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Roanoke, VA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a security guard make in Roanoke, VA?

In the Roanoke, VA metropolitan area, security guards earned a median of $36,900 a year ($17.74 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 1,300 of these jobs there. That is 22% below the $47,140 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $29,310 and $59,440; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Virginia tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $30,522 in take-home pay.

Security guard pay in Roanoke, VA at a glance

Median salary

$36,900$17.74 per hour · $3,075 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$29,310$14.09/hr
25th percentile$34,640$16.65/hr
75th percentile$45,780$22.01/hr
90th percentile$59,440$28.58/hr
Jobs in this metro1,300Location quotient 1.02 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here22% belowAll-jobs median $47,140
Against Virginia15% belowStatewide median $43,640
Against the U.S.3% belowNational median $38,020

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Same U.S. tax tables as the rest of the site. Change the salary, state, or filing status.

Take-home payWhat $37,000 a year leaves after tax in VirginiaFederal tax, FICA and Virginia withholding on that salary, with the other 49 states beside it.
By the hour$18 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $37,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $37,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation Virginia publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about Virginia.

Security guard salary in Roanoke, VA after taxes

$36,900
$15,000$75,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$36,900
Net 83%
Fed 6%
VA 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$30,522After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,543Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,174Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate17.3%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,248 / yr
Virginia state income tax$1,308 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,823 / yr
Customize deductions in full Virginia calculator

Security guards pay range in Roanoke, VA, hourly and yearly

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

What security guards earned in the Roanoke, VA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (VA)
10th percentile$14.09/hr$2,443$29,310$24,859
25th percentile$16.65/hr$2,887$34,640$28,836
MedianMedian$17.74/hr$3,075$36,900$30,522
75th percentile$22.01/hr$3,815$45,780$37,146
90th percentile$28.58/hr$4,953$59,440$47,336

Is $36,900 a good salary in Roanoke, VA?

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$68,761Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)93.66.4% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household53.7%of area median income

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

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Security guards pay in other Virginia metros

Metros in the same state that are closest in size to Roanoke, VA. A statewide average can hide differences this large.

Security guard pay in Roanoke, VA: common questions

What is the median salary for security guards in Roanoke, VA?

The BLS median annual wage for security guards in the Roanoke, VA metro area was $36,900 in May 2025, about $3,075 a month or $17.74 an hour. Statewide, the Virginia median for this job is $43,640, so the metro pays 15% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for security guards in Roanoke, VA?

The median hourly wage for security guards in Roanoke, VA was $17.74 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $14.09 an hour and one in ten earned more than $28.58.

How many security guards work in Roanoke, VA?

BLS estimated 1,300 jobs for security guards in the metro in May 2025, or 8.4 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.02 means the job is about as common here as in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for security guards in Roanoke, VA?

BLS wage estimates for security guards in Roanoke, VA run from $29,310 at the 10th percentile to $34,640 at the 25th, $45,780 at the 75th, and $59,440 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do security guards take home after taxes in Roanoke, VA?

On a median gross salary of $36,900, an estimated $30,522 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,174 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Virginia in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $6,379 (an effective rate of 17.3%).

How much do security guards make per month in Roanoke, VA?

On the median annual salary of $36,900, gross monthly income is $3,075. After federal, FICA, and Virginia state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,543 per month (or $1,174 every two weeks).

Is $36,900 a good salary in Roanoke, VA?

At $36,900, the median salary for security guards is 53.7% of the Roanoke, VA median household income ($68,761). It is 22% below the $47,140 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 93.6, so prices here run 6.4% below the U.S. average.