Sources: Louisiana Department of State Civil Service, Louisiana State Civil Service Pay Plan (Public Version) and Pay Schedules AS, MS, PS, SS, TS, WS; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates. Data captured September 30, 2026.
Louisiana state pay plan Sourced
Published rates for each class, lowest first, effective August 19, 2024. These are the ranges Louisiana sets for its own state employees; cities, counties and school districts have their own pay plans.
| Class and grade | Published rate |
|---|---|
| Criminal Investigator 1 Class 166960 Grade 112 | $45,885 – $92,851 a year |
| Criminal Investigator 2 Class 133130 Grade 113 | $49,088 – $99,362 a year |
| Criminal Investigator 3 Class 172380 Grade 115 | $56,202 – $113,755 a year |
| Criminal Investigator 4 Class 172390 Grade 116 | $60,133 – $121,722 a year |
Schedule: Protective Schedule (PS). Rates are as the plan publishes them; "a year" figures are conversions. Classes are matched to this job by title (GovJobsWiki editorial rule).
Source: Louisiana Department of State Civil Service, Louisiana State Civil Service Pay Plan (Public Version) and Pay Schedules AS, MS, PS, SS, TS, WS. Data captured September 30, 2026.
Pay in Louisiana, all employers Sourced
Detectives and Criminal Investigators (SOC 33-3021) in Louisiana, all employers combined: BLS state estimates do not separate government from private.
| Measure | LA |
|---|---|
| Workers | 1,740 |
| 10th percentile | $39,020 |
| Median | $60,450 |
| 90th percentile | $131,730 |
| National median, government employers | $93,790 |
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — national estimates by ownership. Data captured September 30, 2026.
Employers in Louisiana
143 police departments in Louisiana.
63 sheriff's offices in Louisiana.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Crime Data Explorer — law-enforcement agencies by state (API). Data captured September 30, 2026.
Free practice tests for Louisiana
AFOSI Special Agent Selection Cognitive Exam (Air Force Office of Special Investigations)Entrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep- Diplomatic Security Service Special Agent Test (DSSAT)Entrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent Entrance ExamEntrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent Test Battery (SATB)Entrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- NCIS Special Agent (1811) Selection Exam — Phase I Cognitive/Logical ReasoningEntrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
Source: Open Exam Prep, Open Exam Prep free practice tests. Data captured October 1, 2026. Each link was opened and its exam title checked on the date shown.
More about this job
Requirements, hiring process, training, schedule and day-to-day work are on the national Detective / Criminal Investigator page.