Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a security guard make in Virginia Beach, VA?

In the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metropolitan area, security guards earned a median of $37,230 a year ($17.90 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 7,470 of these jobs there. That is 25% below the $49,430 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $30,830 and $62,710; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and North Carolina tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $31,118 in take-home pay.

Security guard pay in Virginia Beach, VA at a glance

Median salary

$37,230$17.90 per hour · $3,103 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$30,830$14.82/hr
25th percentile$34,810$16.74/hr
75th percentile$46,730$22.47/hr
90th percentile$62,710$30.15/hr
Jobs in this metro7,470Location quotient 1.19 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here25% belowAll-jobs median $49,430
Against North Carolina6% aboveStatewide median $35,010
Against the U.S.2% 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 Virginia Beach, VA after taxes

$37,230
$15,000$75,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$37,230
Net 84%
Fed 6%
NC 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$31,118After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,593Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,197Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate16.4%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,288 / yr
North Carolina state income tax$977 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,848 / yr

Security guards pay range in Virginia Beach, VA, hourly and yearly

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

What security guards earned in the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (NC)
10th percentile$14.82/hr$2,569$30,830$26,231
25th percentile$16.74/hr$2,901$34,810$29,270
MedianMedian$17.90/hr$3,103$37,230$31,118
75th percentile$22.47/hr$3,894$46,730$38,372
90th percentile$30.15/hr$5,226$62,710$50,574

Is $37,230 a good salary in Virginia Beach, 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$82,330Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)97.92.1% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household45.2%of area median income

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

Security guard pay in Virginia Beach, VA: common questions

What is the median salary for security guards in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC?

The BLS median annual wage for security guards in the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metro area was $37,230 in May 2025, about $3,103 a month or $17.90 an hour. Statewide, the North Carolina median for this job is $35,010, so the metro pays 6% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for security guards in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC?

The median hourly wage for security guards in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC was $17.90 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $14.82 an hour and one in ten earned more than $30.15.

How many security guards work in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC?

BLS estimated 7,470 jobs for security guards in the metro in May 2025, or 9.8 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.19 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for security guards in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC?

BLS wage estimates for security guards in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC run from $30,830 at the 10th percentile to $34,810 at the 25th, $46,730 at the 75th, and $62,710 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do security guards take home after taxes in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC?

On a median gross salary of $37,230, an estimated $31,118 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,197 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in North Carolina in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $6,112 (an effective rate of 16.4%).

How much do security guards make per month in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC?

On the median annual salary of $37,230, gross monthly income is $3,103. After federal, FICA, and North Carolina state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,593 per month (or $1,197 every two weeks).

Is $37,230 a good salary in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC?

At $37,230, the median salary for security guards is 45.2% of the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC median household income ($82,330). It is 25% below the $49,430 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 97.9, so prices here run 2.1% below the U.S. average.