Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers Salary
The median pay for a police and sheriff's patrol officers in Louisiana is $48,380/year ($23.26/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $69K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.28), which stretches that salary to about $55,431 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,191/month, about 36.1% 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 $48K get you in Louisiana?
About police and sheriff's patrol officers
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What this looks like in Louisiana
Pay for police and sheriff's patrol officers in Louisiana runs about 37% below the U.S. median of $76K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,191/month, which is 36.3% 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 police and sheriff's patrol officerss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Louisiana
Entry-level police and sheriff's patrol officers (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $48K. Top earners bring in $69K or more, a $33K spread from bottom to top.
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers salary by metro in Louisiana
10 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shreveport-Bossier City | $60K | +24% | 1,370 |
| Lake Charles | $56K | +16% | 1,780 |
| Monroe | $51K | +5% | 620 |
| Lafayette | $50K | +3% | 910 |
| New Orleans-Metairie | $49K | +1% | 2,040 |
| Baton Rouge | $49K | +1% | 1,980 |
| Slidell-Mandeville-Covington | $48K | -1% | 900 |
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux | $44K | -8% | 460 |
| Alexandria | $44K | -9% | 390 |
| Hammond | $41K | -16% | 380 |
Compare to other states
Track police and sheriff's patrol officers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Louisiana numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a police and sheriff's patrol officer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Louisiana?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $48K, rent takes 36.3% 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 $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for police and sheriff's patrol officers in Louisiana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new police and sheriff's patrol officers typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,188/month. At HUD’s $1,191/month FMR, rent would take 54% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is police and sheriff's patrol officer a high-paying job in Louisiana?
Local pay runs 37% below the national median — $48K here vs. $76K 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 police and sheriff's patrol officers?
Louisiana pays $48K median vs. the U.S. average of $76K — that’s -37%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.28), the purchasing-power equivalent is $55K — below the national median.
How much do police and sheriff's patrol officers make in Louisiana?
The median is $48,380 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,470, and experienced police and sheriff's patrol officers can clear $69,140. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $48K enough to live in Louisiana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,285/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,191/month, which eats 36.3% 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 police and sheriff's patrol officers 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 police and sheriff's patrol officers salary is worth about $55,431 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do police and sheriff's patrol officers 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.