Average Salaries in Louisiana
Explore salaries across 701 occupations in Louisiana. The average median wage across all tracked occupations is $57.5K, -6.7% vs the national average. See the highest-paying roles, where the jobs are, and how local wages compare to the rest of the country.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2024 estimates. Coverage: 701 occupations and 1,902,140 total jobs in Louisiana.
How the state compares
Louisiana pays modestly below the national average. That can be partly offset by a lower cost of living compared with higher-paying markets.
Louisiana has a mid-sized labor market, with strong representation in some occupations but thinner coverage in niche roles.
The highest-paid occupation tracked here is Nurse Anesthetists. Drill into any occupation below to see its local pay distribution, employment, and how it compares to the national market.
Top-paying and largest occupations in Louisiana
Two different lenses on the local labor market: which occupations pay the most, and which employ the most workers. The highest-paid list tends to favor specialized professional and technical roles. The largest list reflects where the everyday jobs actually are.
Top wages
Highest-paid occupations in Louisiana
| Occupation | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Nurse Anesthetists | $225.4K | 890 |
| Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric | $212.9K | N/A |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | $203.7K | 1,000 |
| Dentists, General | $179.6K | 1,140 |
| Architectural And Engineering Managers | $167.8K | 1,390 |
| Podiatrists | $167.0K | 90 |
| Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary | $138.6K | N/A |
| Petroleum Engineers | $134.6K | 920 |
| Industrial Production Managers | $133.1K | 2,360 |
| Chemical Engineers | $131.2K | 780 |
Most jobs
Largest occupations in Louisiana
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Retail Salespersons | 51,540 | $28.8K |
| Cashiers | 50,570 | $23.4K |
| Registered Nurses | 46,790 | $78.9K |
| Home Health And Personal Care Aides | 42,380 | $21.2K |
| Laborers And Freight, Stock, And Material Movers, Hand | 42,370 | $33.3K |
| General And Operations Managers | 42,020 | $102.1K |
| Food Preparation Workers | 35,130 | $22.9K |
| Office Clerks, General | 34,950 | $30.2K |
| Fast Food And Counter Workers | 34,840 | $23.1K |
| Waiters And Waitresses | 33,170 | $16.9K |
What Louisiana specializes in
The location quotient measures how concentrated an occupation is here compared to the national average. A value above 1.00 means the occupation is more common in Louisiana than in the country as a whole, which signals what this state is known for.
Location quotient
Most concentrated occupations in Louisiana
| Occupation | Location quotient | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Sailors And Marine Oilers | 19.21 | $44.4K |
| Extraction Workers, All Other | 19.13 | $44.6K |
| Chemical Plant And System Operators | 15.21 | $96.5K |
| Captains, Mates, And Pilots Of Water Vessels | 14.38 | $103.4K |
| Boilermakers | 12.89 | $76.3K |
| Transportation Workers, All Other | 12.15 | $34.0K |
| Communications Equipment Operators, All Other | 11.64 | $48.6K |
| Derrick Operators, Oil And Gas | 11.05 | $84.4K |
| Bridge And Lock Tenders | 10.51 | $35.9K |
| Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers | 9.66 | $60.8K |
Peer markets
Comparable states
| State | Average median | Highest-paid occupation |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $86.2K | Obstetricians And Gynecologists |
| California | $77.6K | Chief Executives |
| Washington | $77.0K | Podiatrists |
| New York | $76.7K | Physicians, All Other |
| Massachusetts | $75.6K | Dentists, All Other Specialists |
| New Jersey | $73.7K | Physicians, All Other |
| Alaska | $73.0K | Dentists, General |
| Connecticut | $72.7K | Nurse Anesthetists |
Metros inside Louisiana
Salaries can vary a lot within a single state. Urban metro areas typically pay more than rural regions, and specific industries cluster in particular cities. Drill into any metro below for its own full salary breakdown.
Inside this state
Major metros in Louisiana
| Metro | Average median | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $61.9K | 423,980 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | $58.8K | 387,420 |
| Lafayette, LA | $53.8K | 161,310 |
| Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | $53.8K | 152,770 |
| Lake Charles, LA | $53.8K | 91,470 |
| Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA | $55.0K | 91,020 |
| Monroe, LA | $52.4K | 78,640 |
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | $53.1K | 76,820 |
| Alexandria, LA | $53.0K | 50,890 |
| Hammond, LA | $51.2K | 40,460 |
Common salary questions for Louisiana
What does "average median" mean? +
It is the average of all occupation-level medians in this area. It gives a rough sense of the overall wage level here compared to other states or metros, but it is not the same as a household income figure or a single blended salary.
What is a location quotient? +
A location quotient (LQ) compares how concentrated an occupation is in this area versus the national average. An LQ of 2.0 means the occupation is twice as concentrated here as it is nationally. High-LQ occupations are what this area specializes in.
How are comparable areas selected? +
Peer areas are other states with a similar overall wage level and employment size. They give you a quick sense of how this area ranks among places with a comparable labor market.