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Lake Charles, LA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a security guard make in Lake Charles, LA?

In the Lake Charles, LA metropolitan area, security guards earned a median of $29,740 a year ($14.30 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 870 of these jobs there. That is 35% below the $45,700 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $21,620 and $48,530; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Louisiana tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $25,570 in take-home pay.

Security guard pay in Lake Charles, LA at a glance

Median salary

$29,740$14.30 per hour · $2,478 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$21,620$10.39/hr
25th percentile$28,700$13.80/hr
75th percentile$34,910$16.78/hr
90th percentile$48,530$23.33/hr
Jobs in this metro870Location quotient 1.03 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here35% belowAll-jobs median $45,700
Against Louisiana8% belowStatewide median $32,240
Against the U.S.22% belowNational 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.

Take-home payWhat $30,000 a year leaves after tax in LouisianaFederal tax, FICA and Louisiana withholding on that salary, with the other 49 states beside it.
By the hour$14 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $30,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $30,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation Louisiana publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about Louisiana.

Security guard salary in Lake Charles, LA after taxes

$29,740
$15,000$60,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$29,740
Net 86%
Fed 5%
LA 2%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$25,570After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,131Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$983Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate14%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,389 / yr
Louisiana state income tax$506 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,275 / yr
Customize deductions in full Louisiana calculator

Security guards pay range in Lake Charles, LA, hourly and yearly

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

What security guards earned in the Lake Charles, LA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (LA)
10th percentile$10.39/hr$1,802$21,620$19,152
25th percentile$13.80/hr$2,392$28,700$24,766
MedianMedian$14.30/hr$2,478$29,740$25,570
75th percentile$16.78/hr$2,909$34,910$29,569
90th percentile$23.33/hr$4,044$48,530$40,104

Is $29,740 a good salary in Lake Charles, LA?

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$66,700Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)85.914.1% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household44.6%of area median income

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

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Security guards pay in other Louisiana metros

Metros in the same state that are closest in size to Lake Charles, LA. A statewide average can hide differences this large.

Security guard pay in Lake Charles, LA: common questions

What is the median salary for security guards in Lake Charles, LA?

The BLS median annual wage for security guards in the Lake Charles, LA metro area was $29,740 in May 2025, about $2,478 a month or $14.30 an hour. Statewide, the Louisiana median for this job is $32,240, so the metro pays 8% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for security guards in Lake Charles, LA?

The median hourly wage for security guards in Lake Charles, LA was $14.30 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $10.39 an hour and one in ten earned more than $23.33.

How many security guards work in Lake Charles, LA?

BLS estimated 870 jobs for security guards in the metro in May 2025, or 8.5 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.03 means the job is about as common here as in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for security guards in Lake Charles, LA?

BLS wage estimates for security guards in Lake Charles, LA run from $21,620 at the 10th percentile to $28,700 at the 25th, $34,910 at the 75th, and $48,530 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do security guards take home after taxes in Lake Charles, LA?

On a median gross salary of $29,740, an estimated $25,570 lands in net take-home pay per year ($983 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Louisiana in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $4,170 (an effective rate of 14%).

How much do security guards make per month in Lake Charles, LA?

On the median annual salary of $29,740, gross monthly income is $2,478. After federal, FICA, and Louisiana state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,131 per month (or $983 every two weeks).

Is $29,740 a good salary in Lake Charles, LA?

At $29,740, the median salary for security guards is 44.6% of the Lake Charles, LA median household income ($66,700). It is 35% below the $45,700 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 85.9, so prices here run 14.1% below the U.S. average.