Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Louisiana

Each occupation's median wage in Louisiana 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 Louisiana pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

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 · vs. national

1Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas$86,980
No formal educational credential
$45,770 – $98,840+48.4%
2Chemical Technicians$85,850
Associate's degree
$47,690 – $111,950+42.2%
3Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders$78,580
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,480 – $111,210+35.4%
4Physicians, All Other$350,920
Doctoral or professional degree
$71,980 – $463,270+32.0%
5Business Teachers, Postsecondary$129,040
Doctoral or professional degree
$58,030 – $218,880+30.2%
6Coaches and Scouts$60,960
Bachelor's degree
$23,310 – $194,130+28.8%
7Chemical Plant and System Operators$100,060
High school diploma or equivalent
$62,890 – $122,560+28.1%
8Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels$117,160
Postsecondary nondegree award
$60,480 – $206,860+26.7%
9Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$80,210
Postsecondary nondegree award
$50,930 – $94,800+25.5%
10Gas Plant Operators$108,350
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,890 – $115,390+23.4%
11Industrial Engineers$122,920
Bachelor's degree
$78,540 – $173,670+20.0%
12Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$124,200
Bachelor's degree
$52,760 – $183,850+18.4%
13Logging Equipment Operators$58,600
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,410 – $78,530+17.8%
14Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary$125,130
Doctoral or professional degree
$63,470 – $282,740+16.6%
15Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$62,250
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,810 – $81,750+15.8%
16Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$58,230
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,480 – $79,730+15.8%
17Mechanical Engineers$119,540
Bachelor's degree
$70,350 – $181,550+14.8%
18Chemists$103,890
Bachelor's degree
$58,310 – $168,460+13.9%
19Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$58,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,900 – $77,340+13.6%
20Production Workers, All Other$45,210
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,520 – $63,070+12.7%
21Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers$106,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,160 – $111,060+10.3%
22Structural Iron and Steel Workers$68,830
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,130 – $80,560+9.6%
23Chemical Engineers$134,800
Bachelor's degree
$75,500 – $177,790+7.8%
24Drafters, All Other$68,470
Associate's degree
$45,730 – $110,460+7.8%
25Aircraft Service Attendants$42,930
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,930 – $58,240+6.1%
26Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$82,990
Associate's degree
$48,940 – $116,080+6.1%
27Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All Other$53,790
Bachelor's degree
$32,180 – $82,110+5.7%
28Industrial Production Managers$133,210
Bachelor's degree
$79,350 – $213,350+5.7%
29Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators$48,950
No formal educational credential
$35,980 – $61,230+5.5%
30Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine Repairers$50,150
Some college, no degree
$28,900 – $77,340+4.9%
31Family Medicine Physicians$255,330
Doctoral or professional degree
$118,970 – $464,410+4.6%
32Civil Engineers$105,380
Bachelor's degree
$64,570 – $156,610+4.5%
33Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas$60,760
No formal educational credential
$39,740 – $93,120+4.5%
34Protective Service Workers, All Other$44,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$27,940 – $64,170+4.4%
35First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$77,520
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,670 – $147,440+4.1%
36Machinists$61,110
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,930 – $84,930+4.0%
37Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers$64,110
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,650 – $78,990+3.8%
38Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other$50,660
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,960 – $84,430+2.9%
39Maintenance Workers, Machinery$62,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,930 – $92,510+2.9%
40Electrical Engineers$123,710
Bachelor's degree
$77,210 – $178,330+2.6%
41Social and Community Service Managers$82,090
Bachelor's degree
$56,010 – $126,320+2.1%
42Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$49,490
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,220 – $94,450+1.9%
43Postal Service Clerks$63,210
No formal educational credential
$42,600 – $76,360+1.7%
44Postsecondary Teachers, All Other$78,810
Doctoral or professional degree
$47,040 – $136,070+1.5%
45Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$45,070
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,200 – $73,910+0.9%
46Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks$60,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,680 – $98,180+0.8%
47Millwrights$66,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,300 – $82,450+0.6%
48Athletic Trainers$62,760
Master's degree
$50,120 – $78,880+0.4%
49Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary$78,710
Master's degree
$45,640 – $190,640+0.1%
50Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators$58,470
No formal educational credential
$42,600 – $75,2500.0%

