How Much Does a Paramedic Make in Louisiana in 2026?

A typical Paramedic in Louisiana earns about $26.95 per hour, or $56,050 per year, according to the latest government wage data (May 2025). Calculated from that annual figure, pay works out to roughly $4,671 a month and $1,078 a week. Actual pay varies by city, employer, and experience level.

That figure sits 8% below the national typical pay of $60,600 for Paramedics, placing Louisiana 38th among the 51 states and territories tracked. About 2,040 Paramedics work across the state, a workforce large enough to show clear pay differences between cities and regions. Lower pay in Louisiana often tracks a lower cost of living compared with higher-paying states.

Entry-level positions in Louisiana typically offer around $18.04 an hour, or about $37,530 a year, for Paramedics just starting out. Pay generally moves toward the state's typical figure of $56,050 within the first few years on the job. Those figures often reflect entry-level certifications, part-time schedules, or smaller departments with lower call volumes.

Experienced Paramedics in Louisiana often earn upwards of $61,080 a year, and the top 10% of earners make over $63,470, or about $30.52 an hour. That creates a spread of $25,940 between entry-level and top pay. The gap usually comes down to years of experience, additional certifications, and whether the job is in a higher-paying city like Lafayette or a lower-paying one like Shreveport.

Louisiana's typical Paramedic pay rose from $46,590 in 2021 to $56,050 in 2025, a gain of $9,460 over that span. Pay didn't move in a straight line: it climbed each year through 2023, dipped slightly in 2024, then jumped again in 2025. The overall direction across those years has been upward.

Nationally, Paramedic pay rose 30% over the past decade, a faster pace than Louisiana's dollar gain over the same recent stretch. That doesn't guarantee future increases, but it shows pay for this work has moved upward in both Louisiana and the country as a whole. Anyone starting out now enters a field where pay has been trending higher, not lower.

Pay runs highest in Lafayette, where Paramedics earn $61,880 a year, about 10% above the state figure. Metairie and New Orleans follow closely, both at $59,210 a year, while Covington, Slidell, and Mandeville pay $58,520. These figures reflect each city's full metro area rather than just the city limits.

Shreveport sits at the bottom, with typical pay of $48,780 a year, a spread of $13,100 between the highest- and lowest-paying cities in the state. Baton Rouge employs the most Paramedics of any Louisiana city, about 430, with pay there at $53,820 a year. Lower pay in cities like Shreveport and Baton Rouge often lines up with a lower cost of living than Lafayette or the New Orleans area.

Louisiana's typical Paramedic pay compares closely with its neighbors. Texas pays a bit more, at $57,500 a year, about 3% higher than Louisiana. Mississippi runs close behind at $54,630, about 3% lower, while Arkansas pays noticeably less, at $50,310, about 10% below Louisiana's figure. Paramedic licensure earned in one state can often be transferred or endorsed into a neighboring state, which can widen job options near state lines.

Paramedics in Louisiana typically earn $56,050 a year, or $26.95 an hour, according to the latest government wage data (May 2025), up $9,460 since 2021. Pay is highest in Lafayette and lowest in Shreveport, with cities in between offering a range worth checking individually. Anyone considering this career in Louisiana should review the state's EMS licensing and registry requirements, then check city-level pages for local pay figures before choosing where to work.