High paying entry level jobs in Louisiana

These occupations in Louisiana ask for no prior experience in a related job and no on-the-job training period: you are expected to be productive on arrival. That is precisely why most of them want a specific qualification instead — the credential does the work the experience would have. Read the line under each title for what that qualification is; several here are doctorates. If you need something you can start without one, use the no-experience list.

Cost of living: prices in Louisiana run 11.8% below the national average (2024), so a Louisiana salary is worth about 1.13× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order. To see where a job pays a real premium, use jobs that pay more in Louisiana.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in Louisiana

OccupationMedian, Louisiana · Employed

1Nurse Anesthetists$222,130
Master's degree
$176,660 – $304,640900
2Dentists, General$170,750
Doctoral or professional degree
$80,530 – $309,3601,500
3Petroleum Engineers$139,640
Bachelor's degree
$43,440 – $221,800710
4Chemical Engineers$134,800
Bachelor's degree
$75,500 – $177,790730
5Pharmacists$132,410
Doctoral or professional degree
$100,920 – $156,7405,610
6Business Teachers, Postsecondary$129,040
Doctoral or professional degree
$58,030 – $218,880640
7Physician Assistants$128,870
Master's degree
$100,920 – $162,2001,360
8Nurse Practitioners$125,600
Master's degree
$99,050 – $159,5705,380
9Veterinarians$124,370
Doctoral or professional degree
$64,690 – $165,560950
10Electrical Engineers$123,710
Bachelor's degree
$77,210 – $178,330990
11Industrial Engineers$122,920
Bachelor's degree
$78,540 – $173,6701,710
12Mechanical Engineers$119,540
Bachelor's degree
$70,350 – $181,5501,890
13Civil Engineers$105,380
Bachelor's degree
$64,570 – $156,6103,780
14Lawyers$104,100
Doctoral or professional degree
$50,140 – $227,23010,200
15Chemists$103,890
Bachelor's degree
$58,310 – $168,460740
16Software Developers$102,800
Bachelor's degree
$66,350 – $151,7804,080
17Engineers, All Other$99,070
Bachelor's degree
$63,140 – $162,0006,310
18Physical Therapists$98,530
Doctoral or professional degree
$60,150 – $127,6403,280
19Occupational Therapists$98,490
Master's degree
$61,070 – $126,6302,060
20Computer Systems Analysts$95,660
Bachelor's degree
$60,960 – $141,8402,980
21Network and Computer Systems Administrators$90,160
Bachelor's degree
$60,200 – $131,9101,790
22Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$89,560
Bachelor's degree
$60,260 – $132,4102,380
23Dental Hygienists$85,240
Associate's degree
$49,900 – $98,3302,690
24Project Management Specialists$84,850
Bachelor's degree
$56,400 – $143,7808,050
25Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$82,990
Associate's degree
$48,940 – $116,0801,000
26Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$80,710
Associate's degree
$62,900 – $98,5001,150
27Registered Nurses$80,230
Bachelor's degree
$63,800 – $104,74048,970
28Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$79,780
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,840 – $107,8301,150
29Postsecondary Teachers, All Other$78,810
Doctoral or professional degree
$47,040 – $136,0706,870
30Data Scientists$78,760
Bachelor's degree
$53,050 – $128,2101,300
31Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary$78,710
Master's degree
$45,640 – $190,640720
32Computer Occupations, All Other$77,000
Bachelor's degree
$38,190 – $136,9905,020
33Financial and Investment Analysts$75,680
Bachelor's degree
$49,550 – $132,2301,450
34Respiratory Therapists$75,240
Associate's degree
$61,520 – $91,2002,520
35Logisticians$75,230
Bachelor's degree
$50,550 – $129,2301,710
36Accountants and Auditors$73,810
Bachelor's degree
$48,950 – $117,11014,050
37Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$69,820
Bachelor's degree
$49,890 – $132,8101,600
38Social Workers, All Other$69,230
Bachelor's degree
$43,000 – $111,090850
39Drafters, All Other$68,470
Associate's degree
$45,730 – $110,4601,200
40Occupational Therapy Assistants$66,090
Associate's degree
$31,530 – $83,200760
41Physical Therapist Assistants$65,370
Associate's degree
$24,360 – $81,5201,670
42Therapists, All Other$64,530
Bachelor's degree
$47,800 – $170,720690
43Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$63,680
Associate's degree
$50,030 – $82,8303,370
44Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Workers, All Other$63,240
Postsecondary nondegree award
$39,910 – $97,4403,900
45Business Operations Specialists, All Other$63,220
Bachelor's degree
$37,150 – $116,06017,010
46Athletic Trainers$62,760
Master's degree
$50,120 – $78,880810
47Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$61,870
Master's degree
$45,340 – $87,9404,820
48Human Resources Specialists$61,300
Bachelor's degree
$39,170 – $100,4207,240
49Architectural and Civil Drafters$61,010
Associate's degree
$43,700 – $107,1301,040
50Coaches and Scouts$60,960
Bachelor's degree
$23,310 – $194,1302,550

