Fast Food and Counter Workers Salary in Louisiana
In Louisiana, fast food and counter workers earn a median $22,800 a year, well below the national median of $31,200 (−27%); the state ranks 50th of 51 states by median. That is 50% less than the median across all occupations in Louisiana ($45,520). Among neighbouring states, Texas and Arkansas pay more (up to $27,740 in Texas) and Mississippi pays less (down to $22,610 in Mississippi). Louisiana employs 45,720 fast food and counter workers, 23.6 per 1,000 jobs, the 28th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.95 is close to the national share.
Louisiana vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Louisiana | Hourly | $8.95 | $10.47 | $10.96 | $12.83 | $16.02 | $11.82 | 45,720 | 23.63 | 0.95 |
| Annual | $18,610 | $21,770 | $22,800 | $26,680 | $33,320 | $24,580 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $10.98 | $13.32 | $15.00 | $17.34 | $20.51 | $15.46 | 3,854,050 | – | – |
| Annual | $22,840 | $27,700 | $31,200 | $36,070 | $42,650 | $32,150 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 50th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 28th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 0.95
- Jobs per 1,000
- 23.63
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Louisiana's employment divided by its national share; 1.00 means the same share as the nation. Take-home pay at these wages: FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Metropolitan areas in Louisiana
10 metropolitan areas and 3 nonmetropolitan areas touching Louisiana publish a row for fast food and counter workers, sorted by median. Areas crossing a state line are listed under every state they touch; a linked metro has its own profile.
| Area | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $12.25 | $25,470 | $22,340 | $35,030 | 10,110 | 22.70 | 0.92 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | $11.37 | $23,650 | $21,270 | $33,460 | 8,490 | 20.72 | 0.84 |
| Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA | $11.24 | $23,380 | $18,920 | $34,610 | 2,970 | 30.28 | 1.22 |
| Lake Charles, LA | $10.82 | $22,500 | $18,330 | $30,010 | 2,350 | 23.13 | 0.93 |
| Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | $10.80 | $22,460 | $18,200 | $30,000 | 4,150 | 25.50 | 1.03 |
| Hammond, LA | $10.74 | $22,350 | $17,850 | $30,530 | 1,560 | 32.69 | 1.32 |
| Lafayette, LA | $10.73 | $22,320 | $18,040 | $30,800 | 4,480 | 24.97 | 1.01 |
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | $10.71 | $22,280 | $18,120 | $30,440 | 1,990 | 23.89 | 0.96 |
| Alexandria, LA | $10.46 | $21,760 | $17,790 | $29,350 | 1,490 | 24.88 | 1.00 |
| Monroe, LA | $10.36 | $21,550 | $17,620 | $27,610 | 2,060 | 23.58 | 0.95 |
| Central Louisiana nonmetropolitan area | $10.49 | $21,820 | $17,720 | $27,540 | 1,910 | 24.51 | 0.99 |
| Northeast Louisiana nonmetropolitan area | $10.48 | $21,810 | $17,650 | $27,200 | 1,930 | 30.94 | 1.25 |
| Southwest Louisiana nonmetropolitan area | $10.35 | $21,520 | $17,670 | $27,520 | 2,140 | 26.72 | 1.08 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | $10.96 | $22,800 | 45,720 | 0.95 |
| Arkansas | $12.62 | $26,250 | 35,660 | 1.10 |
| Mississippi | $10.87 | $22,610 | 31,220 | 1.08 |
| Texas | $13.34 | $27,740 | 460,530 | 1.32 |
See the national page for Fast Food and Counter Workers (every state ranked) and the Louisiana wage profile (every occupation in the state).
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS Louisiana estimates.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.