How Much Does an NP Make in Louisiana in 2026?

A typical nurse practitioner in Louisiana earns about $60.38 per hour ($125,600 per year), per the latest government wage data (May 2025). Calculated from that annual figure, pay works out to roughly $10,467 a month or $2,415 a week. These numbers reflect nurse practitioners across all settings and experience levels statewide.

That figure sits 5% below the national median of $132,300 a year, placing Louisiana 45th among the 51 states and territories tracked. Louisiana employs about 5,380 nurse practitioners statewide. Pay that trails the national figure often tracks a lower cost of living, which stretches take-home pay further in day-to-day terms.

Entry-level positions in Louisiana typically offer around $47.62 an hour ($99,050 a year) for nurse practitioners just starting out. Pay tends to move toward the statewide typical of $60.38 an hour within the first few years on the job. New graduates often start in primary care or hospital settings before moving into higher-paying specialties.

Experienced nurse practitioners in Louisiana often earn upwards of $65.20 an hour ($135,610 a year), and the top 10% of earners make over $76.72 an hour ($159,570 a year). That leaves a $60,520 gap between entry-level and top pay. Practice setting, years of experience, and city all factor into where an individual nurse practitioner lands within that range.

Louisiana nurse practitioner pay rose from $93,270 in 2015 to $125,600 in 2025, a gain of $32,330. That marks a 35% increase over the decade, tracking steadily upward most years along the way. The state's biggest single-year jump came between 2019 and 2020, when pay climbed from $101,610 to $107,350.

Nationwide, nurse practitioner pay also rose 35% over the same ten years, so Louisiana's growth kept pace with the country as a whole rather than falling behind. Pay has moved up steadily for nurse practitioners entering the field now, though past growth is not a guarantee of future increases.

Nurse practitioner pay runs highest in Baton Rouge, where the typical wage reaches $129,070 a year, about 3% above the statewide figure of $125,600. Lake Charles follows closely at $128,460 a year, and the Slidell, Covington, and Mandeville metro area pays $127,840. These figures reflect entire metro areas rather than just city centers.

At the other end, Lafayette pays the least among Louisiana's metro areas, with a typical $120,930 a year, a spread of $8,140 between the highest- and lowest-paying areas. Metairie and New Orleans carry the largest nurse practitioner workforce, with 1,270 jobs, even though pay there sits closer to the middle of the range. Lower pay in a metro area often comes with a lower cost of living.

Louisiana's neighbors show a mixed picture. Texas pays nurse practitioners more, with a typical $131,670 a year, about 5% above Louisiana's figure. Mississippi pays slightly less at $124,730 a year, about 1% below, while Arkansas is nearly even at $125,660. Nurse practitioner licenses can often be endorsed or transferred between neighboring states, which makes comparing regional pay useful for anyone considering a move.

Nurse practitioners in Louisiana typically earn $125,600 a year, up 35% over the past decade from $93,270 in 2015. Pay varies by city and experience level, with Baton Rouge leading and entry-level positions starting lower. Readers weighing a move to Louisiana can check the state board of nursing's licensing requirements and review city-level pages here for local pay figures before making a decision.