Surveyors Salary
The median pay for a surveyors in Louisiana is $63,140/year ($30.36/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $112K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.28), which stretches that salary to about $72,342 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,191/month, or 28.7% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Louisiana. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $63K actually covers in Louisiana, month by month
About surveyors
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What this looks like in Louisiana
Pay for surveyors in Louisiana runs about 16% below the U.S. median of $75K. Rent runs $1,191/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 28.2% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. 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. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Louisiana
Entry-level surveyors (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $63K. Top earners bring in $112K or more, a $73K spread from bottom to top.
Surveyors salary by metro in Louisiana
8 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans-Metairie | $79K | +25% | 310 |
| Baton Rouge | $70K | +10% | 370 |
| Lake Charles | $65K | +2% | 60 |
| Slidell-Mandeville-Covington | $64K | +2% | N/A |
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux | $64K | +1% | 110 |
| Monroe | $59K | -7% | 80 |
| Shreveport-Bossier City | $58K | -8% | 50 |
| Lafayette | $50K | -21% | 220 |
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Track surveyors salary changes
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 surveyor afford a 2BR apartment alone in Louisiana?
Yes — at the median salary of $63K, rent takes 28.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,191/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for surveyors in Louisiana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new surveyors typically earn — is $39K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,673/month. At HUD’s $1,191/month FMR, rent would take 45% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is surveyor a high-paying job in Louisiana?
Local pay runs 16% below the national median — $63K here vs. $75K 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 surveyors?
Louisiana pays $63K median vs. the U.S. average of $75K — that’s -16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.28), the purchasing-power equivalent is $72K — below the national median.
How much do surveyors make in Louisiana?
The median is $63,140 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,810, and experienced surveyors can clear $111,790. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $63K enough to live in Louisiana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,222/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,191/month, which eats 28.2% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a surveyors 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 surveyors salary is worth about $72,342 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do surveyors 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.