Pay data
Average Salary in Louisiana (2026)
The average salary in Louisiana is $56,600 a year and the median is $45,520, 11% below the US median (BLS, May 2025). At national-average prices that median is worth $51,610: 48th of the 50 states and DC by median wage, 31st once local prices are taken into account.
- Average (mean) salary
- $56,600US $69,770
- Median salary
- $45,520US $50,980
- Median hourly wage
- $21.89BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Price level
- 88.2US = 100 · BEA 2024
Calculator
Where does your salary rank in Louisiana?
About the 79th percentile
You earn more than about 79% of workers in Louisiana.
At Louisiana prices, $75,000 buys what $85,030 buys at the national average, about the 76th percentile nationally.
Interpolated between the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th and 90th percentile wages BLS publishes for all occupations (OEWS, May 2025). Wage and salary workers only; excludes the self-employed. Price comparison uses BEA Regional Price Parities.
The spread
What Louisiana workers earn
| Percentile | Louisiana | United States |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $22,710 | $31,200 |
| 25th | $30,350 | $37,590 |
| 50th (median) | $45,520 | $50,980 |
| 75th | $66,340 | $80,520 |
| 90th | $100,110 | $128,560 |
| Mean | $56,600 | $69,770 |
Prices
Cost of living in Louisiana
BEA Regional Price Parities compare price levels across states (US = 100). Louisiana sits at 88.2 overall, with housing at 63.1. To live the way $100,000 pays for at national-average prices, you would need about $88,210 here. Compare any two states or metros.
US = 100
- All items12% below US88.2
- Housing (rents)37% below US63.1
- Goods6% below US93.7
- Utilities29% below US71.5
- Other services4% below US95.7
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| All items | 88.2 |
| Housing (rents) | 63.1 |
| Goods | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 71.5 |
| Other services | 95.7 |
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
By field
Average salary in Louisiana by occupation group
| Occupation group | Median | vs US | Workers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Management | $102,170 | -19% | 120,950 |
| Architecture and Engineering | $94,970 | -5% | 30,350 |
| Computer and Mathematical | $78,890 | -28% | 26,330 |
| Legal | $77,250 | -25% | 17,160 |
| Life, Physical, and Social Science | $75,360 | -9% | 15,350 |
| Healthcare Practitioners and Technical | $74,150 | -14% | 147,700 |
| Business and Financial Operations | $69,240 | -16% | 90,070 |
| Educational Instruction and Library | $56,970 | -6% | 108,840 |
| Installation, Maintenance, and Repair | $53,030 | -11% | 95,810 |
| Construction and Extraction | $49,950 | -16% | 111,610 |
| Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media | $49,910 | -20% | 18,690 |
| Production | $49,890 | +6% | 102,050 |
| Community and Social Service | $49,220 | -16% | 29,250 |
| Farming, Fishing, and Forestry | $48,510 | +32% | 3,230 |
| Protective Service | $41,740 | -17% | 58,850 |
| Office and Administrative Support | $39,530 | -17% | 224,190 |
| Transportation and Material Moving | $39,200 | -12% | 187,060 |
| Sales | $32,570 | -15% | 169,300 |
| Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance | $29,510 | -22% | 56,000 |
| Healthcare Support | $29,070 | -24% | 98,760 |
| Personal Care and Service | $27,990 | -23% | 36,480 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related | $23,400 | -33% | 186,890 |
The jobs
The jobs behind Louisiana's pay
The most common jobs set the median; the best-paid set the top; the most over-represented jobs show what the state's economy specialises in (location quotient: the state's share of jobs in an occupation over the national share).
