Helena, MT metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a security guard make in Helena, MT?

In the Helena, MT metropolitan area, security guards earned a median of $37,920 a year ($18.23 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 90 of these jobs there. That is 31% below the $55,040 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $28,970 and $51,460; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Montana tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $31,623 in take-home pay.

Security guard pay in Helena, MT at a glance

Median salary

$37,920$18.23 per hour · $3,160 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$28,970$13.93/hr
25th percentile$35,260$16.95/hr
75th percentile$40,280$19.37/hr
90th percentile$51,460$24.74/hr
Jobs in this metro90Location quotient 0.25 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here31% belowAll-jobs median $55,040
Against Montana1% belowStatewide median $38,480
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 Helena, MT after taxes

$37,920
$15,000$80,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$37,920
Net 83%
Fed 6%
MT 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$31,623After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,635Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,216Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate16.6%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,370 / yr
Montana state income tax$1,026 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,901 / yr

Security guards pay range in Helena, MT, hourly and yearly

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

What security guards earned in the Helena, MT metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (MT)
10th percentile$13.93/hr$2,414$28,970$24,853
25th percentile$16.95/hr$2,938$35,260$29,611
MedianMedian$18.23/hr$3,160$37,920$31,623
75th percentile$19.37/hr$3,357$40,280$33,409
90th percentile$24.74/hr$4,288$51,460$41,866

Is $37,920 a good salary in Helena, MT?

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$78,528Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)95.74.3% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household48.3%of area median income

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

Security guard pay in Helena, MT: common questions

What is the median salary for security guards in Helena, MT?

The BLS median annual wage for security guards in the Helena, MT metro area was $37,920 in May 2025, about $3,160 a month or $18.23 an hour. Statewide, the Montana median for this job is $38,480, so the metro pays 1% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for security guards in Helena, MT?

The median hourly wage for security guards in Helena, MT was $18.23 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $13.93 an hour and one in ten earned more than $24.74.

How many security guards work in Helena, MT?

BLS estimated 90 jobs for security guards in the metro in May 2025, or 2.0 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.25 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for security guards in Helena, MT?

BLS wage estimates for security guards in Helena, MT run from $28,970 at the 10th percentile to $35,260 at the 25th, $40,280 at the 75th, and $51,460 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do security guards take home after taxes in Helena, MT?

On a median gross salary of $37,920, an estimated $31,623 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,216 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Montana in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $6,297 (an effective rate of 16.6%).

How much do security guards make per month in Helena, MT?

On the median annual salary of $37,920, gross monthly income is $3,160. After federal, FICA, and Montana state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,635 per month (or $1,216 every two weeks).

Is $37,920 a good salary in Helena, MT?

At $37,920, the median salary for security guards is 48.3% of the Helena, MT median household income ($78,528). It is 31% below the $55,040 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 95.7, so prices here run 4.3% below the U.S. average.