Median salary
$66,873
ANZSCO 4422 · Protective service workers
Security officer or guard salary in Australia
Median salary for an Australian security officer or guard is $66,873 per year (2022-23 tax return data), with $54,686 take-home after tax at current FY2025-26 rates.
After tax (yr)
$54,686
Fortnightly
$2,103
Tax returns
59,497
Income distribution
Source: ATO Taxation Statistics 2022-23, Table 15 (ANZSCO unit group 4422, based on 59,497 tax returns).
| Metric | Taxable income | Salary / wages | Total income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median | $66,032 | $66,873 | $69,135 |
| Average (mean) | $67,214 | $64,956 | $70,134 |
Taxable income = gross income minus allowable deductions. Salary / wages = PAYG-reported income only. Total income = all sources including investment, business, etc.
Take-home pay on the median $security officer or guard salary
| Gross salary (median) | $66,873 |
| Income tax | −$10,850 |
| Medicare levy (2%) | −$1,337 |
| Take-home pay | $54,686 |
| + Employer super | $8,025 |
See the $65,000 salary page for full breakdown (monthly, fortnightly, weekly, daily and hourly), or
open the calculator prefilled with $66,873 to model salary sacrifice, HELP, or novated lease.
Related occupations · Protective service workers
Other occupations within the same ANZSCO sub-major group.
| Occupation | Tax returns | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| Police | 66,108 | $105,851 |
| Defence force member - other ranks | 24,940 | $77,339 |
| Prison officer | 23,915 | $95,146 |
| Fire or emergency service worker | 20,731 | $109,650 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a security officer or guard earn in Australia?
The median salary or wage income for an Australian security officer or guard in 2022-23 was $66,873, based on 59,497 lodged tax returns. The average (mean) was $64,956; the mean is pulled up by high earners so the median is a better guide for a typical security officer or guard.
What is a security officer or guard salary after tax?
On the median $66,873 salary for a security officer or guard, take-home pay in FY2025-26 is about $54,686 per year after income tax and the 2% Medicare levy — roughly $2,103 per fortnight or $1,052 per week.
How much tax does a security officer or guard pay?
On the median $66,873 salary, a security officer or guard in FY2025-26 pays about $12,187 in total tax — $10,850 income tax plus $1,337 Medicare levy. Effective rate: 18.2%.
How many people work as a security officer or guard in Australia?
59,497 Australians lodged a tax return as a security officer or guard in 2022-23. This is the count of individuals who classified themselves under ANZSCO unit group 4422 on their return.
What is the average vs median security officer or guard salary?
Average (mean): $64,956. Median: $66,873. The median is usually lower because a small number of very high earners pull the average up. For a realistic picture of what a typical security officer or guard earns, use the median.
Data sources
Salary data: Australian Taxation Office — Taxation Statistics 2022-23, Table 15. Used under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Australia licence.
Take-home pay calculated at paycalculator.page using ATO-published FY2025-26 brackets, 2% Medicare levy, and default settings (Australian resident, private hospital cover, tax-free threshold claimed).