Security Guards Salary
The median pay for a security guards in Watertown-Fort Drum, NY is $42,680/year ($20.52/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $32K at the entry level to $55K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.69), which stretches that salary to about $48,671 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,405/month, about 47.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $43K get you in Watertown-Fort Drum?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Watertown-Fort Drum’s Regional Price Parity (87.69). 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 Watertown-Fort Drum
Watertown-Fort Drum sits well above the national pay line for security guards, local pay runs about 12% 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 $1,405/month, which is 48.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.69 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% 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 Watertown-Fort Drum, 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, Watertown-Fort Drum, NY
Entry-level security guards (10th percentile) start around $32K. Mid-career wages sit at $43K. Top earners bring in $55K or more, a $23K 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 Watertown-Fort Drum numbers change.
Related careers in Public Safety
Frequently asked questions
Can a security guard afford a 2BR apartment alone in Watertown-Fort Drum?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $43K, rent takes 48.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,405/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 Watertown-Fort Drum?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new security guards typically earn — is $32K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,934/month. At HUD’s $1,405/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 Watertown-Fort Drum?
Local pay is 12% above the national median — $43K here vs. $38K nationally.
How does Watertown-Fort Drum compare to the national average for security guards?
Watertown-Fort Drum pays $43K median vs. the U.S. average of $38K — that’s +12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.69), the purchasing-power equivalent is $49K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do security guards make in Watertown-Fort Drum, NY?
The median is $42,680 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $32,240, and experienced security guards can clear $54,950. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $43K enough to live in Watertown-Fort Drum?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,883/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,405/month, which eats 48.7% 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 Watertown-Fort Drum?
Watertown-Fort Drum has a Regional Price Parity of 87.69 (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 $48,671 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.