High paying jobs in Lafayette, LA

Every occupation below is ranked by its median annual wage in Lafayette, LA. The percentile range matters more than the median on its own: it shows what the bottom and top of each field actually earn, which a single average hides.

Cost of living: prices in Lafayette, LA run 12.8% below the national average (2024), so a Lafayette, LA salary is worth about 1.15× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order.

Local wage estimates are suppressed more often than state ones — BLS withholds any figure too few local employers report — so an occupation missing here simply has no published local estimate.

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

Find high paying jobs in Lafayette, LA

OccupationMedian, Lafayette, LA · Employed

1Physicians, All Other$299,990
Doctoral or professional degree
$78,140 – $452,150130
2Nurse Anesthetists$216,300
Master's degree
$211,800 – $280,050100
3Dentists, General$171,860
Doctoral or professional degree
$94,020 – $296,330190
4Architectural and Engineering Managers$152,090
Bachelor's degree
$106,780 – $209,210130
5Chief Executives$134,660
Bachelor's degree
$62,400 – $310,580140
6Physician Assistants$134,550
Master's degree
$105,020 – $163,610100
7Computer and Information Systems Managers$132,790
Bachelor's degree
$66,290 – $187,620180
8Pharmacists$132,130
Doctoral or professional degree
$108,070 – $156,350540
9Business Teachers, Postsecondary$127,840
Doctoral or professional degree
$61,460 – $201,360110
10Veterinarians$124,470
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,660 – $188,38090
11Marketing Managers$122,780
Bachelor's degree
$72,500 – $201,07060
12Sales Engineers$121,680
Bachelor's degree
$108,800 – $121,68060
13Nurse Practitioners$120,930
Master's degree
$39,250 – $161,150480
14Financial Managers$120,450
Bachelor's degree
$74,880 – $198,670570
15Industrial Production Managers$118,030
Bachelor's degree
$74,370 – $177,490170
16Industrial Engineers$117,120
Bachelor's degree
$76,540 – $176,01070
17Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels$116,200
Postsecondary nondegree award
$63,620 – $173,040270
18Lawyers$111,160
Doctoral or professional degree
$60,160 – $221,890650
19Software Developers$109,010
Bachelor's degree
$68,050 – $136,710660
20Human Resources Managers$107,730
Bachelor's degree
$69,160 – $173,41080
21Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$104,470
Bachelor's degree
$62,670 – $137,520200
22Sales Managers$103,460
Bachelor's degree
$57,880 – $193,460380
23Medical and Health Services Managers$103,270
Bachelor's degree
$62,960 – $174,240580
24Education Administrators, Postsecondary$103,070
Master's degree
$62,750 – $218,100180
25Computer Systems Analysts$102,390
Bachelor's degree
$61,020 – $143,310250
26Construction Managers$102,360
Bachelor's degree
$62,080 – $166,850330
27General and Operations Managers$99,510
Bachelor's degree
$49,750 – $215,7204,590
28Civil Engineers$97,410
Bachelor's degree
$57,660 – $129,390360
29Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary$93,360
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,700 – $130,30060
30Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$92,770
Bachelor's degree
$41,510 – $207,170140
31Administrative Services Managers$90,370
Bachelor's degree
$61,550 – $157,330190
32Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$88,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,100 – $138,650210
33Managers, All Other$88,370
Bachelor's degree
$51,580 – $167,6101,670
34Network and Computer Systems Administrators$88,300
Bachelor's degree
$58,730 – $152,510110
35Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$87,630
Postsecondary nondegree award
$60,310 – $109,770240
36Occupational Therapists$85,710
Master's degree
$61,570 – $124,570150
37Physical Therapists$84,340
Doctoral or professional degree
$54,290 – $123,220290
38Construction and Building Inspectors$83,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,420 – $126,430100
39Information Security Analysts$83,030
Bachelor's degree
$75,070 – $129,43070
40Mechanical Engineers$82,520
Bachelor's degree
$61,610 – $141,500160
41Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$82,010
Associate's degree
$63,340 – $96,640120
42Registered Nurses$81,960
Bachelor's degree
$63,490 – $105,3004,930
43Dental Hygienists$81,900
Associate's degree
$49,450 – $96,310200
44Management Analysts$81,730
Bachelor's degree
$47,200 – $221,100250
45Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary$80,840
Doctoral or professional degree
$61,600 – $123,45080
46Project Management Specialists$80,720
Bachelor's degree
$52,850 – $132,480660
47Engineers, All Other$80,650
Bachelor's degree
$57,190 – $128,580520
48Financial and Investment Analysts$80,540
Bachelor's degree
$47,530 – $134,35080
49Commercial Pilots$79,430
Postsecondary nondegree award
$46,780 – $162,850210
50Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$78,580
Postsecondary nondegree award
$49,810 – $91,490240

