Security guard pay in Washington-Arlington, DC at a glance
Median salary
$46,830$22.52 per hour · $3,903 monthly · BLS May 2025Run the numbers on your own pay
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Security guard salary in Washington-Arlington, DC after taxes
Security guards pay range in Washington-Arlington, DC, hourly and yearly
BLS May 2025 estimates for the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.
| Percentile | Hourly | Monthly | Yearly | After tax a year (DC) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $17.56/hr | $3,044 | $36,530 | $30,440 |
| 25th percentile | $18.59/hr | $3,222 | $38,660 | $32,024 |
| MedianMedian | $22.52/hr | $3,903 | $46,830 | $38,098 |
| 75th percentile | $34.15/hr | $5,919 | $71,030 | $55,558 |
| 90th percentile | $37.88/hr | $6,566 | $78,790 | $60,437 |
Is $46,830 a good salary in Washington-Arlington, DC?
It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for security guards next to both.
Security guards pay in District of Columbia and across the U.S.
The same job statewide and nationally, and a calculator for your own paycheck.
Security guard pay in Washington-Arlington, DC: common questions
What is the median salary for security guards in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
The BLS median annual wage for security guards in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area was $46,830 in May 2025, about $3,903 a month or $22.52 an hour. Statewide, the District of Columbia median for this job is $64,210, so the metro pays 27% below the state.
What is the hourly pay for security guards in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
The median hourly wage for security guards in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV was $22.52 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $17.56 an hour and one in ten earned more than $37.88.
How many security guards work in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
BLS estimated 40,950 jobs for security guards in the metro in May 2025, or 13.1 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.58 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.
What is the pay range for security guards in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
BLS wage estimates for security guards in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV run from $36,530 at the 10th percentile to $38,660 at the 25th, $71,030 at the 75th, and $78,790 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.
How much do security guards take home after taxes in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
On a median gross salary of $46,830, an estimated $38,098 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,465 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in District of Columbia in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $8,732 (an effective rate of 18.6%).
How much do security guards make per month in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
On the median annual salary of $46,830, gross monthly income is $3,903. After federal, FICA, and District of Columbia state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $3,175 per month (or $1,465 every two weeks).
Is $46,830 a good salary in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
At $46,830, the median salary for security guards is 37% of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV median household income ($126,684). It is 34% below the $71,060 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 108.9, so prices here run 8.9% above the U.S. average.