Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Baton Rouge, LA

Each occupation's median wage in Baton Rouge, LA compared against the national median for the same occupation. Unlike a cost-of-living adjustment — which scales every job in a state by the same constant and so cannot change their order — this genuinely re-ranks, and it shows where Baton Rouge, LA pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

Cost of living: prices in Baton Rouge, LA run 9.2% below the national average (2024), so a Baton Rouge, LA salary is worth about 1.10× 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 Baton Rouge, LA

OccupationMedian, Baton Rouge, LA · vs. national

1Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders$93,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,850 – $112,900+61.8%
2Physicians, All Other$413,620
Doctoral or professional degree
$209,630 – $472,910+55.5%
3Chemical Technicians$92,120
Associate's degree
$68,490 – $118,700+52.5%
4Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$78,170
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,480 – $92,270+45.4%
5Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels$129,260
Postsecondary nondegree award
$65,940 – $240,280+39.8%
6Occupational Health and Safety Technicians$85,610
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,880 – $120,560+39.1%
7Maintenance Workers, Machinery$83,170
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,730 – $92,510+36.7%
8Coaches and Scouts$64,680
Bachelor's degree
$26,590 – $272,980+36.7%
9Chemical Plant and System Operators$104,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$73,150 – $122,600+33.7%
10Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$102,380
Associate's degree
$59,810 – $130,340+30.9%
11Mechanical Engineers$135,530
Bachelor's degree
$76,690 – $195,960+30.2%
12Environmental Engineers$138,000
Bachelor's degree
$76,500 – $201,300+28.8%
13Therapists, All Other$100,390
Bachelor's degree
$50,840 – $230,860+28.8%
14First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$95,810
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,100 – $173,320+28.7%
15Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$81,470
Postsecondary nondegree award
$59,730 – $96,030+27.5%
16Industrial Engineers$129,500
Bachelor's degree
$77,310 – $186,270+26.4%
17Highway Maintenance Workers$61,870
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,820 – $75,610+23.1%
18Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$59,720
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,660 – $97,880+23.0%
19Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine Repairers$58,180
Some college, no degree
$37,110 – $86,020+21.7%
20Drafters, All Other$77,020
Associate's degree
$49,520 – $131,200+21.3%
21Calibration Technologists and Technicians$80,670
Associate's degree
$62,050 – $114,400+18.9%
22Chemists$107,590
Bachelor's degree
$59,580 – $175,950+17.9%
23Structural Iron and Steel Workers$73,470
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,780 – $78,670+17.0%
24Millwrights$76,610
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,290 – $92,170+16.6%
25Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$74,240
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,920 – $81,060+16.4%
26Production Workers, All Other$46,400
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,730 – $68,950+15.7%
27Machinists$67,700
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,930 – $87,200+15.2%
28Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All Other$58,010
Bachelor's degree
$37,920 – $85,950+14.0%
29Protective Service Workers, All Other$48,480
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,920 – $63,070+14.0%
30Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters$58,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,550 – $75,530+13.8%
31Nurse Anesthetists$268,210
Master's degree
$227,410 – $268,220+13.4%
32Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers$108,420
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,800 – $108,420+12.1%
33Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$72,680
Associate's degree
$45,760 – $100,880+11.9%
34Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other$55,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,120 – $84,400+11.8%
35Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$53,240
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,810 – $108,530+11.6%
36Civil Engineers$112,430
Bachelor's degree
$71,990 – $164,420+11.5%
37Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$54,460
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,670 – $123,460+11.2%
38Industrial Production Managers$139,860
Bachelor's degree
$85,480 – $222,760+10.9%
39Electrical Engineers$133,030
Bachelor's degree
$79,100 – $190,880+10.3%
40Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door$81,910
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,490 – $105,160+10.2%
41First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers$61,530
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,220 – $78,970+10.0%
42Helpers--Carpenters$47,830
No formal educational credential
$25,060 – $58,030+9.3%
43Mechanical Drafters$77,720
Associate's degree
$47,730 – $129,190+8.6%
44Dentists, General$185,430
Doctoral or professional degree
$73,240 – $318,180+8.5%
45Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks$64,630
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,340 – $106,600+8.3%
46Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$52,190
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,970 – $61,080+8.2%
47Chemical Engineers$134,800
Bachelor's degree
$75,500 – $177,530+7.8%
48Cost Estimators$84,710
Bachelor's degree
$48,970 – $131,230+7.6%
49Helpers, Construction Trades, All Other$45,850
No formal educational credential
$33,390 – $62,330+7.5%
50Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$61,250
No formal educational credential
$35,960 – $77,680+7.4%

