Fed 6%
IA 2%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$31,630After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,636Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,217Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate15.9%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,334 / yr
Iowa state income tax$778 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,878 / yr

Security guards pay range in Dubuque, IA, hourly and yearly

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

What security guards earned in the Dubuque, IA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (IA)
10th percentile$14.19/hr$2,459$29,510$25,422
25th percentile$15.22/hr$2,638$31,660$27,068
MedianMedian$18.09/hr$3,135$37,620$31,630
75th percentile$21.03/hr$3,645$43,740$36,315
90th percentile$21.31/hr$3,694$44,330$36,766

Is $37,620 a good salary in Dubuque, IA?

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$77,630Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)87.312.7% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household48.5%of area median income

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

Security guard pay in Dubuque, IA: common questions

What is the median salary for security guards in Dubuque, IA?

The BLS median annual wage for security guards in the Dubuque, IA metro area was $37,620 in May 2025, about $3,135 a month or $18.09 an hour. Statewide, the Iowa median for this job is $37,080, so the metro pays 1% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for security guards in Dubuque, IA?

The median hourly wage for security guards in Dubuque, IA was $18.09 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $14.19 an hour and one in ten earned more than $21.31.

How many security guards work in Dubuque, IA?

BLS estimated 170 jobs for security guards in the metro in May 2025, or 2.9 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.35 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for security guards in Dubuque, IA?

BLS wage estimates for security guards in Dubuque, IA run from $29,510 at the 10th percentile to $31,660 at the 25th, $43,740 at the 75th, and $44,330 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do security guards take home after taxes in Dubuque, IA?

On a median gross salary of $37,620, an estimated $31,630 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,217 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Iowa in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,990 (an effective rate of 15.9%).

How much do security guards make per month in Dubuque, IA?

On the median annual salary of $37,620, gross monthly income is $3,135. After federal, FICA, and Iowa state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,636 per month (or $1,217 every two weeks).

Is $37,620 a good salary in Dubuque, IA?

At $37,620, the median salary for security guards is 48.5% of the Dubuque, IA median household income ($77,630). It is 23% below the $48,750 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 87.3, so prices here run 12.7% below the U.S. average.