Portland-South Portland, ME metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a security guard make in Portland-South Portland, ME?

In the Portland-South Portland, ME metropolitan area, security guards earned a median of $39,190 a year ($18.84 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 800 of these jobs there. That is 31% below the $56,960 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $34,420 and $57,680; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Maine tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $32,614 in take-home pay.

Security guard pay in Portland-South Portland, ME at a glance

Median salary

$39,190$18.84 per hour · $3,266 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$34,420$16.55/hr
25th percentile$34,780$16.72/hr
75th percentile$46,800$22.50/hr
90th percentile$57,680$27.73/hr
Jobs in this metro800Location quotient 0.33 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here31% belowAll-jobs median $56,960
Against Maineabout the same asStatewide median $39,100
Against the U.S.3% aboveNational 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 Portland-South Portland, ME after taxes

$39,190
$15,000$80,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$39,190
Net 83%
Fed 6%
ME 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$32,614After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,718Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,254Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate16.8%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,523 / yr
Maine state income tax$1,055 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,998 / yr

Security guards pay range in Portland-South Portland, ME, hourly and yearly

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

What security guards earned in the Portland-South Portland, ME metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (ME)
10th percentile$16.55/hr$2,868$34,420$29,058
25th percentile$16.72/hr$2,898$34,780$29,326
MedianMedian$18.84/hr$3,266$39,190$32,614
75th percentile$22.50/hr$3,900$46,800$38,287
90th percentile$27.73/hr$4,807$57,680$46,310

Is $39,190 a good salary in Portland-South Portland, ME?

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$92,175Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)101.91.9% above national average
One paycheck vs. a household42.5%of area median income

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

Security guard pay in Portland-South Portland, ME: common questions

What is the median salary for security guards in Portland-South Portland, ME?

The BLS median annual wage for security guards in the Portland-South Portland, ME metro area was $39,190 in May 2025, about $3,266 a month or $18.84 an hour. Statewide, the Maine median for this job is $39,100, so the metro pays about the same as the state.

What is the hourly pay for security guards in Portland-South Portland, ME?

The median hourly wage for security guards in Portland-South Portland, ME was $18.84 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $16.55 an hour and one in ten earned more than $27.73.

How many security guards work in Portland-South Portland, ME?

BLS estimated 800 jobs for security guards in the metro in May 2025, or 2.8 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.33 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for security guards in Portland-South Portland, ME?

BLS wage estimates for security guards in Portland-South Portland, ME run from $34,420 at the 10th percentile to $34,780 at the 25th, $46,800 at the 75th, and $57,680 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do security guards take home after taxes in Portland-South Portland, ME?

On a median gross salary of $39,190, an estimated $32,614 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,254 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Maine in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $6,576 (an effective rate of 16.8%).

How much do security guards make per month in Portland-South Portland, ME?

On the median annual salary of $39,190, gross monthly income is $3,266. After federal, FICA, and Maine state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,718 per month (or $1,254 every two weeks).

Is $39,190 a good salary in Portland-South Portland, ME?

At $39,190, the median salary for security guards is 42.5% of the Portland-South Portland, ME median household income ($92,175). It is 31% below the $56,960 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 101.9, so prices here run 1.9% above the U.S. average.