In 2023, the median state and local government worker in Louisiana earned $26.86 an hour against $25.79 in the private sector, a gap of +4%. At the 90th percentile the government wage was $50.98 against $60.17 privately (-15%). Both figures are real hourly wages from the same-state ACS sample, unadjusted for education and experience.
The gap is widest in Management (-2%), Healthcare (-1%), and Admin and clerical (0%), and government pay holds up best in Education (+13%) and Admin and clerical (0%). That is the national pattern too: a high floor, a low ceiling.
Public vs private pay in Louisiana by occupation, 2023
| Occupation domain | Government median $/hr | Private median $/hr | Gap at median | Government 90th pct | Private 90th pct | Gap at 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All occupations | $26.86 | $25.79 | +4% | $50.98 | $60.17 | -15% |
| Admin and clerical | $20.42 | $20.42 | 0% | $42.00 | $38.31 | +10% |
| Education | $24.18 | $21.49 | +13% | $34.92 | $44.76 | -22% |
| Engineering * | $56.75 | $51.58 | +10% | $79.25 | $97.01 | -18% |
| Finance * | $33.26 | $32.23 | +3% | $72.06 | $74.32 | -3% |
| Healthcare | $35.32 | $35.82 | -1% | $93.27 | $77.90 | +20% |
| Legal * | $40.29 | $33.65 | +20% | $80.13 | $90.38 | -11% |
| Management | $35.07 | $35.82 | -2% | $56.42 | $85.96 | -34% |
| Protective service * | $26.86 | $16.12 | +67% | $47.25 | $26.86 | +76% |
| Skilled trades * | $25.79 | $26.70 | -3% | $53.75 | $50.14 | +7% |
| Software and IT * | $32.23 | $37.39 | -14% | $48.70 | $68.77 | -29% |
How to read this
Raw medians compare different people: government employs more teachers, nurses, and degree-holders than the private sector does. The parent piece adjusts for education and experience nationally (federal pay 7% above comparable private workers, state pay 17% below, local pay 17% below) and shows the gap opening at the top of the ladder, where private pay in software, law, finance, and engineering has pulled away. This state table is the unadjusted view; the methodology appendix explains both.