Security Guards pay range in San Diego
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $36,090 a year or less, while the top 10% make $53,310 or more. The middle half of security guards in San Diego earn between $37,150 and $45,580.
- $36K10th
- $37K25th
- $38KMedian
- $46K75th
- $53K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $43,110 | $3,592 | $20.73 |
| Median | $38,500 | $3,208 | $18.51 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $37,150 | $3,096 | $17.86 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $45,580 | $3,798 | $21.91 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Security Guards pay in San Diego vs. California and the U.S.
Security guards in San Diego earn 4% less than the California average ($44,920) and about the same as the U.S. average ($42,470). At the median the gap is +1% against the U.S. median of $38,020.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego | $43,110 | $38,500 | $36,090 | $53,310 | 16,090 |
| California | $44,920 | $43,240 | $36,010 | $57,880 | 199,480 |
| United States | $42,470 | $38,020 | $30,210 | $58,840 | 1,283,470 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Security Guards salary after taxes in San Diego
On the average salary of $43,110, a single filer in San Diego takes home about $35,959 a year, or $2,997 a month and $1,383 every two weeks. Taxes take 17% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is San Diego a good place for security guards? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the San Diego area are 12% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 111.9), so the average $43,110 buys what about $38,530 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in San Diego ($58,690). A typical home costs $946,365, or 22.0 years of this average salary before tax.
Security Guards salary in other California cities
San Diego ranks 15th of 25 California metro areas for this job; San Luis Obispo pays the most ($51,110).
- San Luis Obispo$51,110
- San Jose$51,020
- Napa$50,400
- San Francisco$50,270
- Santa Cruz$47,870
- Vallejo$46,870
- Santa Rosa$46,490
- Santa Maria$44,970
- Modesto$44,260
- San Diego$43,110
Highest-paying cities for security guards
Idaho Falls, ID pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($68,260).
- Idaho Falls, ID$68,260
- Fairbanks, AK$60,120
- Kennewick, WA$59,640
- Burlington, VT$55,360
- Anchorage, AK$54,540
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Security Guards salary in San Diego: questions
How much do security guards make an hour in San Diego?
$20.73 an hour on average, and $18.51 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level security guards salary in San Diego?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $36,090 a year and the 25th percentile is $37,150, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the security guards take-home pay in San Diego?
About $35,959 a year ($2,997 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $43,110. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do security guards earn more in San Diego than elsewhere?
The average here is about the same as the U.S. average for this job ($42,470).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 33-9032; area San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA (41740). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 0.6%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.27, this job is 1.3 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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