Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a security guard make in Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA?

In the Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA metropolitan area, security guards earned a median of $37,880 a year ($18.21 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 2,320 of these jobs there. That is 24% below the $49,610 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $30,100 and $48,800; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Pennsylvania tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $31,454 in take-home pay.

Security guard pay in Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA at a glance

Median salary

$37,880$18.21 per hour · $3,157 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$30,100$14.47/hr
25th percentile$35,570$17.10/hr
75th percentile$43,720$21.02/hr
90th percentile$48,800$23.46/hr
Jobs in this metro2,320Location quotient 0.84 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here24% belowAll-jobs median $49,610
Against Pennsylvania2% aboveStatewide median $37,050
Against the U.S.about the same asNational 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 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA after taxes

$37,880
$15,000$80,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$37,880
Net 83%
Fed 6%
PA 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$31,454After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,621Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,210Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate17%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,366 / yr
Pennsylvania state income tax$1,163 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,898 / yr

Security guards pay range in Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA, hourly and yearly

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

What security guards earned in the Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (PA)
10th percentile$14.47/hr$2,508$30,100$25,441
25th percentile$17.10/hr$2,964$35,570$29,669
MedianMedian$18.21/hr$3,157$37,880$31,454
75th percentile$21.02/hr$3,643$43,720$35,967
90th percentile$23.46/hr$4,067$48,800$39,893

Is $37,880 a good salary in Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA?

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$80,919Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)98.71.3% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household46.8%of area median income

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

Security guard pay in Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA: common questions

What is the median salary for security guards in Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA?

The BLS median annual wage for security guards in the Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA metro area was $37,880 in May 2025, about $3,157 a month or $18.21 an hour. Statewide, the Pennsylvania median for this job is $37,050, so the metro pays 2% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for security guards in Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA?

The median hourly wage for security guards in Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA was $18.21 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $14.47 an hour and one in ten earned more than $23.46.

How many security guards work in Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA?

BLS estimated 2,320 jobs for security guards in the metro in May 2025, or 6.9 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.84 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for security guards in Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA?

BLS wage estimates for security guards in Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA run from $30,100 at the 10th percentile to $35,570 at the 25th, $43,720 at the 75th, and $48,800 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do security guards take home after taxes in Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA?

On a median gross salary of $37,880, an estimated $31,454 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,210 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Pennsylvania in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $6,426 (an effective rate of 17%).

How much do security guards make per month in Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA?

On the median annual salary of $37,880, gross monthly income is $3,157. After federal, FICA, and Pennsylvania state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,621 per month (or $1,210 every two weeks).

Is $37,880 a good salary in Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA?

At $37,880, the median salary for security guards is 46.8% of the Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA median household income ($80,919). It is 24% below the $49,610 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 98.7, so prices here run 1.3% below the U.S. average.