Childcare Workers Salary
Childcare Workers in Louisiana make a median of $22,900 a year, or about $11.01 an hour. The range runs from $19K at the entry level to $34K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.28), which stretches that salary to about $26,237 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,191/month, about 73.6% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Louisiana. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $23K get you in Louisiana?
About childcare workers
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What this looks like in Louisiana
Pay for childcare workers in Louisiana runs about 35% below the U.S. median of $35K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,191/month, which is 72.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.28 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for childcare workerss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Louisiana
Entry-level childcare workers (10th percentile) start around $19K. Mid-career wages sit at $23K. Top earners bring in $34K or more, a $15K spread from bottom to top.
Childcare Workers salary by metro in Louisiana
9 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans-Metairie | $28K | +21% | 1,850 |
| Baton Rouge | $26K | +12% | 1,650 |
| Slidell-Mandeville-Covington | $23K | -1% | 570 |
| Shreveport-Bossier City | $23K | -1% | 610 |
| Alexandria | $22K | -2% | 280 |
| Hammond | $22K | -3% | 350 |
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux | $22K | -3% | 260 |
| Lafayette | $22K | -5% | 940 |
| Lake Charles | $22K | -5% | 240 |
Compare to other states
Track childcare workers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Louisiana numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a childcare worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Louisiana?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $23K, rent takes 72.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,191/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $500/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for childcare workers in Louisiana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new childcare workers typically earn — is $19K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,119/month. At HUD’s $1,191/month FMR, rent would take 106% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is childcare worker a high-paying job in Louisiana?
Local pay runs 35% below the national median — $23K here vs. $35K nationally. Cost of living is 13% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Louisiana compare to the national average for childcare workers?
Louisiana pays $23K median vs. the U.S. average of $35K — that’s -35%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.28), the purchasing-power equivalent is $26K — below the national median.
How much do childcare workers make in Louisiana?
The median is $22,900 a year, that works out to about $11 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $18,650, and experienced childcare workers can clear $33,610. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $23K enough to live in Louisiana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $1,647/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,191/month, which eats 72.3% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a childcare workers salary go in Louisiana?
Louisiana has a Regional Price Parity of 87.28 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median childcare workers salary is worth about $26,237 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do childcare workers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.