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	vs. national
1	Derrick Operators, Oil and GasNo formal educational credential	$86,980	$45,770 – $98,840	+48.4%
2	Chemical TechniciansAssociate's degree	$85,850	$47,690 – $111,950	+42.2%
3	Chemical Equipment Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,580	$47,480 – $111,210	+35.4%
4	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$350,920	$71,980 – $463,270	+32.0%
5	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$129,040	$58,030 – $218,880	+30.2%
6	Coaches and ScoutsBachelor's degree	$60,960	$23,310 – $194,130	+28.8%
7	Chemical Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$100,060	$62,890 – $122,560	+28.1%
8	Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water VesselsPostsecondary nondegree award	$117,160	$60,480 – $206,860	+26.7%
9	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$80,210	$50,930 – $94,800	+25.5%
10	Gas Plant OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$108,350	$50,890 – $115,390	+23.4%
11	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$122,920	$78,540 – $173,670	+20.0%
12	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsBachelor's degree	$124,200	$52,760 – $183,850	+18.4%
13	Logging Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,600	$43,410 – $78,530	+17.8%
14	Health Specialties Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$125,130	$63,470 – $282,740	+16.6%
15	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,250	$42,810 – $81,750	+15.8%
16	Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,230	$44,480 – $79,730	+15.8%
17	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$119,540	$70,350 – $181,550	+14.8%
18	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$103,890	$58,310 – $168,460	+13.9%
19	Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,640	$34,900 – $77,340	+13.6%
20	Production Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,210	$30,520 – $63,070	+12.7%
21	Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and GaugersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$106,640	$42,160 – $111,060	+10.3%
22	Structural Iron and Steel WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$68,830	$39,130 – $80,560	+9.6%
23	Chemical EngineersBachelor's degree	$134,800	$75,500 – $177,790	+7.8%
24	Drafters, All OtherAssociate's degree	$68,470	$45,730 – $110,460	+7.8%
25	Aircraft Service AttendantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$42,930	$29,930 – $58,240	+6.1%
26	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$82,990	$48,940 – $116,080	+6.1%
27	Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$53,790	$32,180 – $82,110	+5.7%
28	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$133,210	$79,350 – $213,350	+5.7%
29	Industrial Truck and Tractor OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$48,950	$35,980 – $61,230	+5.5%
30	Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine RepairersSome college, no degree	$50,150	$28,900 – $77,340	+4.9%
31	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$255,330	$118,970 – $464,410	+4.6%
32	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$105,380	$64,570 – $156,610	+4.5%
33	Service Unit Operators, Oil and GasNo formal educational credential	$60,760	$39,740 – $93,120	+4.5%
34	Protective Service Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,410	$27,940 – $64,170	+4.4%
35	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,520	$46,670 – $147,440	+4.1%
36	MachinistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,110	$39,930 – $84,930	+4.0%
37	Pump Operators, Except Wellhead PumpersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,110	$39,650 – $78,990	+3.8%
38	Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,660	$28,960 – $84,430	+2.9%
39	Maintenance Workers, MachineryHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,640	$40,930 – $92,510	+2.9%
40	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$123,710	$77,210 – $178,330	+2.6%
41	Social and Community Service ManagersBachelor's degree	$82,090	$56,010 – $126,320	+2.1%
42	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,490	$35,220 – $94,450	+1.9%
43	Postal Service ClerksNo formal educational credential	$63,210	$42,600 – $76,360	+1.7%
44	Postsecondary Teachers, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$78,810	$47,040 – $136,070	+1.5%
45	Miscellaneous Assemblers and FabricatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,070	$31,200 – $73,910	+0.9%
46	Production, Planning, and Expediting ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,120	$38,680 – $98,180	+0.8%
47	MillwrightsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,080	$48,300 – $82,450	+0.6%
48	Athletic TrainersMaster's degree	$62,760	$50,120 – $78,880	+0.4%
49	Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$78,710	$45,640 – $190,640	+0.1%
50	Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$58,470	$42,600 – $75,250	0.0%

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.

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Louisiana

More for Louisiana

Metro areas in Louisiana

By field in Louisiana

Without a degree

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in each state