Security Guards pay range in Trenton
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $32,220 a year or less, while the top 10% make $59,540 or more. The middle half of security guards in Trenton earn between $34,110 and $47,040.
- $32K10th
- $34K25th
- $35KMedian
- $47K75th
- $60K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $41,670 | $3,472 | $20.03 |
| Median | $34,980 | $2,915 | $16.82 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $34,110 | $2,842 | $16.40 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $47,040 | $3,920 | $22.62 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Security Guards pay in Trenton vs. New Jersey and the U.S.
Security guards in Trenton earn 4% less than the New Jersey average ($43,520) and about the same as the U.S. average ($42,470). At the median the gap is -8% against the U.S. median of $38,020.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trenton | $41,670 | $34,980 | $32,220 | $59,540 | 3,110 |
| New Jersey | $43,520 | $38,880 | $32,230 | $60,420 | 41,540 |
| 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 Trenton
On the average salary of $41,670, a single filer in Trenton takes home about $34,907 a year, or $2,909 a month and $1,343 every two weeks. Taxes take 16% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). New Jersey's employee unemployment, disability and family-leave contributions are not included.
Is Trenton a good place for security guards? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Trenton area are 3% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 103.2), so the average $41,670 buys what about $40,386 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Trenton ($63,490). A typical home costs $446,377, or 10.7 years of this average salary before tax.
Security Guards salary in other New Jersey cities
Trenton ranks 2nd of 3 New Jersey metro areas for this job; Vineland pays the most ($44,170).
- Vineland$44,170
- Trenton$41,670
- Atlantic City$41,440
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 Trenton: questions
How much do security guards make an hour in Trenton?
$20.04 an hour on average, and $16.82 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level security guards salary in Trenton?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $32,220 a year and the 25th percentile is $34,110, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the security guards take-home pay in Trenton?
About $34,907 a year ($2,909 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $41,670. New Jersey's employee unemployment, disability and family-leave contributions are not included.
Do security guards earn more in Trenton 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 Trenton-Princeton, NJ (45940). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.9%.
- 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). New Jersey's employee unemployment, disability and family-leave contributions are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.57, this job is 1.6 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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