Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a security guard make in Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL?

In the Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL metropolitan area, security guards earned a median of $34,550 a year ($16.61 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 1,340 of these jobs there. That is 25% below the $46,140 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $28,240 and $45,290; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Florida tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $29,941 in take-home pay.

Security guard pay in Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL at a glance

Median salary

$34,550$16.61 per hour · $2,879 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$28,240$13.58/hr
25th percentile$30,740$14.78/hr
75th percentile$37,410$17.99/hr
90th percentile$45,290$21.77/hr
Jobs in this metro1,340Location quotient 0.61 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here25% belowAll-jobs median $46,140
Against Florida4% belowStatewide median $35,900
Against the U.S.9% 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 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL after taxes

$34,550
$15,000$70,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$34,550
Net 87%
Fed 6%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$29,941After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,495Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,152Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate13.3%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,966 / yr
Florida state income taxNo state wage tax$0
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,643 / yr

Security guards pay range in Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What security guards earned in the Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (FL)
10th percentile$13.58/hr$2,353$28,240$24,866
25th percentile$14.78/hr$2,562$30,740$26,880
MedianMedian$16.61/hr$2,879$34,550$29,941
75th percentile$17.99/hr$3,118$37,410$32,239
90th percentile$21.77/hr$3,774$45,290$38,571

Is $34,550 a good salary in Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL?

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$65,978Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)97.12.9% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household52.4%of area median income

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

Security guard pay in Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL: common questions

What is the median salary for security guards in Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL?

The BLS median annual wage for security guards in the Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL metro area was $34,550 in May 2025, about $2,879 a month or $16.61 an hour. Statewide, the Florida median for this job is $35,900, so the metro pays 4% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for security guards in Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL?

The median hourly wage for security guards in Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL was $16.61 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $13.58 an hour and one in ten earned more than $21.77.

How many security guards work in Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL?

BLS estimated 1,340 jobs for security guards in the metro in May 2025, or 5.0 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.61 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for security guards in Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL?

BLS wage estimates for security guards in Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL run from $28,240 at the 10th percentile to $30,740 at the 25th, $37,410 at the 75th, and $45,290 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do security guards take home after taxes in Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL?

On a median gross salary of $34,550, an estimated $29,941 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,152 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Florida in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $4,609 (an effective rate of 13.3%).

How much do security guards make per month in Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL?

On the median annual salary of $34,550, gross monthly income is $2,879. After federal, FICA, and Florida state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,495 per month (or $1,152 every two weeks).

Is $34,550 a good salary in Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL?

At $34,550, the median salary for security guards is 52.4% of the Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL median household income ($65,978). It is 25% below the $46,140 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 97.1, so prices here run 2.9% below the U.S. average.