Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a security guard make in Nashville-Davidson, TN?

In the Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN metropolitan area, security guards earned a median of $37,010 a year ($17.80 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 10,710 of these jobs there. That is 27% below the $50,390 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $30,360 and $56,270; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Tennessee tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $31,918 in take-home pay.

Security guard pay in Nashville-Davidson, TN at a glance

Median salary

$37,010$17.80 per hour · $3,084 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$30,360$14.60/hr
25th percentile$33,140$15.93/hr
75th percentile$43,780$21.05/hr
90th percentile$56,270$27.06/hr
Jobs in this metro10,710Location quotient 1.18 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here27% belowAll-jobs median $50,390
Against Tennessee3% aboveStatewide median $36,000
Against the U.S.3% 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 Nashville-Davidson, TN after taxes

$37,010
$15,000$75,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$37,010
Net 86%
Fed 6%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$31,918After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,660Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,228Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate13.8%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,261 / yr
Tennessee state income taxNo state wage tax$0
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,831 / yr

Security guards pay range in Nashville-Davidson, TN, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What security guards earned in the Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (TN)
10th percentile$14.60/hr$2,530$30,360$26,574
25th percentile$15.93/hr$2,762$33,140$28,808
MedianMedian$17.80/hr$3,084$37,010$31,918
75th percentile$21.05/hr$3,648$43,780$37,357
90th percentile$27.06/hr$4,689$56,270$47,393

Is $37,010 a good salary in Nashville-Davidson, TN?

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$85,447Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)96.33.7% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household43.3%of area median income

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

Security guard pay in Nashville-Davidson, TN: common questions

What is the median salary for security guards in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN?

The BLS median annual wage for security guards in the Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN metro area was $37,010 in May 2025, about $3,084 a month or $17.80 an hour. Statewide, the Tennessee median for this job is $36,000, so the metro pays 3% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for security guards in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN?

The median hourly wage for security guards in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN was $17.80 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $14.60 an hour and one in ten earned more than $27.06.

How many security guards work in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN?

BLS estimated 10,710 jobs for security guards in the metro in May 2025, or 9.7 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.18 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for security guards in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN?

BLS wage estimates for security guards in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN run from $30,360 at the 10th percentile to $33,140 at the 25th, $43,780 at the 75th, and $56,270 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do security guards take home after taxes in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN?

On a median gross salary of $37,010, an estimated $31,918 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,228 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Tennessee in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,092 (an effective rate of 13.8%).

How much do security guards make per month in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN?

On the median annual salary of $37,010, gross monthly income is $3,084. After federal, FICA, and Tennessee state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,660 per month (or $1,228 every two weeks).

Is $37,010 a good salary in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN?

At $37,010, the median salary for security guards is 43.3% of the Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN median household income ($85,447). It is 27% below the $50,390 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 96.3, so prices here run 3.7% below the U.S. average.