Security Guard Salary
The median pay for a security guards in Delaware is $36,360/year ($17.48/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $32K at the entry level to $73K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.51), that's roughly $37,288 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,448/month, about 57.7% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Delaware. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $36K actually covers in Delaware, month by month
About security guards
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What this looks like in Delaware
Security guards pay in Delaware tracks closely to the national median, $36K locally vs. $38K nationwide, a 4% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,448/month, which is 58.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 97.51) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Delaware
Entry-level security guards (10th percentile) start around $32K. Mid-career wages sit at $36K. Top earners bring in $73K or more, a $41K spread from bottom to top.
Security Guards salary by metro in Delaware
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dover | $35K | -3% | 240 |
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Delaware numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a security guard afford a 2BR apartment alone in Delaware?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $36K, rent takes 58.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,448/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 Delaware?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new security guards typically earn — is $32K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,240/month. At HUD’s $1,448/month FMR, rent would take 65% 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 Delaware?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $36K locally vs. $38K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Delaware compare to the national average for security guards?
Delaware pays $36K median vs. the U.S. average of $38K — that’s -4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.51), the purchasing-power equivalent is $37K — below the national median.
How much do security guards make in Delaware?
The median is $36,360 a year, that works out to about $17 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $32,450, and experienced security guards can clear $73,390. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $36K enough to live in Delaware?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,484/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,448/month, which eats 58.3% 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 Delaware?
Delaware has a Regional Price Parity of 97.51 (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 $37,288 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.