Bars run from the 10th to the 90th percentile; the middle half is shaded darker, and the tick is the median.

#	Occupation	MedianLouisiana	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$222,130	$176,660 – $304,640	900
2	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$170,750	$80,530 – $309,360	1,500
3	Petroleum EngineersBachelor's degree	$139,640	$43,440 – $221,800	710
4	Chemical EngineersBachelor's degree	$134,800	$75,500 – $177,790	730
5	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$132,410	$100,920 – $156,740	5,610
6	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$129,040	$58,030 – $218,880	640
7	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$128,870	$100,920 – $162,200	1,360
8	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$125,600	$99,050 – $159,570	5,380
9	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$124,370	$64,690 – $165,560	950
10	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$123,710	$77,210 – $178,330	990
11	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$122,920	$78,540 – $173,670	1,710
12	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$119,540	$70,350 – $181,550	1,890
13	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$105,380	$64,570 – $156,610	3,780
14	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$104,100	$50,140 – $227,230	10,200
15	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$103,890	$58,310 – $168,460	740
16	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$102,800	$66,350 – $151,780	4,080
17	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$99,070	$63,140 – $162,000	6,310
18	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$98,530	$60,150 – $127,640	3,280
19	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$98,490	$61,070 – $126,630	2,060
20	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$95,660	$60,960 – $141,840	2,980
21	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$90,160	$60,200 – $131,910	1,790
22	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$89,560	$60,260 – $132,410	2,380
23	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$85,240	$49,900 – $98,330	2,690
24	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$84,850	$56,400 – $143,780	8,050
25	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$82,990	$48,940 – $116,080	1,000
26	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$80,710	$62,900 – $98,500	1,150
27	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$80,230	$63,800 – $104,740	48,970
28	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$79,780	$47,840 – $107,830	1,150
29	Postsecondary Teachers, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$78,810	$47,040 – $136,070	6,870
30	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$78,760	$53,050 – $128,210	1,300
31	Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$78,710	$45,640 – $190,640	720
32	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$77,000	$38,190 – $136,990	5,020
33	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$75,680	$49,550 – $132,230	1,450
34	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$75,240	$61,520 – $91,200	2,520
35	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$75,230	$50,550 – $129,230	1,710
36	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$73,810	$48,950 – $117,110	14,050
37	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$69,820	$49,890 – $132,810	1,600
38	Social Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$69,230	$43,000 – $111,090	850
39	Drafters, All OtherAssociate's degree	$68,470	$45,730 – $110,460	1,200
40	Occupational Therapy AssistantsAssociate's degree	$66,090	$31,530 – $83,200	760
41	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$65,370	$24,360 – $81,520	1,670
42	Therapists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$64,530	$47,800 – $170,720	690
43	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$63,680	$50,030 – $82,830	3,370
44	Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Workers, All OtherPostsecondary nondegree award	$63,240	$39,910 – $97,440	3,900
45	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$63,220	$37,150 – $116,060	17,010
46	Athletic TrainersMaster's degree	$62,760	$50,120 – $78,880	810
47	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$61,870	$45,340 – $87,940	4,820
48	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$61,300	$39,170 – $100,420	7,240
49	Architectural and Civil DraftersAssociate's degree	$61,010	$43,700 – $107,130	1,040
50	Coaches and ScoutsBachelor's degree	$60,960	$23,310 – $194,130	2,550

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Louisiana. The rarer ones are real jobs — but a 1,190-person occupation at the top of a list answers a different question than the one most readers are asking.

More for Louisiana

Metro areas in Louisiana

Pay varies more between metros than between states — the spread inside one state is often wider than the gap between two.

By field in Louisiana

Without a degree

The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Louisiana to rank honestly.

High paying entry level jobs in Louisiana

More for Louisiana

Metro areas in Louisiana

By field in Louisiana

Without a degree

High paying entry level jobs in each state