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

#	Occupation	MedianLafayette, LA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$299,990	$78,140 – $452,150	130
2	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$216,300	$211,800 – $280,050	100
3	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$171,860	$94,020 – $296,330	190
4	Architectural and Engineering ManagersBachelor's degree	$152,090	$106,780 – $209,210	130
5	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$134,660	$62,400 – $310,580	140
6	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$134,550	$105,020 – $163,610	100
7	Computer and Information Systems ManagersBachelor's degree	$132,790	$66,290 – $187,620	180
8	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$132,130	$108,070 – $156,350	540
9	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$127,840	$61,460 – $201,360	110
10	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$124,470	$62,660 – $188,380	90
11	Marketing ManagersBachelor's degree	$122,780	$72,500 – $201,070	60
12	Sales EngineersBachelor's degree	$121,680	$108,800 – $121,680	60
13	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$120,930	$39,250 – $161,150	480
14	Financial ManagersBachelor's degree	$120,450	$74,880 – $198,670	570
15	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$118,030	$74,370 – $177,490	170
16	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$117,120	$76,540 – $176,010	70
17	Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water VesselsPostsecondary nondegree award	$116,200	$63,620 – $173,040	270
18	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$111,160	$60,160 – $221,890	650
19	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$109,010	$68,050 – $136,710	660
20	Human Resources ManagersBachelor's degree	$107,730	$69,160 – $173,410	80
21	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$104,470	$62,670 – $137,520	200
22	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$103,460	$57,880 – $193,460	380
23	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$103,270	$62,960 – $174,240	580
24	Education Administrators, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$103,070	$62,750 – $218,100	180
25	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$102,390	$61,020 – $143,310	250
26	Construction ManagersBachelor's degree	$102,360	$62,080 – $166,850	330
27	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$99,510	$49,750 – $215,720	4,590
28	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$97,410	$57,660 – $129,390	360
29	Nursing Instructors and Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$93,360	$62,700 – $130,300	60
30	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsBachelor's degree	$92,770	$41,510 – $207,170	140
31	Administrative Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$90,370	$61,550 – $157,330	190
32	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$88,990	$49,100 – $138,650	210
33	Managers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$88,370	$51,580 – $167,610	1,670
34	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$88,300	$58,730 – $152,510	110
35	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$87,630	$60,310 – $109,770	240
36	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$85,710	$61,570 – $124,570	150
37	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$84,340	$54,290 – $123,220	290
38	Construction and Building InspectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$83,780	$41,420 – $126,430	100
39	Information Security AnalystsBachelor's degree	$83,030	$75,070 – $129,430	70
40	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$82,520	$61,610 – $141,500	160
41	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$82,010	$63,340 – $96,640	120
42	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$81,960	$63,490 – $105,300	4,930
43	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$81,900	$49,450 – $96,310	200
44	Management AnalystsBachelor's degree	$81,730	$47,200 – $221,100	250
45	Mathematical Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$80,840	$61,600 – $123,450	80
46	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$80,720	$52,850 – $132,480	660
47	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$80,650	$57,190 – $128,580	520
48	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$80,540	$47,530 – $134,350	80
49	Commercial PilotsPostsecondary nondegree award	$79,430	$46,780 – $162,850	210
50	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$78,580	$49,810 – $91,490	240

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Lafayette, LA. 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.

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

High paying jobs in Lafayette, LA

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