How Much Does an EMT Make in Louisiana in 2026?

A typical EMT in Louisiana earns about $17.25 per hour, or $35,870 per year, according to the latest government wage data (May 2025). Broken down further, that pay works out to roughly $2,989 a month or $690 a week, both figures calculated from the annual total. These numbers reflect pay across the whole state, before accounting for city or experience differences.

That typical pay sits 19% below the national figures of $21.38 an hour and $44,470 a year for EMTs, according to the same data. Louisiana ranks 48th out of 51 states and territories on this measure. About 2,450 EMTs work across the state, compared with 180,510 nationwide, giving a sense of scale for local hiring.

Entry-level positions in Louisiana typically offer around $13.17 an hour, or about $27,390 a year, according to the same wage data. Pay tends to move toward the statewide typical figure of $35,870 within the first few years on the job. New EMTs in busier metro areas may see faster increases than those in smaller markets.

Experienced EMTs in Louisiana often earn upwards of $18.32 an hour, and the top 10% of earners make over $22.34 an hour, or $46,460 a year. The gap between entry-level and top pay comes to $19,070 a year. That spread usually reflects years on the job, the setting worked in, and which city an EMT is based in.

Louisiana's typical EMT pay rose from $29,260 in 2021 to $35,870 in 2025, a gain of $6,610 over that span, according to state wage trend data. Pay moved up each year except for a small dip between 2023 and 2024, when it slipped slightly from $34,100 to $33,990 before rising again.

Nationally, EMT pay climbed by 25% over the same decade-long stretch, a bigger percentage increase than Louisiana saw in dollar terms. That national rise reflects wage data gathered the same way as Louisiana's own numbers, making the two figures directly comparable. Pay for EMTs in the state has moved up in recent years, though that trend is not a promise of future increases.

EMT pay runs highest in the Slidell metro area, where the typical figure reaches $37,680 a year, about 5% above the statewide figure. Covington and Mandeville, part of the same New Orleans-area labor market, post identical pay. The Houma-area cities of Bayou Cane and Thibodaux follow close behind at $36,290 a year. Each of these figures reflects pay across the city's full metro area, not just the city itself.

Pay runs lowest in the Shreveport-Bossier City area, where the typical figure is $31,610 a year, putting the statewide city spread at $6,070. Baton Rouge employs the most EMTs of any city at 430, with typical pay of $36,050 a year. Higher pay in cities like Slidell and lower pay in Shreveport-Bossier City usually track differences in each area's cost of living.

Louisiana's typical EMT pay of $35,870 a year trails all three neighboring states. Texas pays the most at $37,260 a year, about 4% higher, while Mississippi ($36,630) and Arkansas ($36,230) run 2% and 1% higher, respectively. EMT licensure earned in Louisiana can often be transferred or endorsed into a neighboring state, making a short move across the border a realistic option for higher pay.

Louisiana's typical EMT pay stands at $17.25 an hour, or $35,870 a year, after rising $6,610 since 2021. That pay remains 19% below the national figure, though it varies by city and experience level. Readers researching a move into the field can check Louisiana's EMT licensing and registry requirements, and compare city-level figures like Baton Rouge and Slidell for a closer look at local pay.