Lawyers Salary
Lawyers in Louisiana make a median of $104,100 a year, or about $50.05 an hour. The range runs from $50K at the entry level to $227K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.28), which stretches that salary to about $119,271 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,191/month, or 18.1% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Louisiana. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $104K actually covers in Louisiana, month by month
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What this looks like in Louisiana
Pay for lawyers in Louisiana runs about 35% below the U.S. median of $160K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,191/month, 18.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. 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. Lower pay, lower costs, Louisiana can be a reasonable trade-off for lawyers who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Louisiana
Entry-level lawyers (10th percentile) start around $50K. Mid-career wages sit at $104K. Top earners bring in $227K or more, a $177K spread from bottom to top.
Lawyers salary by metro in Louisiana
10 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans-Metairie | $121K | +17% | 4,330 |
| Lafayette | $111K | +7% | 650 |
| Alexandria | $109K | +4% | 200 |
| Baton Rouge | $102K | -2% | 2,300 |
| Lake Charles | $102K | -2% | 350 |
| Shreveport-Bossier City | $99K | -5% | 460 |
| Monroe | $95K | -9% | 270 |
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux | $94K | -10% | 220 |
| Slidell-Mandeville-Covington | $85K | -19% | 560 |
| Hammond | $78K | -25% | 150 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Louisiana numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a lawyer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Louisiana?
Yes — at the median salary of $104K, rent takes 18.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,191/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for lawyers in Louisiana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new lawyers typically earn — is $50K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,398/month. At HUD’s $1,191/month FMR, rent would take 35% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is lawyer a high-paying job in Louisiana?
Local pay runs 35% below the national median — $104K here vs. $160K 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 lawyers?
Louisiana pays $104K median vs. the U.S. average of $160K — that’s -35%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.28), the purchasing-power equivalent is $119K — below the national median.
How much do lawyers make in Louisiana?
The median is $104,100 a year, that works out to about $50 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $50,140, and experienced lawyers can clear $227,230. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $104K enough to live in Louisiana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,482/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,191/month, which eats 18.4% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a lawyers 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 lawyers salary is worth about $119,271 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do lawyers 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.