Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a security guard make in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC?

In the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metropolitan area, security guards earned a median of $38,530 a year ($18.53 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 1,570 of these jobs there. That is 37% below the $60,720 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $29,450 and $59,110; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and North Carolina tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $32,110 in take-home pay.

Security guard pay in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC at a glance

Median salary

$38,530$18.53 per hour · $3,211 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$29,450$14.16/hr
25th percentile$30,160$14.50/hr
75th percentile$44,910$21.59/hr
90th percentile$59,110$28.42/hr
Jobs in this metro1,570Location quotient 0.55 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here37% belowAll-jobs median $60,720
Against North Carolina10% aboveStatewide median $35,010
Against the U.S.1% aboveNational median $38,020

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Same U.S. tax tables as the rest of the site. Change the salary, state, or filing status.

Security guard salary in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC after taxes

$38,530
$15,000$80,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$38,530
Net 83%
Fed 6%
NC 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$32,110After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,676Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,235Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate16.7%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,444 / yr
North Carolina state income tax$1,029 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,948 / yr

Security guards pay range in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What security guards earned in the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (NC)
10th percentile$14.16/hr$2,454$29,450$25,177
25th percentile$14.50/hr$2,513$30,160$25,719
MedianMedian$18.53/hr$3,211$38,530$32,110
75th percentile$21.59/hr$3,743$44,910$36,982
90th percentile$28.42/hr$4,926$59,110$47,825

Is $38,530 a good salary in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC?

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$83,500Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)97.62.4% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household46.1%of area median income

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

Security guard pay in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC: common questions

What is the median salary for security guards in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC?

The BLS median annual wage for security guards in the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro area was $38,530 in May 2025, about $3,211 a month or $18.53 an hour. Statewide, the North Carolina median for this job is $35,010, so the metro pays 10% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for security guards in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC?

The median hourly wage for security guards in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC was $18.53 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $14.16 an hour and one in ten earned more than $28.42.

How many security guards work in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC?

BLS estimated 1,570 jobs for security guards in the metro in May 2025, or 4.6 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.55 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for security guards in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC?

BLS wage estimates for security guards in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC run from $29,450 at the 10th percentile to $30,160 at the 25th, $44,910 at the 75th, and $59,110 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do security guards take home after taxes in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC?

On a median gross salary of $38,530, an estimated $32,110 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,235 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in North Carolina in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $6,420 (an effective rate of 16.7%).

How much do security guards make per month in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC?

On the median annual salary of $38,530, gross monthly income is $3,211. After federal, FICA, and North Carolina state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,676 per month (or $1,235 every two weeks).

Is $38,530 a good salary in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC?

At $38,530, the median salary for security guards is 46.1% of the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC median household income ($83,500). It is 37% below the $60,720 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 97.6, so prices here run 2.4% below the U.S. average.