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Average Salary in Louisiana
This page shows what jobs actually pay in Louisiana, occupation by occupation, from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey for May 2024. BLS publishes wage estimates for 660 occupations in Louisiana. For context, the U.S. all-occupation mean annual wage in May 2024 was $67,920, the median wage was $23.80 an hour, and total U.S. employment covered by the survey was 154,187,380 jobs. Use the tables below to see Louisiana's highest-paying occupations, its largest occupations, and which Louisiana jobs pay more — or less — than the same job nationally.
Highest-paying occupations in Louisiana
The highest-paying occupation BLS publishes for Louisiana is surgeons, all other, with a mean annual wage of $239,200+ — 701.6% higher than the U.S. all-occupation mean of $67,920 — and a median wage of $239,200+ across 90 jobs. Compared with the same occupation nationally (mean $239,200+), Louisiana pays 46.6% higher for this work. Next on the list are pediatricians, general at a mean of $239,200+ and physicians, all other at $239,200+. These top-paying fields are small: together the top three employ 4,220 people in Louisiana, so they describe the top of the Louisiana wage ladder rather than the typical worker's experience.
| Occupation | Employment | Median hourly | Median annual | Mean annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Surgeons, All Other | 90 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Pediatricians, General | 70 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Physicians, All Other | 4,060 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Psychiatrists | 110 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Dentists, All Other Specialists | 30 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Nurse Anesthetists | 890 | $108.39 | $225,440 | $239,200+ |
| Emergency Medicine Physicians | 550 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $239,200+ |
| Family Medicine Physicians | 910 | $115.00+ | $239,200+ | $238,000 |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | 1,000 | $97.95 | $203,740 | $215,330 |
| Dentists, General | 1,140 | $86.35 | $179,600 | $185,180 |
| Chief Executives | 670 | $58.41 | $121,490 | $175,570 |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 1,390 | $80.69 | $167,840 | $172,940 |
| Personal Financial Advisors | 1,280 | $37.57 | $78,150 | $166,400 |
| Podiatrists | 90 | $80.29 | $167,000 | $146,190 |
| Veterinarians | 890 | $58.00 | $120,630 | $144,490 |
Largest occupations in Louisiana
The occupation with the most jobs in Louisiana is retail salespersons, employing an estimated 51,540 people at a median annual wage of $28,820 and a mean of $31,550. Nationally the same occupation pays a median of $34,580, so Louisiana's typical pay for this work runs 16.7% lower. The next-largest occupations are cashiers (50,570 jobs, median $23,410) and registered nurses (46,790 jobs, median $78,880). Because these occupations are so large, their wages move the overall picture of Louisiana pay far more than the small, highly paid fields above.
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual | Mean annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Salespersons | 51,540 | $28,820 | $31,550 |
| Cashiers | 50,570 | $23,410 | $25,350 |
| Registered Nurses | 46,790 | $78,880 | $84,110 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 42,380 | $21,170 | $22,770 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 42,370 | $33,330 | $34,100 |
| General and Operations Managers | 42,020 | $102,060 | $126,900 |
| Food Preparation Workers | 35,130 | $22,900 | $24,770 |
| Office Clerks, General | 34,950 | $30,180 | $31,800 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 34,840 | $23,110 | $25,360 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 33,170 | $16,880 | $24,240 |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 28,590 | $37,800 | $39,310 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 28,020 | $32,560 | $34,100 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 26,400 | $27,940 | $28,930 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 26,260 | $48,770 | $51,310 |
| Customer Service Representatives | 25,630 | $35,890 | $38,440 |
Where Louisiana pays a premium — and where it lags
Comparing each occupation's Louisiana median with its own national median shows where Louisiana's labor market is strong. Among occupations with at least 1,000 Louisiana jobs, the largest premium is for chemical equipment operators and tenders: a median of $77,250 in Louisiana versus $57,090 nationally, 35.3% higher. The largest discount is for waiters and waitresses, at $16,880 in Louisiana versus $33,760 nationally, 50.0% lower. In total, 43 of the 286 occupations with 1,000 or more Louisiana jobs pay a median above their national median. Separately, 177 of the 660 occupations published for Louisiana have a median annual wage above the U.S. all-occupation mean of $67,920, which underlines how much of Louisiana's job base sits in lower-wage service work even in a state with high-paying headline jobs.
| Occupation | Louisiana median | U.S. median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders | $77,250 | $57,090 | +35.3% |
| Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas | $84,410 | $62,740 | +34.5% |
| Chemical Plant and System Operators | $96,500 | $73,540 | +31.2% |
| Gas Plant Operators | $105,030 | $83,400 | +25.9% |
| Industrial Engineers | $126,960 | $101,140 | +25.5% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | $21,170 | $34,900 | -39.3% |
| Financial and Investment Analysts | $60,870 | $101,350 | -39.9% |
| Bartenders | $19,620 | $33,530 | -41.5% |
| Firefighters | $33,700 | $59,530 | -43.4% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $16,880 | $33,760 | -50.0% |
Louisiana salary FAQ
What is the highest-paying job in Louisiana?
By average pay, surgeons, all other is the highest-paying occupation BLS publishes for Louisiana, with a mean annual wage of $239,200+ and a median of $239,200+ in May 2024.
What is the average salary in Louisiana?
For context, the U.S. all-occupation mean annual wage was $67,920 in May 2024. In Louisiana, the largest occupation, retail salespersons, paid a median of $28,820 across 51,540 jobs, and the tables on this page show mean and median pay for all 660 published occupations.
How many jobs does the largest occupation in Louisiana have?
Retail Salespersons is the largest occupation published for Louisiana, with an estimated 51,540 jobs in May 2024 and a mean annual wage of $31,550.
Which occupations pay more in Louisiana than in the U.S. overall?
Among occupations with at least 1,000 Louisiana jobs, chemical equipment operators and tenders shows the largest premium: a median of $77,250 in Louisiana versus $57,090 nationally, 35.3% higher.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Figures checked October 2026.