Food Preparation Workers Salary in Louisiana
In Louisiana, food preparation workers earn a median $23,620 a year, well below the national median of $35,320 (−33%); the state ranks 51st of 51 states by median. That is 48% less than the median across all occupations in Louisiana ($45,520). Every neighbouring state pays more: Texas, Arkansas and Mississippi range from $26,240 in Mississippi to $30,650 in Texas. Louisiana employs 30,920 food preparation workers, 16.0 per 1,000 jobs, the 6th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 2.78 means the occupation is more concentrated in Louisiana than nationally.
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 | $8.64 | $10.33 | $11.36 | $13.79 | $16.44 | $12.30 | 30,920 | 15.98 | 2.78 |
| Annual | $17,970 | $21,480 | $23,620 | $28,670 | $34,190 | $25,580 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $12.41 | $14.40 | $16.98 | $18.53 | $21.80 | $16.96 | 893,600 | – | – |
| Annual | $25,810 | $29,950 | $35,320 | $38,550 | $45,340 | $35,290 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 51st of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 6th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 2.78
- Jobs per 1,000
- 15.98
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 food preparation 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 | $12.60 | $26,200 | $18,490 | $36,210 | 7,250 | 16.27 | 2.83 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | $11.76 | $24,450 | $18,870 | $33,800 | 5,800 | 14.16 | 2.46 |
| Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA | $11.72 | $24,380 | $17,670 | $34,490 | 2,070 | 21.12 | 3.68 |
| Lake Charles, LA | $11.24 | $23,380 | $17,740 | $35,800 | 1,940 | 19.09 | 3.32 |
| Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | $11.05 | $22,980 | $17,160 | $35,480 | 2,860 | 17.56 | 3.06 |
| Lafayette, LA | $11.02 | $22,920 | $17,380 | $30,840 | 3,260 | 18.16 | 3.16 |
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | $10.97 | $22,810 | $17,320 | $29,890 | 1,150 | 13.76 | 2.39 |
| Hammond, LA | $10.93 | $22,740 | $16,940 | $33,790 | 870 | 18.12 | 3.15 |
| Monroe, LA | $10.78 | $22,430 | $17,170 | $34,000 | 1,630 | 18.67 | 3.25 |
| Alexandria, LA | $10.62 | $22,080 | $16,620 | $29,590 | 980 | 16.26 | 2.83 |
| Northeast Louisiana nonmetropolitan area | $10.72 | $22,300 | $16,260 | $29,830 | 930 | 14.86 | 2.59 |
| Central Louisiana nonmetropolitan area | $10.54 | $21,910 | $16,260 | $29,750 | 1,040 | 13.33 | 2.32 |
| Southwest Louisiana nonmetropolitan area | $10.46 | $21,750 | $16,970 | $29,030 | 1,070 | 13.40 | 2.33 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | $11.36 | $23,620 | 30,920 | 2.78 |
| Arkansas | $13.30 | $27,660 | 5,500 | 0.73 |
| Mississippi | $12.61 | $26,240 | 7,870 | 1.18 |
| Texas | $14.74 | $30,650 | 81,280 | 1.01 |
See the national page for Food Preparation 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.