How Much Does an RN Make in Louisiana in 2026?

A typical registered nurse in Louisiana earns about $38.57 per hour, or $80,230 per year, according to the latest government wage data (May 2025). That typical pay comes to roughly $6,686 a month and $1,543 a week, both figures calculated from the annual number. Those weekly and monthly totals give a clearer sense of take-home pay than the yearly figure alone.

Louisiana's typical RN pay runs 18% below the national figure of $97,550 a year, or $46.90 an hour, according to the same wage data. That gap places Louisiana 44th out of 51 states for RN pay. Even so, the state employs 48,970 registered nurses, compared with 3,379,720 nationwide, a sizable workforce by any measure. Lower pay in Louisiana tends to track its lower cost of living compared with higher-paying states.

Entry-level positions in Louisiana typically offer around $30.67 an hour, or about $63,800 a year, for registered nurses just starting out. Some entry-level roles pay closer to $33.19 an hour, or $69,040 a year, depending on the employer and setting. Pay generally moves toward the state's typical figure of $80,230 a year within the first several years on the job.

Experienced RNs in Louisiana often earn upwards of $93,600 a year, or about $45 an hour. The top 10% of earners make over $104,740 a year, or $50.36 an hour, a spread of $40,940 above entry-level pay. Setting, specialty, and years of experience typically separate the two ends of that range, along with which city an RN works in.

Louisiana's typical RN pay rose from $59,780 in 2015 to $80,230 in 2025, a gain of $20,450 over the decade. That amounts to a 34% increase in typical pay over ten years. The rise was not perfectly steady; pay dipped slightly in 2021 before climbing sharply in 2022 and continuing upward through 2025. Overall, the trend has moved firmly in one direction over the long run.

Nationally, RN pay rose 45% over the same ten years, faster than Louisiana's 34% climb. That difference means Louisiana's pay gap with the rest of the country has widened somewhat since 2015. For someone starting an RN career in Louisiana now, pay has moved up steadily over the past decade, though nothing about future increases is guaranteed.

Lake Charles pays Louisiana's registered nurses the most, with typical pay around $90,690 a year, or $43.60 an hour. That figure sits about 13% above the state figure of $80,230. Lafayette and Metairie follow, with typical pay of $81,960 and $81,850 a year, or $39.41 and $39.35 an hour. These figures reflect each city's full metro area rather than just the city limits.

Bayou Cane pays the least among Louisiana's metro areas, with typical pay of $75,740 a year, or $36.41 an hour. That's a spread of $14,950 between the highest- and lowest-paying cities in the state. Metairie has the largest RN workforce by far, with 11,530 registered nurses, and typical pay close to the state figure. Cities with higher pay generally also carry a higher cost of living.

Louisiana's neighbors show a mixed picture. Texas pays registered nurses notably more, with typical pay of $95,970 a year, about 20% above Louisiana's figure. Arkansas and Mississippi both pay somewhat less, at $78,940 and $77,090 a year, or 2% and 4% below Louisiana. Nurses considering a move across state lines can often transfer or endorse their license into a neighboring state rather than starting the licensing process over.

Registered nurses in Louisiana typically earn $80,230 a year, or $38.57 an hour, up 34% over the past decade. Pay varies by city and experience, from entry-level positions near $63,800 to top earners over $104,740. Readers weighing a nursing career in Louisiana can check the state's nursing licensing board for requirements, and look at individual city pages for local pay figures before deciding where to work.