Morgantown, WV metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a security guard make in Morgantown, WV?

In the Morgantown, WV metropolitan area, security guards earned a median of $34,290 a year ($16.49 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 360 of these jobs there. That is 28% below the $47,350 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $23,090 and $47,850; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and West Virginia tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $28,869 in take-home pay.

Security guard pay in Morgantown, WV at a glance

Median salary

$34,290$16.49 per hour · $2,858 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$23,090$11.10/hr
25th percentile$29,480$14.18/hr
75th percentile$39,200$18.85/hr
90th percentile$47,850$23.00/hr
Jobs in this metro360Location quotient 0.64 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here28% belowAll-jobs median $47,350
Against West Virginia19% aboveStatewide median $28,800
Against the U.S.10% 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 Morgantown, WV after taxes

$34,290
$15,000$70,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$34,290
Net 84%
Fed 6%
WV 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$28,869After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,406Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,110Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate15.8%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,935 / yr
West Virginia state income tax$863 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,623 / yr

Security guards pay range in Morgantown, WV, hourly and yearly

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

What security guards earned in the Morgantown, WV metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (WV)
10th percentile$11.10/hr$1,924$23,090$20,102
25th percentile$14.18/hr$2,457$29,480$25,156
MedianMedian$16.49/hr$2,858$34,290$28,869
75th percentile$18.85/hr$3,267$39,200$32,659
90th percentile$23.00/hr$3,988$47,850$39,274

Is $34,290 a good salary in Morgantown, WV?

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$64,640Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)93.36.7% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household53%of area median income

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

Security guard pay in Morgantown, WV: common questions

What is the median salary for security guards in Morgantown, WV?

The BLS median annual wage for security guards in the Morgantown, WV metro area was $34,290 in May 2025, about $2,858 a month or $16.49 an hour. Statewide, the West Virginia median for this job is $28,800, so the metro pays 19% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for security guards in Morgantown, WV?

The median hourly wage for security guards in Morgantown, WV was $16.49 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $11.10 an hour and one in ten earned more than $23.00.

How many security guards work in Morgantown, WV?

BLS estimated 360 jobs for security guards in the metro in May 2025, or 5.3 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.64 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for security guards in Morgantown, WV?

BLS wage estimates for security guards in Morgantown, WV run from $23,090 at the 10th percentile to $29,480 at the 25th, $39,200 at the 75th, and $47,850 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do security guards take home after taxes in Morgantown, WV?

On a median gross salary of $34,290, an estimated $28,869 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,110 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in West Virginia in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,421 (an effective rate of 15.8%).

How much do security guards make per month in Morgantown, WV?

On the median annual salary of $34,290, gross monthly income is $2,858. After federal, FICA, and West Virginia state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,406 per month (or $1,110 every two weeks).

Is $34,290 a good salary in Morgantown, WV?

At $34,290, the median salary for security guards is 53% of the Morgantown, WV median household income ($64,640). It is 28% below the $47,350 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 93.3, so prices here run 6.7% below the U.S. average.