Correctional Officers and Jailers Salary
Correctional Officers and Jailers in Louisiana make a median of $39,850 a year, or about $19.16 an hour. The range runs from $31K at the entry level to $55K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.28), which stretches that salary to about $45,658 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,191/month, about 43.8% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Louisiana. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $40K get you in Louisiana?
About correctional officers and jailers
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What this looks like in Louisiana
Pay for correctional officers and jailers in Louisiana runs about 32% below the U.S. median of $59K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,191/month, which is 43.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.28 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for correctional officers and jailerss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Louisiana
Entry-level correctional officers and jailers (10th percentile) start around $31K. Mid-career wages sit at $40K. Top earners bring in $55K or more, a $24K spread from bottom to top.
Correctional Officers and Jailers salary by metro in Louisiana
9 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alexandria | $73K | +83% | 420 |
| Lafayette | $46K | +16% | 440 |
| Baton Rouge | $45K | +13% | 2,180 |
| Shreveport-Bossier City | $44K | +11% | 270 |
| New Orleans-Metairie | $40K | +2% | 560 |
| Lake Charles | $40K | +0% | 80 |
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux | $39K | -3% | 220 |
| Monroe | $34K | -14% | 370 |
| Hammond | $29K | -26% | 160 |
Compare to other states
Track correctional officers and jailers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Louisiana numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a correctional officers and jailer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Louisiana?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $40K, rent takes 43.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,191/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for correctional officers and jailers in Louisiana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new correctional officers and jailers typically earn — is $31K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,846/month. At HUD’s $1,191/month FMR, rent would take 65% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is correctional officers and jailer a high-paying job in Louisiana?
Local pay runs 32% below the national median — $40K here vs. $59K nationally. Cost of living is 13% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Louisiana compare to the national average for correctional officers and jailers?
Louisiana pays $40K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s -32%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.28), the purchasing-power equivalent is $46K — below the national median.
How much do correctional officers and jailers make in Louisiana?
The median is $39,850 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $30,770, and experienced correctional officers and jailers can clear $55,260. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $40K enough to live in Louisiana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,739/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,191/month, which eats 43.5% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a correctional officers and jailers salary go in Louisiana?
Louisiana has a Regional Price Parity of 87.28 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median correctional officers and jailers salary is worth about $45,658 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do correctional officers and jailers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.