Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a security guard make in Scranton-, PA?

In the Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA metropolitan area, security guards earned a median of $35,160 a year ($16.90 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 2,070 of these jobs there. That is 24% below the $46,330 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $29,870 and $58,190; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Pennsylvania tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $29,352 in take-home pay.

Security guard pay in Scranton-, PA at a glance

Median salary

$35,160$16.90 per hour · $2,930 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$29,870$14.36/hr
25th percentile$33,070$15.90/hr
75th percentile$43,560$20.94/hr
90th percentile$58,190$27.98/hr
Jobs in this metro2,070Location quotient 0.98 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here24% belowAll-jobs median $46,330
Against Pennsylvania5% belowStatewide median $37,050
Against the U.S.8% 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.

Security guard salary in Scranton-, PA after taxes

$35,160
$15,000$75,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$35,160
Net 83%
Fed 6%
PA 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$29,352After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,446Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,129Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate16.5%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,039 / yr
Pennsylvania state income tax$1,079 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,690 / yr

Security guards pay range in Scranton-, PA, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What security guards earned in the Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (PA)
10th percentile$14.36/hr$2,489$29,870$25,264
25th percentile$15.90/hr$2,756$33,070$27,737
MedianMedian$16.90/hr$2,930$35,160$29,352
75th percentile$20.94/hr$3,630$43,560$35,843
90th percentile$27.98/hr$4,849$58,190$47,149

Is $35,160 a good salary in Scranton-, PA?

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$65,158Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)93.66.4% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household54%of area median income

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

Security guard pay in Scranton-, PA: common questions

What is the median salary for security guards in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA?

The BLS median annual wage for security guards in the Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA metro area was $35,160 in May 2025, about $2,930 a month or $16.90 an hour. Statewide, the Pennsylvania median for this job is $37,050, so the metro pays 5% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for security guards in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA?

The median hourly wage for security guards in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA was $16.90 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $14.36 an hour and one in ten earned more than $27.98.

How many security guards work in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA?

BLS estimated 2,070 jobs for security guards in the metro in May 2025, or 8.1 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.98 means the job is about as common here as in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for security guards in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA?

BLS wage estimates for security guards in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA run from $29,870 at the 10th percentile to $33,070 at the 25th, $43,560 at the 75th, and $58,190 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do security guards take home after taxes in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA?

On a median gross salary of $35,160, an estimated $29,352 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,129 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Pennsylvania in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,808 (an effective rate of 16.5%).

How much do security guards make per month in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA?

On the median annual salary of $35,160, gross monthly income is $2,930. After federal, FICA, and Pennsylvania state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,446 per month (or $1,129 every two weeks).

Is $35,160 a good salary in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA?

At $35,160, the median salary for security guards is 54% of the Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA median household income ($65,158). It is 24% below the $46,330 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.