Lawyers Salary in Louisiana
In Louisiana, lawyers earn a median $104,100 a year, well below the national median of $159,670 (−35%); the state ranks 42nd of 51 states by median. Lawyers earn 2.3 times the median across all occupations in Louisiana ($45,520). Among neighbouring states, Texas pays more (up to $154,200 in Texas) and Arkansas and Mississippi pay less (down to $91,690 in Mississippi). Louisiana employs 10,200 lawyers, 5.27 per 1,000 jobs, the 21st largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.09 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 | $24.10 | $36.80 | $50.05 | $76.49 | $109.25 | $61.31 | 10,200 | 5.27 | 1.09 |
| Annual | $50,140 | $76,540 | $104,100 | $159,100 | $227,230 | $127,520 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $37.67 | $49.51 | $76.76 | $106.43 | $169.04 | $89.35 | 754,500 | – | – |
| Annual | $78,360 | $102,990 | $159,670 | $221,370 | $351,600 | $185,840 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 42nd of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 21st of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.09
- Jobs per 1,000
- 5.27
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 lawyers, 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 | $58.31 | $121,290 | $62,530 | $290,190 | 4,330 | 9.73 | 2.00 |
| Lafayette, LA | $53.44 | $111,160 | $60,160 | $221,890 | 650 | 3.60 | 0.74 |
| Alexandria, LA | $52.27 | $108,720 | $56,430 | $234,830 | 200 | 3.39 | 0.70 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | $49.07 | $102,070 | $17,870 | $194,460 | 2,300 | 5.62 | 1.16 |
| Lake Charles, LA | $48.89 | $101,690 | $58,510 | $229,950 | 350 | 3.48 | 0.72 |
| Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | $47.55 | $98,900 | $57,300 | $194,620 | 460 | 2.81 | 0.58 |
| Monroe, LA | $45.54 | $94,720 | $50,330 | $214,450 | 270 | 3.11 | 0.64 |
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | $45.11 | $93,840 | $38,920 | $166,880 | 220 | 2.63 | 0.54 |
| Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA | $40.67 | $84,590 | $17,450 | $173,170 | 560 | 5.73 | 1.18 |
| Hammond, LA | $37.55 | $78,110 | $46,080 | $208,690 | 150 | 3.14 | 0.65 |
| Central Louisiana nonmetropolitan area | $45.20 | $94,020 | $31,290 | $250,800 | 250 | 3.25 | 0.67 |
| Northeast Louisiana nonmetropolitan area | $40.45 | $84,140 | $39,380 | $200,960 | 160 | 2.61 | 0.54 |
| Southwest Louisiana nonmetropolitan area | $38.97 | $81,060 | $16,060 | $175,610 | 210 | 2.59 | 0.53 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | $50.05 | $104,100 | 10,200 | 1.09 |
| Arkansas | $47.54 | $98,880 | 3,430 | 0.54 |
| Mississippi | $44.08 | $91,690 | 3,100 | 0.55 |
| Texas | $74.13 | $154,200 | 56,580 | 0.83 |
See the national page for Lawyers (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.