Tucson, AZ metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a security guard make in Tucson, AZ?

In the Tucson, AZ metropolitan area, security guards earned a median of $36,250 a year ($17.43 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 3,450 of these jobs there. That is 24% below the $47,760 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $31,460 and $50,380; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Arizona tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $30,794 in take-home pay.

Security guard pay in Tucson, AZ at a glance

Median salary

$36,250$17.43 per hour · $3,021 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$31,460$15.12/hr
25th percentile$33,150$15.94/hr
75th percentile$39,220$18.85/hr
90th percentile$50,380$24.22/hr
Jobs in this metro3,450Location quotient 1.07 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here24% belowAll-jobs median $47,760
Against Arizona5% belowStatewide median $38,290
Against the U.S.5% 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 Tucson, AZ after taxes

$36,250
$15,000$75,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$36,250
Net 85%
Fed 6%
AZ 1%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$30,794After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,566Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,184Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate15.1%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,170 / yr
Arizona state income tax$513 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,773 / yr

Security guards pay range in Tucson, AZ, hourly and yearly

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

What security guards earned in the Tucson, AZ metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (AZ)
10th percentile$15.12/hr$2,622$31,460$27,065
25th percentile$15.94/hr$2,763$33,150$28,381
MedianMedian$17.43/hr$3,021$36,250$30,794
75th percentile$18.85/hr$3,268$39,220$33,107
90th percentile$24.22/hr$4,198$50,380$41,795

Is $36,250 a good salary in Tucson, AZ?

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$70,315Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)96.93.1% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household51.6%of area median income

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

Security guard pay in Tucson, AZ: common questions

What is the median salary for security guards in Tucson, AZ?

The BLS median annual wage for security guards in the Tucson, AZ metro area was $36,250 in May 2025, about $3,021 a month or $17.43 an hour. Statewide, the Arizona median for this job is $38,290, so the metro pays 5% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for security guards in Tucson, AZ?

The median hourly wage for security guards in Tucson, AZ was $17.43 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $15.12 an hour and one in ten earned more than $24.22.

How many security guards work in Tucson, AZ?

BLS estimated 3,450 jobs for security guards in the metro in May 2025, or 8.9 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.07 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for security guards in Tucson, AZ?

BLS wage estimates for security guards in Tucson, AZ run from $31,460 at the 10th percentile to $33,150 at the 25th, $39,220 at the 75th, and $50,380 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do security guards take home after taxes in Tucson, AZ?

On a median gross salary of $36,250, an estimated $30,794 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,184 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Arizona in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,456 (an effective rate of 15.1%).

How much do security guards make per month in Tucson, AZ?

On the median annual salary of $36,250, gross monthly income is $3,021. After federal, FICA, and Arizona state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,566 per month (or $1,184 every two weeks).

Is $36,250 a good salary in Tucson, AZ?

At $36,250, the median salary for security guards is 51.6% of the Tucson, AZ median household income ($70,315). It is 24% below the $47,760 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 96.9, so prices here run 3.1% below the U.S. average.