Most common jobs
By employment
- 1Retail Salesperson49,570
- 2Registered Nurse48,970
- 3Cashier46,350
- 4Fast Food and Counter Worker45,720
- 5Laborer and Freight, Stock, and Material Mover, Hand43,730
- 6General and Operations Manager43,220
- 7Server33,870
- 8Office Clerk, General31,790
- 9Stocker and Order Filler31,710
- 10Food Preparation Worker30,920
Highest-paying jobs
Median, 500+ workers
- 1Allergist and Immunologist$350,920
- 2Family Medicine Physician$255,330
- 3Nurse Anesthetist$222,130
- 4Dentist$170,750
- 5Architectural and Engineering Manager$162,850
- 6Petroleum Engineer$139,640
- 7Chemical Engineer$134,800
- 8Industrial Production Manager$133,210
- 9Pharmacist$132,410
- 10Business Teacher, Postsecondary$129,040
Most over-represented
Location quotient, 1,000+ workers
- 1Sailor and Marine Oiler19.2x
- 2Chemical Plant and System Operator16.4x
- 3Captain, Mate, and Pilot of Water Vessels14.9x
- 4Pump Operator, Except Wellhead Pumpers11.3x
- 5Boilermaker9.6x
- 6Midwife8.9x
- 7Petroleum Pump System Operator, Refinery Operator, and Gauger8.4x
- 8Rigger6.6x
- 9Oil and Gas Roustabout6.2x
- 10Service Unit Operator, Oil and Gas5.8x
Cities
Average salary by city in Louisiana
| Metro area | Median | Mean | Price level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baton Rouge, LA | $48,710 | $61,230 | 90.8 |
| New Orleans, LA | $47,290 | $61,050 | 92.6 |
| Lake Charles, LA | $45,700 | $56,630 | 85.9 |
| Houma, LA | $45,610 | $55,870 | 85.1 |
| Shreveport, LA | $44,820 | $54,580 | 84.8 |
| Slidell, LA | $43,710 | $56,220 | 92.7 |
| Lafayette, LA | $41,780 | $52,120 | 87.2 |
| Alexandria, LA | $40,600 | $51,630 | 85.7 |
| Hammond, LA | $38,480 | $49,160 | 84.5 |
| Monroe, LA | $38,150 | $48,850 | 83.6 |
Compare
States with similar pay
Method
About these numbers
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, all occupations in Louisiana. Wage and salary workers only; excludes the self-employed.
- Wages are straight-time pay before tax, including commissions and tips, excluding overtime premiums, bonuses and benefits.
- Price levels are BEA Regional Price Parities for 2024. Price-adjusted pay is a NueCareer calculation (wage ÷ RPP/100).
Questions
Average salary in Louisiana: FAQ
What is the average salary in Louisiana?
The average (mean) annual wage in Louisiana is $56,600 and the median is $45,520, 11% below the US median of $50,980 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That covers 1,934,900 wage and salary workers in all occupations.
What is the average hourly wage in Louisiana?
$27.21 an hour on average and $21.89 at the median (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What is a good salary in Louisiana?
Above $45,520 out-earns half of Louisiana workers; the top 25% start at $66,340 and the top 10% at $100,110 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Prices in Louisiana run 12% below the national average (BEA, 2024), so $100,000 here buys about what $113,370 buys nationally.
Is Louisiana expensive to live in?
BEA puts overall prices in Louisiana at 88.2 against a US average of 100 (2024). Housing is 63.1, goods 93.7, utilities 71.5 and other services 95.7. To match a $100,000 national-average lifestyle you would need about $88,210 here.
What are the highest-paying jobs in Louisiana?
Allergist and Immunologist ($350,920), Family Medicine Physician ($255,330), Nurse Anesthetist ($222,130), Dentist ($170,750), Architectural and Engineering Manager ($162,850) have the highest median wages among occupations with at least 500 workers in Louisiana (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What are the most common jobs in Louisiana?
Retail Salesperson (49,570), Registered Nurse (48,970), Cashier (46,350), Fast Food and Counter Worker (45,720), Laborer and Freight, Stock, and Material Mover, Hand (43,730) employ the most people (BLS OEWS, May 2025).