Registered Nurses Salary in Louisiana
In Louisiana, registered nurses earn a median $80,230 a year, well below the national median of $97,550 (−18%); the state ranks 44th of 51 states by median. Registered Nurses earn 76% more than the median across all occupations in Louisiana ($45,520). Among neighbouring states, Texas pays more (up to $95,970 in Texas) and Arkansas and Mississippi pay less (down to $77,090 in Mississippi). Louisiana employs 48,970 registered nurses, 25.3 per 1,000 jobs, the 26th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.16 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 | $30.67 | $33.19 | $38.57 | $45.00 | $50.36 | $40.48 | 48,970 | 25.31 | 1.16 |
| Annual | $63,800 | $69,040 | $80,230 | $93,600 | $104,740 | $84,190 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $33.14 | $38.62 | $46.90 | $54.02 | $66.09 | $48.76 | 3,379,720 | – | – |
| Annual | $68,940 | $80,330 | $97,550 | $112,350 | $137,470 | $101,420 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 44th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 26th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.16
- Jobs per 1,000
- 25.31
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 registered nurses, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Charles, LA | $43.60 | $90,690 | $62,570 | $121,680 | 2,460 | 24.15 | 1.11 |
| Lafayette, LA | $39.41 | $81,960 | $63,490 | $105,300 | 4,930 | 27.43 | 1.26 |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $39.35 | $81,850 | $65,660 | $103,180 | 11,530 | 25.88 | 1.19 |
| Alexandria, LA | $39.27 | $81,680 | $62,220 | $108,120 | 2,170 | 36.22 | 1.67 |
| Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA | $39.02 | $81,160 | $63,800 | $101,290 | 3,190 | 32.46 | 1.49 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | $39.00 | $81,130 | $65,330 | $103,230 | 8,290 | 20.23 | 0.93 |
| Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | $38.50 | $80,080 | $68,530 | $126,850 | 6,390 | 39.25 | 1.81 |
| Monroe, LA | $37.63 | $78,270 | $61,970 | $97,460 | 2,340 | 26.73 | 1.23 |
| Hammond, LA | $36.64 | $76,200 | $65,330 | $98,200 | 1,260 | 26.25 | 1.21 |
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | $36.41 | $75,740 | $55,150 | $102,150 | 1,460 | 17.56 | 0.81 |
| Southwest Louisiana nonmetropolitan area | $37.49 | $77,980 | $61,380 | $96,230 | 1,350 | 16.80 | 0.77 |
| Northeast Louisiana nonmetropolitan area | $37.30 | $77,570 | $61,380 | $89,760 | 1,310 | 20.92 | 0.96 |
| Central Louisiana nonmetropolitan area | $36.37 | $75,640 | $62,590 | $92,700 | 1,790 | 23.07 | 1.06 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | $38.57 | $80,230 | 48,970 | 1.16 |
| Arkansas | $37.95 | $78,940 | 29,400 | 1.04 |
| Mississippi | $37.06 | $77,090 | 29,060 | 1.15 |
| Texas | $46.14 | $95,970 | 271,380 | 0.89 |
See the national page for Registered Nurses (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.