Security Guard Salary
The median pay for a security guards in Oregon is $45,500/year ($21.88/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $59K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 102.44), that's roughly $44,416 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,555/month, about 49.5% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Oregon. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $46K actually covers in Oregon, month by month
About security guards
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What this looks like in Oregon
Oregon sits well above the national pay line for security guards, local pay runs about 20% 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 $1,555/month, which is 53.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 102.44) 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.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Oregon
Entry-level security guards (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $46K. Top earners bring in $59K or more, a $22K spread from bottom to top.
Security Guards salary by metro in Oregon
8 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro | $47K | +3% | 9,110 |
| Salem | $46K | +1% | 1,030 |
| Corvallis | $46K | +1% | 160 |
| Medford | $44K | -3% | 310 |
| Albany | $44K | -3% | 90 |
| Bend | $44K | -4% | 350 |
| Eugene-Springfield | $40K | -13% | 730 |
| Grants Pass | $37K | -19% | 120 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Oregon 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 Oregon?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $46K, rent takes 53.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,555/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 Oregon?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new security guards typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,391/month. At HUD’s $1,555/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 Oregon?
Local pay is 20% above the national median — $46K here vs. $38K nationally.
How does Oregon compare to the national average for security guards?
Oregon pays $46K median vs. the U.S. average of $38K — that’s +20%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 102.44), the purchasing-power equivalent is $44K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do security guards make in Oregon?
The median is $45,500 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,500, and experienced security guards can clear $58,510. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $46K enough to live in Oregon?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,928/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,555/month, which eats 53.1% 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 Oregon?
Oregon has a Regional Price Parity of 102.44 (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 $44,416 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.