Salaries in Shreveport, LA

Here’s a counterintuitive truth about Shreveport: you can earn a six-figure salary here and still live like you’ve won the lottery. The city’s median household income sits at just $48,486, yet its cost of living is nearly 13% below the national average. That gap creates a purchasing power story most coastal cities can only dream about.

With a Cost of Living Index of 87.1, your dollar stretches. A software developer making $122,335 here has the same purchasing power as someone earning $153,000 in an average U.S. city. That’s real leverage. A one-bedroom apartment runs about $927 a month, and with unemployment at 4.3%, the job market feels stable, if not booming. It’s not a bargain basement—it’s a calculated sweet spot.

Shreveport’s economy leans on healthcare, gaming, and logistics. You’ll find major employers like BRF Health (formerly Louisiana State Health Services) and the handful of riverboat casinos driving steady demand for managers, tech talent, and pharmacists. The education numbers—only 27.9% hold a bachelor’s degree or higher—mean there’s less competition for those high-skill roles. It’s a city where credentials can punch above their weight.

But here’s the catch: wages aren’t exactly racing ahead. The average salary is $66,429, and while the COL-adjusted figure hits $76,268, that’s still modest compared to the top earners. This city works best for professionals in high-demand fields who can command those top salaries, or for remote workers cashing in a coastal paycheck on a Shreveport budget. If you’re in a middle-skill role, the math gets tougher.

The data below breaks down who’s earning what, and how far that money really goes.