Firefighters Salary
Firefighters in Louisiana make a median of $33,120 a year, or about $15.92 an hour. The range runs from $23K at the entry level to $57K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.28), which stretches that salary to about $37,947 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,191/month, about 52.7% 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 $33K get you in Louisiana?
About firefighters
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What this looks like in Louisiana
Pay for firefighters in Louisiana runs about 44% 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 51.6% 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 firefighterss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Louisiana
Entry-level firefighters (10th percentile) start around $23K. Mid-career wages sit at $33K. Top earners bring in $57K or more, a $34K spread from bottom to top.
Firefighters salary by metro in Louisiana
10 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alexandria | $38K | +15% | 290 |
| Shreveport-Bossier City | $38K | +14% | 700 |
| New Orleans-Metairie | $37K | +12% | 1,110 |
| Baton Rouge | $33K | +0% | 1,060 |
| Lafayette | $30K | -9% | 220 |
| Lake Charles | $30K | -11% | 240 |
| Slidell-Mandeville-Covington | $30K | -11% | 390 |
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux | $28K | -14% | 170 |
| Hammond | $28K | -14% | 170 |
| Monroe | $23K | -31% | 280 |
Compare to other states
Track firefighters salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Louisiana numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a firefighter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Louisiana?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $33K, rent takes 51.6% 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 $700/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for firefighters in Louisiana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new firefighters typically earn — is $23K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,351/month. At HUD’s $1,191/month FMR, rent would take 88% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is firefighter a high-paying job in Louisiana?
Local pay runs 44% below the national median — $33K 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 firefighters?
Louisiana pays $33K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s -44%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.28), the purchasing-power equivalent is $38K — below the national median.
How much do firefighters make in Louisiana?
The median is $33,120 a year, that works out to about $16 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $22,510, and experienced firefighters can clear $56,670. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $33K enough to live in Louisiana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,308/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,191/month, which eats 51.6% 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 firefighters 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 firefighters salary is worth about $37,947 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do firefighters 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.