Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a security guard make in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI?

In the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metropolitan area, security guards earned a median of $37,870 a year ($18.21 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 5,210 of these jobs there. That is 26% below the $51,160 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $33,940 and $54,800; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Wisconsin tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $31,630 in take-home pay.

Security guard pay in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI at a glance

Median salary

$37,870$18.21 per hour · $3,156 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$33,940$16.32/hr
25th percentile$35,840$17.23/hr
75th percentile$46,270$22.24/hr
90th percentile$54,800$26.35/hr
Jobs in this metro5,210Location quotient 0.77 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here26% belowAll-jobs median $51,160
Against Wisconsin1% aboveStatewide median $37,440
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 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI after taxes

$37,870
$15,000$80,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$37,870
Net 84%
Fed 6%
WI 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$31,630After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,636Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,217Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate16.5%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,364 / yr
Wisconsin state income tax$979 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,897 / yr

Security guards pay range in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI, hourly and yearly

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

What security guards earned in the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (WI)
10th percentile$16.32/hr$2,828$33,940$28,665
25th percentile$17.23/hr$2,987$35,840$30,099
MedianMedian$18.21/hr$3,156$37,870$31,630
75th percentile$22.24/hr$3,856$46,270$37,965
90th percentile$26.35/hr$4,567$54,800$44,399

Is $37,870 a good salary in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI?

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$78,218Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)96.93.1% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household48.4%of area median income

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

Security guard pay in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI: common questions

What is the median salary for security guards in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI?

The BLS median annual wage for security guards in the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metro area was $37,870 in May 2025, about $3,156 a month or $18.21 an hour. Statewide, the Wisconsin median for this job is $37,440, so the metro pays 1% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for security guards in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI?

The median hourly wage for security guards in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI was $18.21 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $16.32 an hour and one in ten earned more than $26.35.

How many security guards work in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI?

BLS estimated 5,210 jobs for security guards in the metro in May 2025, or 6.4 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.77 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for security guards in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI?

BLS wage estimates for security guards in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI run from $33,940 at the 10th percentile to $35,840 at the 25th, $46,270 at the 75th, and $54,800 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do security guards take home after taxes in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI?

On a median gross salary of $37,870, an estimated $31,630 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,217 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Wisconsin in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $6,240 (an effective rate of 16.5%).

How much do security guards make per month in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI?

On the median annual salary of $37,870, gross monthly income is $3,156. After federal, FICA, and Wisconsin state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,636 per month (or $1,217 every two weeks).

Is $37,870 a good salary in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI?

At $37,870, the median salary for security guards is 48.4% of the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI median household income ($78,218). It is 26% below the $51,160 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 96.9, so prices here run 3.1% below the U.S. average.