Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
How much does a Security Guards actually take home in Virginia?
Progressive (up to 5.8%) — 20.3% effective total tax rateData: BLS OEWS 2025 + IRS/State Tax Brackets 2024 • Updated 2026-05-19
Detailed line-by-line tax calculation for a Security Guards earning $43,640 in Virginia (single filer, standard deduction).
| Tax Component | Annual Amount | Effective Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary (Median) | $43,640 | — |
| Federal Income Tax | -$3,252 | 7.5% |
| Virginia State Income Tax | -$2,251 | 5.2% |
| Social Security (OASDI) | -$2,705 | 6.2% |
| Medicare | -$632 | 1.4% |
| Total Taxes | -$8,843 | 20.3% |
| Take-Home Pay | $34,796 | 79.7% |
Take-home pay varies significantly across experience levels. Here is the after-tax breakdown for each salary percentile of Security Guards in Virginia.
| Percentile | Gross Salary | Total Taxes | Take-Home Pay | Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $30,990 | -$5,629 | $25,360 | 18.2% |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $35,990 | -$6,899 | $29,090 | 19.2% |
| Median (P50) | $43,640 | -$8,843 | $34,796 | 20.3% |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $54,850 | -$11,690 | $43,159 | 21.3% |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $73,060 | -$17,446 | $55,613 | 23.9% |
After federal income tax ($3,252), state tax ($2,251), and FICA ($3,338), a Security Guards in Virginia takes home $34,796 per year — or $2,899 per month. The effective tax rate of 20.3% is relatively low compared to the national range.
With an effective total rate of 20.3%, a Security Guards in Virginia keeps $34,797 of $43,640 gross — roughly typical for U.S. middle-income earners once federal, FICA and state taxes are combined.
Virginia uses a progressive state income tax, so brackets escalate as wages rise. For this Security Guards salary the state tax works out to $2,252 (5.2% effective) — on top of federal and FICA.
Federal tax on this Security Guards salary is $3,253 (37%), but combined state ($2,252, 25%) + FICA ($3,338, 38%) make up the other 63% of the bill.
A Security Guards earning this gross in a no-income-tax state (e.g., Texas, Florida) would take home approximately $37,049 — only $2,252 (6.5%) more than in Virginia.
For Security Guards after-tax pay, Virginia ranks #12 of 51 states — top quartile. High gross wages or low state-tax burden (or both) drive the strong ranking.
Translated into paycheck cadences, $34,797 net/year works out to $2,900/month or $1,338/bi-weekly for this Security Guards in Virginia — the numbers that actually hit a checking account after every deduction.
Where does a Security Guards keep the most of their paycheck? Top 10 states ranked by after-tax take-home pay.
Virginia ranks #12 out of 51 states for Security Guards after-tax take-home pay.
A Security Guards in Virginia earning a median salary of $43,640 will take home approximately $34,796 per year after federal income tax ($3,252), state income tax ($2,251), and FICA ($3,338). That is $2,899 per month or $1,338 per bi-weekly paycheck.
The effective total tax rate for a Security Guards in Virginia is 20.3%, broken down as: federal income tax 7.5%, Virginia state tax 5.2%, and FICA (Social Security + Medicare) 7.6%. This assumes a single filer with the standard deduction for 2024.
Virginia has a progressive (up to 5.8%). On a Security Guards's median salary of $43,640, the state income tax amounts to $2,251 per year, which is an effective state rate of 5.2%.
After all taxes, a Security Guards in Virginia takes home approximately $2,899 per month, or about $16.73 per hour (based on a standard 2,080-hour work year). These figures assume a single filer, standard deduction, and no additional pre-tax deductions.
We start with the 2025 BLS median salary of $43,640 for Security Guards in Virginia, then subtract: federal income tax using 2024 IRS brackets ($14,600 standard deduction), Virginia state income tax (progressive (up to 5.8%)), Social Security (6.2% up to $168,600), and Medicare (1.45%). The result — $34,796/yr — does not include local taxes, pre-tax deductions (401k, HSA), or tax credits.
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This estimate assumes a single filer using the 2024 standard deduction ($14,600), with W-2 employment income only. It does not account for: itemized deductions, tax credits (e.g. earned income credit, child tax credit), local/city taxes, pre-tax contributions (401k, HSA, FSA), self-employment tax, or additional income sources. Actual take-home pay may differ. Consult a tax professional for personalized advice.
Our Methodology · Data Sources · Salary: BLS OEWS · Tax: IRS + State DOR