The average salary of a police officer in Louisiana is less than the national average, but the Pelican State ranks toward the middle nationwide in terms of officers being able to afford a home on what they make.
The average annual wage for police and sheriff’s patrol officers nationwide in May 2014 was $56,810, compared to $39,400 for officers in Louisiana at the same time,
according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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The BLS also reported as of May 2014 that 10 percent of Louisiana police and sheriff's patrol officers earned less than $24,970; 25 percent, less than $31,510; 50 percent, less than $38,220; 75 percent, less than $45,70; and 90 percent, less than $55,570.
Louisiana ranks 27th among states in terms of the percentage of the average home price the average officer’s annual salary can cover,
according to How to Become a Police Officer.
The 2012 average police salary in Louisiana was $39,100 while real estate website Zillow's 2013 median property list price in that state was $166,300, meaning the average annual salary encompassed 24 percent of the median home price. Ohio officers enjoyed the nation’s highest such figure at 43 percent while Hawaii had the lowest with 11 percent.
One motivation for those considering becoming police officers in Louisiana is that the Pelican State is midway through a decade where it’s expected to see an increase in patrol officer employment of 9 percent, from 10,750 in 2010 to 11,680 in 2020, according to How to Become a Police Officer.
It's not unusual for police officers to move on to other positions after 20 years,
says PayScale.
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