Security Guard Salary
The median pay for a security guards in Ithaca, NY is $49,540/year ($23.82/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $63K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.32), that's roughly $47,948 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,753/month, about 51.3% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $50K actually covers in Ithaca, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Ithaca’s Regional Price Parity (103.32). 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 Ithaca
Ithaca sits well above the national pay line for security guards, local pay runs about 30% 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 $1,753/month, which is 53% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 103.32) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for security guards in metros near Ithaca, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $44K | $39K |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga | $38K | $40K |
| Rochester | $43K | $44K |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh | $43K | $39K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Ithaca, NY
Entry-level security guards (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $50K. Top earners bring in $63K or more, a $25K 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 Ithaca numbers change.
Related careers in Public Safety
Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a security guard afford a 2BR apartment alone in Ithaca?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $50K, rent takes 53% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,753/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for security guards in Ithaca?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new security guards typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,566/month. At HUD’s $1,753/month FMR, rent would take 68% 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 Ithaca?
Local pay is 30% above the national median — $50K here vs. $38K nationally.
How does Ithaca compare to the national average for security guards?
Ithaca pays $50K median vs. the U.S. average of $38K — that’s +30%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.32), the purchasing-power equivalent is $48K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do security guards make in Ithaca, NY?
The median is $49,540 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,600, and experienced security guards can clear $63,040. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $50K enough to live in Ithaca?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,310/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,753/month, which eats 53% 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 Ithaca?
Ithaca has a Regional Price Parity of 103.32 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median security guards salary is worth about $47,948 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.