Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a security guard make in Hilton Head Island, SC?

In the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC metropolitan area, security guards earned a median of $36,810 a year ($17.70 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 680 of these jobs there. That is 16% below the $43,850 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $28,940 and $48,250; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and South Carolina tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $31,323 in take-home pay.

Security guard pay in Hilton Head Island, SC at a glance

Median salary

$36,810$17.70 per hour · $3,068 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$28,940$13.92/hr
25th percentile$34,200$16.44/hr
75th percentile$45,530$21.89/hr
90th percentile$48,250$23.20/hr
Jobs in this metro680Location quotient 1.00 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here16% belowAll-jobs median $43,850
Against South Carolina4% aboveStatewide median $35,460
Against the U.S.3% 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 Hilton Head Island, SC after taxes

$36,810
$15,000$75,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$36,810
Net 85%
Fed 6%
SC 1%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$31,323After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,610Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,205Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate14.9%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,237 / yr
South Carolina state income tax$434 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,816 / yr

Security guards pay range in Hilton Head Island, SC, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What security guards earned in the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (SC)
10th percentile$13.92/hr$2,412$28,940$25,156
25th percentile$16.44/hr$2,850$34,200$29,278
MedianMedian$17.70/hr$3,068$36,810$31,323
75th percentile$21.89/hr$3,794$45,530$38,061
90th percentile$23.20/hr$4,021$48,250$40,065

Is $36,810 a good salary in Hilton Head Island, SC?

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$83,304Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)98.02% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household44.2%of area median income

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

Security guard pay in Hilton Head Island, SC: common questions

What is the median salary for security guards in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC?

The BLS median annual wage for security guards in the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC metro area was $36,810 in May 2025, about $3,068 a month or $17.70 an hour. Statewide, the South Carolina median for this job is $35,460, so the metro pays 4% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for security guards in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC?

The median hourly wage for security guards in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC was $17.70 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $13.92 an hour and one in ten earned more than $23.20.

How many security guards work in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC?

BLS estimated 680 jobs for security guards in the metro in May 2025, or 8.3 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.00 means the job is about as common here as in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for security guards in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC?

BLS wage estimates for security guards in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC run from $28,940 at the 10th percentile to $34,200 at the 25th, $45,530 at the 75th, and $48,250 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do security guards take home after taxes in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC?

On a median gross salary of $36,810, an estimated $31,323 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,205 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in South Carolina in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,487 (an effective rate of 14.9%).

How much do security guards make per month in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC?

On the median annual salary of $36,810, gross monthly income is $3,068. After federal, FICA, and South Carolina state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,610 per month (or $1,205 every two weeks).

Is $36,810 a good salary in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC?

At $36,810, the median salary for security guards is 44.2% of the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC median household income ($83,304). It is 16% below the $43,850 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 98.0, so prices here run 2% below the U.S. average.