Security Guards Salary
The median pay for a security guards in Fayetteville, NC is $42,940/year ($20.65/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $29K at the entry level to $61K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.98), which stretches that salary to about $46,684 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,251/month, about 41.9% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $43K get you in Fayetteville?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Fayetteville’s Regional Price Parity (91.98). 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 Fayetteville
Fayetteville sits well above the national pay line for security guards, local pay runs about 13% higher than the U.S. median of $38K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,251/month, which is 43.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.98 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for security guards in metros near Fayetteville, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $35K | $36K |
| Raleigh-Cary | $35K | $35K |
| Greensboro-High Point | $33K | $36K |
| Durham-Chapel Hill | $39K | $39K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Fayetteville, NC
Entry-level security guards (10th percentile) start around $29K. Mid-career wages sit at $43K. Top earners bring in $61K or more, a $32K 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 Fayetteville numbers change.
Related careers in Public Safety
Frequently asked questions
Can a security guard afford a 2BR apartment alone in Fayetteville?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $43K, rent takes 43.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,251/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for security guards in Fayetteville?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new security guards typically earn — is $29K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,720/month. At HUD’s $1,251/month FMR, rent would take 73% 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 Fayetteville?
Local pay is 13% above the national median — $43K here vs. $38K nationally.
How does Fayetteville compare to the national average for security guards?
Fayetteville pays $43K median vs. the U.S. average of $38K — that’s +13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.98), the purchasing-power equivalent is $47K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do security guards make in Fayetteville, NC?
The median is $42,940 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $28,660, and experienced security guards can clear $61,030. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $43K enough to live in Fayetteville?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,884/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,251/month, which eats 43.4% 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 Fayetteville?
Fayetteville has a Regional Price Parity of 91.98 (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 $46,684 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.