Salaries in Monroe, LA

You might assume a city with a median income under $37,000 is a place where you simply scrape by. But Monroe, Louisiana, tells a different story—one where your paycheck buys a surprising amount of comfort, if you’re in the right field.

Let’s talk real dollars. With a cost of living index of 83.6, your money stretches nearly 17% further here than the national average. That median household income of $36,521 feels low until you see the median one-bedroom rent at just $757 a month. For a single earner, that’s a manageable 25% of pre-tax income, a ratio most coastal cities can only dream of. It’s not just cheap; it’s a fundamental recalibration of what financial breathing room feels like.

So who’s actually thriving here? The data points to a familiar story for mid-sized Southern cities. Healthcare and education are the bedrock—Ouachita Parish schools and St. Francis Medical Center are massive employers. But the real money lives in management and tech roles. Marketing managers, pharmacists, and software developers command salaries that crack six figures, even before you factor in the wild purchasing power boost. An adjusted $179,000 for a marketing manager here goes a hell of a lot further than in Atlanta or Dallas.

Here’s my honest take: this isn’t a city for high-flying ambition in every sector. The average salary across all roles is $75,439, which sounds okay until you remember the median is nearly $40,000 less. That gap tells you everything—you’re either in a top-tier profession or you’re not. Wages haven’t kept pace with the national boom, but for remote workers or those in the handful of high-paying industries, it’s a financial sweet spot. It’s a place that rewards specific, in-demand skills over general hustle.

The following data digs into the exact numbers, from unemployment to education levels, to show you who Monroe works for and who it doesn’t.