SOC 33-9032 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Security Guards — Chambersburg
Chambersburg, PA · 10 metro areas compared
Median pay for this occupation in Chambersburg, PA comes to $42,130 a year, ahead of the national median of $38,020 by 10.8%.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
How pay has moved
The next ten years
Projected to grow more slowly than average
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- +0.4%
- Openings per year
- 161,000
- Typical entry-level education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for Chambersburg, PA.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Salary overview
Median pay for this occupation in Chambersburg, PA comes to $42,130 a year, ahead of the national median of $38,020 by 10.8%. Pay ranges from under $32,350 at the tenth percentile to more than $61,060 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $37,380 to $50,560.
Employment stands at 210, or 3.5 jobs per thousand held locally. Within the state, Gettysburg records the highest median at $39,500. Of the 240 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 184th.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $32,350 | −14.9% |
| 25th | $37,380 | −1.7% |
| Median (50th) | $42,130 | +10.8% |
| 75th | $50,560 | +33.0% |
| 90th | $61,060 | +60.6% |
| Mean | $44,550 | +17.2% |
Other metro areas in Pennsylvania
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gettysburg | $39,500 | 130 | |
| 2 | Reading | $38,960 | 1,050 | |
| 3 | Lancaster | $38,090 | 880 | |
| 4 | Harrisburg | $37,880 | 2,320 | |
| 5 | Lebanon | $37,470 | 130 | |
| 6 | Philadelphia | $37,450 | 25,460 | |
| 7 | Allentown | $36,020 | 2,570 | |
| 8 | Altoona | $35,900 | 230 | |
| 9 | Pittsburgh | $35,850 | 9,250 | |
| 10 | York | $35,660 | 830 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Chambersburg run 5.4% below the national average, so the median of $42,130 goes as far as $44,535 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 17.1% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$42,130as reported by BLSLocal price level
94.6US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$44,535US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $42,130 a year, 10.8% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $32,350 to $61,060 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 210 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Gettysburg, at $39,500.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Security Guards in Chambersburg, PA?
The median annual wage is $42,130, or $20.25 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $38,020, so pay in Chambersburg, PA is 10.8% higher. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Chambersburg, PA earns more than $61,060 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $32,350 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Gettysburg, at $39,500 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 210 jobs in this occupation in Chambersburg, PA. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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