Security Guards Salary
The median pay for a security guards in Brownsville-Harlingen, TX is $33,740/year ($16.22/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $23K at the entry level to $60K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 85.97), which stretches that salary to about $39,246 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,047/month, about 43.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $34K get you in Brownsville-Harlingen?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Brownsville-Harlingen’s Regional Price Parity (85.97). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About security guards
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What this looks like in Brownsville-Harlingen
Pay for security guards in Brownsville-Harlingen runs about 11% below the U.S. median of $38K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,047/month, which is 43.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 85.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 14% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for security guardss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for security guards in metros near Brownsville-Harlingen, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $37K | $36K |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $35K | $36K |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | $35K | $37K |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos | $38K | $39K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Brownsville-Harlingen, TX
Entry-level security guards (10th percentile) start around $23K. Mid-career wages sit at $34K. Top earners bring in $60K or more, a $37K spread from bottom to top.
Security Guards pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Security Guards salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $64K | +69% | 15,880 |
| Alaska | $47K | +25% | 2,100 |
| Washington | $47K | +24% | 25,800 |
| Vermont | $46K | +20% | 930 |
| Oregon | $46K | +20% | 12,200 |
| New Hampshire | $45K | +19% | 2,450 |
| Colorado | $45K | +19% | 16,890 |
| Massachusetts | $45K | +17% | 23,930 |
| New York | $44K | +16% | 134,700 |
| Virginia | $44K | +15% | 34,870 |
| Minnesota | $43K | +14% | 14,440 |
| New Mexico | $43K | +14% | 8,410 |
| California | $43K | +14% | 199,480 |
| Hawaii | $43K | +13% | 10,160 |
| Utah | $43K | +12% | 7,310 |
| Missouri | $40K | +6% | 18,630 |
| Connecticut | $40K | +5% | 12,100 |
| Nebraska | $40K | +5% | 4,700 |
| Illinois | $39K | +4% | 53,830 |
| North Dakota | $39K | +3% | 1,310 |
| Wyoming | $39K | +3% | 1,130 |
| Maine | $39K | +3% | 1,930 |
| New Jersey | $39K | +2% | 41,540 |
| Montana | $38K | +1% | 1,610 |
| Idaho | $38K | +1% | 3,750 |
| Arizona | $38K | +1% | 29,820 |
| Maryland | $38K | +1% | 27,670 |
| Wisconsin | $37K | -2% | 12,030 |
| Nevada | $37K | -2% | 26,680 |
| South Dakota | $37K | -2% | 1,460 |
| Michigan | $37K | -2% | 25,240 |
| Kansas | $37K | -2% | 7,150 |
| Iowa | $37K | -2% | 6,890 |
| Pennsylvania | $37K | -3% | 43,610 |
| Rhode Island | $37K | -3% | 3,160 |
| Indiana | $36K | -4% | 19,930 |
| Delaware | $36K | -4% | 3,430 |
| Oklahoma | $36K | -5% | 12,210 |
| Tennessee | $36K | -5% | 27,690 |
| Texas | $36K | -5% | 106,210 |
| Florida | $36K | -6% | 95,370 |
| Arkansas | $36K | -6% | 6,390 |
| Ohio | $36K | -6% | 34,450 |
| South Carolina | $35K | -7% | 16,610 |
| Kentucky | $35K | -7% | 13,580 |
| North Carolina | $35K | -8% | 29,830 |
| Georgia | $35K | -8% | 36,210 |
| Alabama | $34K | -11% | 15,210 |
| Louisiana | $32K | -15% | 17,210 |
| Mississippi | $29K | -23% | 10,160 |
| West Virginia | $29K | -24% | 5,200 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track security guards salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Brownsville-Harlingen numbers change.
Related careers in Public Safety
Frequently asked questions
Can a security guard afford a 2BR apartment alone in Brownsville-Harlingen?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $34K, rent takes 43.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,047/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $700/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for security guards in Brownsville-Harlingen?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new security guards typically earn — is $23K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,354/month. At HUD’s $1,047/month FMR, rent would take 77% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is security guard a high-paying job in Brownsville-Harlingen?
Local pay runs 11% below the national median — $34K here vs. $38K nationally. Cost of living is 14% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Brownsville-Harlingen compare to the national average for security guards?
Brownsville-Harlingen pays $34K median vs. the U.S. average of $38K — that’s -11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 85.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $39K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do security guards make in Brownsville-Harlingen, TX?
The median is $33,740 a year, that works out to about $16 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $22,570, and experienced security guards can clear $59,680. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $34K enough to live in Brownsville-Harlingen?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,429/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,047/month, which eats 43.1% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a security guards salary go in Brownsville-Harlingen?
Brownsville-Harlingen has a Regional Price Parity of 85.97 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median security guards salary is worth about $39,246 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do security guards get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.