San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a security guard make in San Francisco-Oakland, CA?

In the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metropolitan area, security guards earned a median of $45,730 a year ($21.99 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 26,830 of these jobs there. That is 38% below the $74,260 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $40,340 and $62,470; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and California tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $38,112 in take-home pay.

Security guard pay in San Francisco-Oakland, CA at a glance

Median salary

$45,730$21.99 per hour · $3,811 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$40,340$19.39/hr
25th percentile$44,160$21.23/hr
75th percentile$54,840$26.36/hr
90th percentile$62,470$30.03/hr
Jobs in this metro26,830Location quotient 1.37 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here38% belowAll-jobs median $74,260
Against California6% aboveStatewide median $43,240
Against the U.S.20% 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 San Francisco-Oakland, CA after taxes

$45,730
$15,000$95,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$45,730
Net 83%
Fed 7%
CA 2%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$38,112After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,176Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,466Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate16.7%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,308 / yr
California state income tax$812 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,498 / yr

Security guards pay range in San Francisco-Oakland, CA, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What security guards earned in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (CA)
10th percentile$19.39/hr$3,362$40,340$33,997
25th percentile$21.23/hr$3,680$44,160$36,913
MedianMedian$21.99/hr$3,811$45,730$38,112
75th percentile$26.36/hr$4,570$54,840$44,914
90th percentile$30.03/hr$5,206$62,470$50,587

Is $45,730 a good salary in San Francisco-Oakland, CA?

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$136,027Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)115.615.6% above national average
One paycheck vs. a household33.6%of area median income

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

Security guard pay in San Francisco-Oakland, CA: common questions

What is the median salary for security guards in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA?

The BLS median annual wage for security guards in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area was $45,730 in May 2025, about $3,811 a month or $21.99 an hour. Statewide, the California median for this job is $43,240, so the metro pays 6% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for security guards in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA?

The median hourly wage for security guards in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA was $21.99 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $19.39 an hour and one in ten earned more than $30.03.

How many security guards work in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA?

BLS estimated 26,830 jobs for security guards in the metro in May 2025, or 11.3 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.37 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for security guards in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA?

BLS wage estimates for security guards in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA run from $40,340 at the 10th percentile to $44,160 at the 25th, $54,840 at the 75th, and $62,470 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do security guards take home after taxes in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA?

On a median gross salary of $45,730, an estimated $38,112 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,466 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in California in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $7,618 (an effective rate of 16.7%).

How much do security guards make per month in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA?

On the median annual salary of $45,730, gross monthly income is $3,811. After federal, FICA, and California state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $3,176 per month (or $1,466 every two weeks).

Is $45,730 a good salary in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA?

At $45,730, the median salary for security guards is 33.6% of the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA median household income ($136,027). It is 38% below the $74,260 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 115.6, so prices here run 15.6% above the U.S. average.