Security Guard Salary
The median pay for a security guards in Louisiana is $32,240/year ($15.5/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $24K at the entry level to $49K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.28), which stretches that salary to about $36,939 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,191/month, about 54.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Louisiana. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $32K actually covers in Louisiana, month by month
About security guards
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What this looks like in Louisiana
Pay for security guards in Louisiana runs about 15% below the U.S. median of $38K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,191/month, which is 52.9% 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 security guards.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Louisiana
Entry-level security guards (10th percentile) start around $24K. Mid-career wages sit at $32K. Top earners bring in $49K or more, a $25K spread from bottom to top.
Security Guards salary by metro in Louisiana
9 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baton Rouge | $37K | +13% | 2,810 |
| Slidell-Mandeville-Covington | $34K | +6% | 400 |
| New Orleans-Metairie | $32K | +0% | 6,650 |
| Hammond | $31K | -4% | N/A |
| Shreveport-Bossier City | $31K | -5% | 1,130 |
| Lafayette | $30K | -7% | 900 |
| Lake Charles | $30K | -8% | 870 |
| Alexandria | $29K | -9% | 410 |
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux | $29K | -10% | 410 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Louisiana numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a security guard afford a 2BR apartment alone in Louisiana?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $32K, rent takes 52.9% 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 security guards in Louisiana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new security guards typically earn — is $24K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,697/month. At HUD’s $1,191/month FMR, rent would take 70% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is security guard a high-paying job in Louisiana?
Local pay runs 15% below the national median — $32K here vs. $38K 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 security guards?
Louisiana pays $32K median vs. the U.S. average of $38K — that’s -15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.28), the purchasing-power equivalent is $37K — below the national median.
How much do security guards make in Louisiana?
The median is $32,240 a year, that works out to about $16 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $23,660, and experienced security guards can clear $49,040. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $32K enough to live in Louisiana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,252/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,191/month, which eats 52.9% 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 security guards 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 security guards salary is worth about $36,939 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do security guards 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.