Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a security guard make in Raleigh-Cary, NC?

In the Raleigh-Cary, NC metropolitan area, security guards earned a median of $34,680 a year ($16.67 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 4,780 of these jobs there. That is 33% below the $51,990 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $29,220 and $65,830; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and North Carolina tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $29,170 in take-home pay.

Security guard pay in Raleigh-Cary, NC at a glance

Median salary

$34,680$16.67 per hour · $2,890 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$29,220$14.05/hr
25th percentile$30,190$14.51/hr
75th percentile$43,530$20.93/hr
90th percentile$65,830$31.65/hr
Jobs in this metro4,780Location quotient 0.78 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here33% belowAll-jobs median $51,990
Against North Carolina1% belowStatewide median $35,010
Against the U.S.9% 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 Raleigh-Cary, NC after taxes

$34,680
$15,000$70,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$34,680
Net 84%
Fed 6%
NC 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$29,170After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,431Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,122Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate15.9%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,982 / yr
North Carolina state income tax$875 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,653 / yr

Security guards pay range in Raleigh-Cary, NC, hourly and yearly

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

What security guards earned in the Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (NC)
10th percentile$14.05/hr$2,435$29,220$25,001
25th percentile$14.51/hr$2,516$30,190$25,742
MedianMedian$16.67/hr$2,890$34,680$29,170
75th percentile$20.93/hr$3,628$43,530$35,928
90th percentile$31.65/hr$5,486$65,830$52,957

Is $34,680 a good salary in Raleigh-Cary, NC?

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$100,103Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)98.21.8% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household34.6%of area median income

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

Security guard pay in Raleigh-Cary, NC: common questions

What is the median salary for security guards in Raleigh-Cary, NC?

The BLS median annual wage for security guards in the Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area was $34,680 in May 2025, about $2,890 a month or $16.67 an hour. Statewide, the North Carolina median for this job is $35,010, so the metro pays 1% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for security guards in Raleigh-Cary, NC?

The median hourly wage for security guards in Raleigh-Cary, NC was $16.67 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $14.05 an hour and one in ten earned more than $31.65.

How many security guards work in Raleigh-Cary, NC?

BLS estimated 4,780 jobs for security guards in the metro in May 2025, or 6.4 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.78 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for security guards in Raleigh-Cary, NC?

BLS wage estimates for security guards in Raleigh-Cary, NC run from $29,220 at the 10th percentile to $30,190 at the 25th, $43,530 at the 75th, and $65,830 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do security guards take home after taxes in Raleigh-Cary, NC?

On a median gross salary of $34,680, an estimated $29,170 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,122 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in North Carolina in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,510 (an effective rate of 15.9%).

How much do security guards make per month in Raleigh-Cary, NC?

On the median annual salary of $34,680, gross monthly income is $2,890. After federal, FICA, and North Carolina state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,431 per month (or $1,122 every two weeks).

Is $34,680 a good salary in Raleigh-Cary, NC?

At $34,680, the median salary for security guards is 34.6% of the Raleigh-Cary, NC median household income ($100,103). It is 33% below the $51,990 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 98.2, so prices here run 1.8% below the U.S. average.