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

#	Occupation	MedianBaton Rouge, LA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Chemical Equipment Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$93,920	$50,850 – $112,900	+61.8%
2	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$413,620	$209,630 – $472,910	+55.5%
3	Chemical TechniciansAssociate's degree	$92,120	$68,490 – $118,700	+52.5%
4	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,170	$49,480 – $92,270	+45.4%
5	Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water VesselsPostsecondary nondegree award	$129,260	$65,940 – $240,280	+39.8%
6	Occupational Health and Safety TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$85,610	$44,880 – $120,560	+39.1%
7	Maintenance Workers, MachineryHigh school diploma or equivalent	$83,170	$49,730 – $92,510	+36.7%
8	Coaches and ScoutsBachelor's degree	$64,680	$26,590 – $272,980	+36.7%
9	Chemical Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$104,410	$73,150 – $122,600	+33.7%
10	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$102,380	$59,810 – $130,340	+30.9%
11	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$135,530	$76,690 – $195,960	+30.2%
12	Environmental EngineersBachelor's degree	$138,000	$76,500 – $201,300	+28.8%
13	Therapists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$100,390	$50,840 – $230,860	+28.8%
14	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$95,810	$52,100 – $173,320	+28.7%
15	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$81,470	$59,730 – $96,030	+27.5%
16	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$129,500	$77,310 – $186,270	+26.4%
17	Highway Maintenance WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,870	$39,820 – $75,610	+23.1%
18	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,720	$36,660 – $97,880	+23.0%
19	Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine RepairersSome college, no degree	$58,180	$37,110 – $86,020	+21.7%
20	Drafters, All OtherAssociate's degree	$77,020	$49,520 – $131,200	+21.3%
21	Calibration Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$80,670	$62,050 – $114,400	+18.9%
22	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$107,590	$59,580 – $175,950	+17.9%
23	Structural Iron and Steel WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$73,470	$44,780 – $78,670	+17.0%
24	MillwrightsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,610	$48,290 – $92,170	+16.6%
25	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,240	$49,920 – $81,060	+16.4%
26	Production Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,400	$30,730 – $68,950	+15.7%
27	MachinistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$67,700	$45,930 – $87,200	+15.2%
28	Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$58,010	$37,920 – $85,950	+14.0%
29	Protective Service Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,480	$28,920 – $63,070	+14.0%
30	Structural Metal Fabricators and FittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,410	$39,550 – $75,530	+13.8%
31	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$268,210	$227,410 – $268,220	+13.4%
32	Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and GaugersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$108,420	$36,800 – $108,420	+12.1%
33	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$72,680	$45,760 – $100,880	+11.9%
34	Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,050	$35,120 – $84,400	+11.8%
35	Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,240	$37,810 – $108,530	+11.6%
36	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$112,430	$71,990 – $164,420	+11.5%
37	Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,460	$37,670 – $123,460	+11.2%
38	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$139,860	$85,480 – $222,760	+10.9%
39	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$133,030	$79,100 – $190,880	+10.3%
40	Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical DoorHigh school diploma or equivalent	$81,910	$46,490 – $105,160	+10.2%
41	First-Line Supervisors of Security WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,530	$40,220 – $78,970	+10.0%
42	Helpers--CarpentersNo formal educational credential	$47,830	$25,060 – $58,030	+9.3%
43	Mechanical DraftersAssociate's degree	$77,720	$47,730 – $129,190	+8.6%
44	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$185,430	$73,240 – $318,180	+8.5%
45	Production, Planning, and Expediting ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,630	$42,340 – $106,600	+8.3%
46	Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,190	$37,970 – $61,080	+8.2%
47	Chemical EngineersBachelor's degree	$134,800	$75,500 – $177,530	+7.8%
48	Cost EstimatorsBachelor's degree	$84,710	$48,970 – $131,230	+7.6%
49	Helpers, Construction Trades, All OtherNo formal educational credential	$45,850	$33,390 – $62,330	+7.5%
50	Cement Masons and Concrete FinishersNo formal educational credential	$61,250	$35,960 – $77,680	+7.4%

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Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Baton Rouge, LA

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