New Orleans-Metairie, LA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a security guard make in New Orleans-Metairie, LA?

In the New Orleans-Metairie, LA metropolitan area, security guards earned a median of $32,240 a year ($15.50 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 6,650 of these jobs there. That is 32% below the $47,290 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $23,590 and $48,990; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Louisiana tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $27,504 in take-home pay.

Security guard pay in New Orleans-Metairie, LA at a glance

Median salary

$32,240$15.50 per hour · $2,687 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$23,590$11.34/hr
25th percentile$30,300$14.57/hr
75th percentile$38,310$18.42/hr
90th percentile$48,990$23.56/hr
Jobs in this metro6,650Location quotient 1.81 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here32% belowAll-jobs median $47,290
Against Louisianaabout the same asStatewide median $32,240
Against the U.S.15% 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 New Orleans-Metairie, LA after taxes

$32,240
$15,000$65,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$32,240
Net 85%
Fed 5%
LA 2%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$27,504After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,292Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,058Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate14.7%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,689 / yr
Louisiana state income tax$581 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,466 / yr

Security guards pay range in New Orleans-Metairie, LA, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the New Orleans-Metairie, LA metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What security guards earned in the New Orleans-Metairie, LA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (LA)
10th percentile$11.34/hr$1,966$23,590$20,715
25th percentile$14.57/hr$2,525$30,300$26,003
MedianMedian$15.50/hr$2,687$32,240$27,504
75th percentile$18.42/hr$3,193$38,310$32,199
90th percentile$23.56/hr$4,083$48,990$40,460

Is $32,240 a good salary in New Orleans-Metairie, LA?

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$62,655Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)92.67.4% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household51.5%of area median income

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

Security guard pay in New Orleans-Metairie, LA: common questions

What is the median salary for security guards in New Orleans-Metairie, LA?

The BLS median annual wage for security guards in the New Orleans-Metairie, LA metro area was $32,240 in May 2025, about $2,687 a month or $15.50 an hour. Statewide, the Louisiana median for this job is $32,240, so the metro pays about the same as the state.

What is the hourly pay for security guards in New Orleans-Metairie, LA?

The median hourly wage for security guards in New Orleans-Metairie, LA was $15.50 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $11.34 an hour and one in ten earned more than $23.56.

How many security guards work in New Orleans-Metairie, LA?

BLS estimated 6,650 jobs for security guards in the metro in May 2025, or 14.9 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.81 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for security guards in New Orleans-Metairie, LA?

BLS wage estimates for security guards in New Orleans-Metairie, LA run from $23,590 at the 10th percentile to $30,300 at the 25th, $38,310 at the 75th, and $48,990 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do security guards take home after taxes in New Orleans-Metairie, LA?

On a median gross salary of $32,240, an estimated $27,504 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,058 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Louisiana in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $4,736 (an effective rate of 14.7%).

How much do security guards make per month in New Orleans-Metairie, LA?

On the median annual salary of $32,240, gross monthly income is $2,687. After federal, FICA, and Louisiana state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,292 per month (or $1,058 every two weeks).

Is $32,240 a good salary in New Orleans-Metairie, LA?

At $32,240, the median salary for security guards is 51.5% of the New Orleans-Metairie, LA median household income ($62,655). It is 32% below the $47,290 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 92.6, so prices here run 7.4% below the U.S. average.