Lancaster, PA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a security guard make in Lancaster, PA?

In the Lancaster, PA metropolitan area, security guards earned a median of $38,090 a year ($18.31 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 880 of these jobs there. That is 21% below the $48,210 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $30,500 and $54,450; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Pennsylvania tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $31,616 in take-home pay.

Security guard pay in Lancaster, PA at a glance

Median salary

$38,090$18.31 per hour · $3,174 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$30,500$14.66/hr
25th percentile$34,150$16.42/hr
75th percentile$44,430$21.36/hr
90th percentile$54,450$26.18/hr
Jobs in this metro880Location quotient 0.42 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here21% belowAll-jobs median $48,210
Against Pennsylvania3% aboveStatewide median $37,050
Against the U.S.about the same asNational 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 Lancaster, PA after taxes

$38,090
$15,000$80,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$38,090
Net 83%
Fed 6%
PA 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$31,616After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,635Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,216Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate17%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,391 / yr
Pennsylvania state income tax$1,169 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,914 / yr

Security guards pay range in Lancaster, PA, hourly and yearly

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

What security guards earned in the Lancaster, PA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (PA)
10th percentile$14.66/hr$2,542$30,500$25,750
25th percentile$16.42/hr$2,846$34,150$28,571
MedianMedian$18.31/hr$3,174$38,090$31,616
75th percentile$21.36/hr$3,703$44,430$36,516
90th percentile$26.18/hr$4,538$54,450$44,259

Is $38,090 a good salary in Lancaster, 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$86,959Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)98.31.7% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household43.8%of area median income

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

Security guard pay in Lancaster, PA: common questions

What is the median salary for security guards in Lancaster, PA?

The BLS median annual wage for security guards in the Lancaster, PA metro area was $38,090 in May 2025, about $3,174 a month or $18.31 an hour. Statewide, the Pennsylvania median for this job is $37,050, so the metro pays 3% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for security guards in Lancaster, PA?

The median hourly wage for security guards in Lancaster, PA was $18.31 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $14.66 an hour and one in ten earned more than $26.18.

How many security guards work in Lancaster, PA?

BLS estimated 880 jobs for security guards in the metro in May 2025, or 3.5 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.42 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for security guards in Lancaster, PA?

BLS wage estimates for security guards in Lancaster, PA run from $30,500 at the 10th percentile to $34,150 at the 25th, $44,430 at the 75th, and $54,450 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do security guards take home after taxes in Lancaster, PA?

On a median gross salary of $38,090, an estimated $31,616 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,216 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Pennsylvania in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $6,474 (an effective rate of 17%).

How much do security guards make per month in Lancaster, PA?

On the median annual salary of $38,090, gross monthly income is $3,174. After federal, FICA, and Pennsylvania state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,635 per month (or $1,216 every two weeks).

Is $38,090 a good salary in Lancaster, PA?

At $38,090, the median salary for security guards is 43.8% of the Lancaster, PA median household income ($86,959). It is 21% below the $48,210 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 98.3, so prices here run 1.7% below the U.S. average.