Security Guards Salary
The median pay for a security guards in Salinas, CA is $38,700/year ($18.61/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $57K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 109.04), so that salary is closer to $35,492 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,684/month, about 100.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $39K get you in Salinas?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Salinas’s Regional Price Parity (109.04). 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 Salinas
Security guards pay in Salinas tracks closely to the national median, $39K locally vs. $38K nationwide, a 2% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,684/month, which is 99.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 9% above the national average (BEA RPP 109.04), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for security guards in metros near Salinas, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $40K | $35K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $46K | $40K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $37K | $35K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $39K | $34K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Salinas, CA
Entry-level security guards (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $39K. Top earners bring in $57K or more, a $21K 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 Salinas numbers change.
Related careers in Public Safety
Frequently asked questions
Can a security guard afford a 2BR apartment alone in Salinas?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $39K, rent takes 99.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,684/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for security guards in Salinas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new security guards typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,141/month. At HUD’s $2,684/month FMR, rent would take 125% 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 Salinas?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $39K locally vs. $38K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Salinas compare to the national average for security guards?
Salinas pays $39K median vs. the U.S. average of $38K — that’s +2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 109.04), the purchasing-power equivalent is $35K — below the national median.
How much do security guards make in Salinas, CA?
The median is $38,700 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,680, and experienced security guards can clear $56,960. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $39K enough to live in Salinas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,700/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,684/month, which eats 99.4% 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 Salinas?
Salinas has a Regional Price Parity of 109.04 (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 $35,492 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.