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Winston-Salem, NC metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a security guard make in Winston-Salem, NC?

In the Winston-Salem, NC metropolitan area, security guards earned a median of $36,040 a year ($17.33 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 1,290 of these jobs there. That is 22% below the $46,380 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $29,530 and $62,290; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and North Carolina tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $30,209 in take-home pay.

Security guard pay in Winston-Salem, NC at a glance

Median salary

$36,040$17.33 per hour · $3,003 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$29,530$14.20/hr
25th percentile$33,180$15.95/hr
75th percentile$47,010$22.60/hr
90th percentile$62,290$29.95/hr
Jobs in this metro1,290Location quotient 0.58 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here22% belowAll-jobs median $46,380
Against North Carolina3% aboveStatewide median $35,010
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.

Take-home payWhat $36,000 a year leaves after tax in North CarolinaFederal tax, FICA and North Carolina withholding on that salary, with the other 49 states beside it.
By the hour$17 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $36,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $36,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation North Carolina publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about North Carolina.

Security guard salary in Winston-Salem, NC after taxes

$36,040
$15,000$75,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$36,040
Net 84%
Fed 6%
NC 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$30,209After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,517Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,162Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate16.2%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,145 / yr
North Carolina state income tax$929 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,757 / yr
Customize deductions in full North Carolina calculator

Security guards pay range in Winston-Salem, NC, hourly and yearly

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

What security guards earned in the Winston-Salem, NC metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (NC)
10th percentile$14.20/hr$2,461$29,530$25,238
25th percentile$15.95/hr$2,765$33,180$28,025
MedianMedian$17.33/hr$3,003$36,040$30,209
75th percentile$22.60/hr$3,918$47,010$38,586
90th percentile$29.95/hr$5,191$62,290$50,253

Is $36,040 a good salary in Winston-Salem, NC?

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$65,975Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)92.08% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household54.6%of area median income

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

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Security guards pay in other North Carolina metros

Metros in the same state that are closest in size to Winston-Salem, NC. A statewide average can hide differences this large.

Security guard pay in Winston-Salem, NC: common questions

What is the median salary for security guards in Winston-Salem, NC?

The BLS median annual wage for security guards in the Winston-Salem, NC metro area was $36,040 in May 2025, about $3,003 a month or $17.33 an hour. Statewide, the North Carolina median for this job is $35,010, so the metro pays 3% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for security guards in Winston-Salem, NC?

The median hourly wage for security guards in Winston-Salem, NC was $17.33 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $14.20 an hour and one in ten earned more than $29.95.

How many security guards work in Winston-Salem, NC?

BLS estimated 1,290 jobs for security guards in the metro in May 2025, or 4.8 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.58 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for security guards in Winston-Salem, NC?

BLS wage estimates for security guards in Winston-Salem, NC run from $29,530 at the 10th percentile to $33,180 at the 25th, $47,010 at the 75th, and $62,290 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do security guards take home after taxes in Winston-Salem, NC?

On a median gross salary of $36,040, an estimated $30,209 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,162 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in North Carolina in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,831 (an effective rate of 16.2%).

How much do security guards make per month in Winston-Salem, NC?

On the median annual salary of $36,040, gross monthly income is $3,003. After federal, FICA, and North Carolina state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,517 per month (or $1,162 every two weeks).

Is $36,040 a good salary in Winston-Salem, NC?

At $36,040, the median salary for security guards is 54.6% of the Winston-Salem, NC median household income ($65,975). It is 22% below the $46,380 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 92.0, so prices here run 8% below the U.S. average.