Software Developer Salary
The median pay for a software developers in Louisiana is $102,800/year ($49.42/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $66K at the entry level to $152K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.28), which stretches that salary to about $117,782 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,191/month, or 18.3% 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 $103K actually covers in Louisiana, month by month
About software developers
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What this looks like in Louisiana
Pay for software developers in Louisiana runs about 24% below the U.S. median of $136K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,191/month, 18.6% 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 software developers who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Louisiana
Entry-level software developers (10th percentile) start around $66K. Mid-career wages sit at $103K. Top earners bring in $152K or more, a $85K spread from bottom to top.
Software Developers salary by metro in Louisiana
10 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Charles | $121K | +18% | 100 |
| Hammond | $119K | +15% | 60 |
| Lafayette | $109K | +6% | 660 |
| New Orleans-Metairie | $107K | +4% | 940 |
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux | $103K | +0% | 50 |
| Baton Rouge | $102K | -1% | 980 |
| Slidell-Mandeville-Covington | $102K | -1% | 270 |
| Shreveport-Bossier City | $97K | -6% | 260 |
| Alexandria | $96K | -7% | 50 |
| Monroe | $95K | -8% | 140 |
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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 software developer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Louisiana?
Yes — at the median salary of $103K, rent takes 18.6% 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 software developers in Louisiana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new software developers typically earn — is $66K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,402/month. At HUD’s $1,191/month FMR, rent would take 27% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is software developer a high-paying job in Louisiana?
Local pay runs 24% below the national median — $103K here vs. $136K 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 software developers?
Louisiana pays $103K median vs. the U.S. average of $136K — that’s -24%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.28), the purchasing-power equivalent is $118K — below the national median.
How much do software developers make in Louisiana?
The median is $102,800 a year, that works out to about $49 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $66,350, and experienced software developers can clear $151,780. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $103K enough to live in Louisiana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,410/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,191/month, which eats 18.6% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a software developers 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 software developers salary is worth about $117,782 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do software developers 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.