Trenton-Princeton, NJ metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a security guard make in Trenton-Princeton, NJ?

In the Trenton-Princeton, NJ metropolitan area, security guards earned a median of $34,980 a year ($16.82 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 3,110 of these jobs there. That is 45% below the $63,490 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $32,220 and $59,540; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and New Jersey tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $29,762 in take-home pay.

Security guard pay in Trenton-Princeton, NJ at a glance

Median salary

$34,980$16.82 per hour · $2,915 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$32,220$15.49/hr
25th percentile$34,110$16.40/hr
75th percentile$47,040$22.62/hr
90th percentile$59,540$28.62/hr
Jobs in this metro3,110Location quotient 1.57 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here45% belowAll-jobs median $63,490
Against New Jersey10% belowStatewide median $38,880
Against the U.S.8% 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 Trenton-Princeton, NJ after taxes

$34,980
$15,000$70,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$34,980
Net 85%
Fed 6%
NJ 1%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$29,762After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,480Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,145Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate14.9%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,018 / yr
New Jersey state income tax$525 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,676 / yr

Security guards pay range in Trenton-Princeton, NJ, hourly and yearly

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

What security guards earned in the Trenton-Princeton, NJ metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (NJ)
10th percentile$15.49/hr$2,685$32,220$27,592
25th percentile$16.40/hr$2,843$34,110$29,078
MedianMedian$16.82/hr$2,915$34,980$29,762
75th percentile$22.62/hr$3,920$47,040$38,925
90th percentile$28.62/hr$4,962$59,540$48,279

Is $34,980 a good salary in Trenton-Princeton, NJ?

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$100,645Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)103.23.2% above national average
One paycheck vs. a household34.8%of area median income

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

Security guard pay in Trenton-Princeton, NJ: common questions

What is the median salary for security guards in Trenton-Princeton, NJ?

The BLS median annual wage for security guards in the Trenton-Princeton, NJ metro area was $34,980 in May 2025, about $2,915 a month or $16.82 an hour. Statewide, the New Jersey median for this job is $38,880, so the metro pays 10% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for security guards in Trenton-Princeton, NJ?

The median hourly wage for security guards in Trenton-Princeton, NJ was $16.82 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $15.49 an hour and one in ten earned more than $28.62.

How many security guards work in Trenton-Princeton, NJ?

BLS estimated 3,110 jobs for security guards in the metro in May 2025, or 13.0 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.57 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for security guards in Trenton-Princeton, NJ?

BLS wage estimates for security guards in Trenton-Princeton, NJ run from $32,220 at the 10th percentile to $34,110 at the 25th, $47,040 at the 75th, and $59,540 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do security guards take home after taxes in Trenton-Princeton, NJ?

On a median gross salary of $34,980, an estimated $29,762 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,145 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in New Jersey in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,218 (an effective rate of 14.9%).

How much do security guards make per month in Trenton-Princeton, NJ?

On the median annual salary of $34,980, gross monthly income is $2,915. After federal, FICA, and New Jersey state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,480 per month (or $1,145 every two weeks).

Is $34,980 a good salary in Trenton-Princeton, NJ?

At $34,980, the median salary for security guards is 34.8% of the Trenton-Princeton, NJ median household income ($100,645). It is 45% below the $63,490 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 103.2, so prices here run 3.2% above the U.S. average.