Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Salary in Louisiana
In Louisiana, heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers earn a median $49,320 a year, well below the national median of $58,640 (−16%); the state ranks 51st of 51 states by median. Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers earn 8% more than the median across all occupations in Louisiana ($45,520). Every neighbouring state pays more: Texas, Mississippi and Arkansas range from $51,550 in Arkansas to $56,290 in Texas. Louisiana employs 28,540 heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers, 14.8 per 1,000 jobs, the 27th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.11 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 | $17.65 | $21.31 | $23.71 | $28.26 | $33.05 | $24.96 | 28,540 | 14.75 | 1.11 |
| Annual | $36,710 | $44,330 | $49,320 | $58,780 | $68,740 | $51,930 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $19.30 | $23.06 | $28.19 | $33.23 | $38.17 | $28.71 | 2,062,040 | – | – |
| Annual | $40,140 | $47,960 | $58,640 | $69,120 | $79,380 | $59,710 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 51st of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 27th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.11
- Jobs per 1,000
- 14.75
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 heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baton Rouge, LA | $26.36 | $54,840 | $39,400 | $74,180 | 5,830 | 14.23 | 1.07 |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $24.78 | $51,540 | $37,960 | $73,880 | 5,500 | 12.33 | 0.93 |
| Lake Charles, LA | $24.02 | $49,960 | $37,210 | $67,780 | 1,340 | 13.15 | 0.99 |
| Lafayette, LA | $23.77 | $49,450 | $36,730 | $70,570 | 2,920 | 16.28 | 1.23 |
| Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA | $23.76 | $49,410 | $36,060 | $71,900 | 1,040 | 10.59 | 0.80 |
| Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | $23.73 | $49,360 | $36,930 | $64,600 | 3,060 | 18.83 | 1.42 |
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | $23.70 | $49,300 | $36,740 | $72,700 | 1,460 | 17.48 | 1.32 |
| Hammond, LA | $23.39 | $48,650 | $36,490 | $63,850 | 830 | 17.43 | 1.31 |
| Alexandria, LA | $22.77 | $47,370 | $35,640 | $65,580 | 780 | 12.96 | 0.98 |
| Monroe, LA | $22.74 | $47,300 | $35,090 | $59,180 | 1,240 | 14.18 | 1.07 |
| Southwest Louisiana nonmetropolitan area | $22.88 | $47,580 | $35,660 | $59,230 | 1,390 | 17.37 | 1.31 |
| Central Louisiana nonmetropolitan area | $22.36 | $46,510 | $30,940 | $63,730 | 1,280 | 16.40 | 1.24 |
| Northeast Louisiana nonmetropolitan area | $22.07 | $45,900 | $34,080 | $59,280 | 890 | 14.32 | 1.08 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | $23.71 | $49,320 | 28,540 | 1.11 |
| Arkansas | $24.79 | $51,550 | 32,220 | 1.86 |
| Mississippi | $24.92 | $51,820 | 24,160 | 1.57 |
| Texas | $27.06 | $56,290 | 209,680 | 1.12 |
See the national page for Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers (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.