This Is the Highest Paying Occupation in Louisiana, and It’s Not What You’d Expect

LOUISIANA - In Louisiana, we've got quite a few industries that can earn you a very nice annual salary. From the oil industry to the tech field, agriculture to maritime jobs, and even the crawfish industry, you can find some big paying gigs across the Pelican State.

However, according to a new study released by wallethub.com, the highest paying occupation in Louisiana earns quite a bit more than those careers mentioned above, and you might be surprised by what it is as well as how much money this profession pulls in a year.

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Healthcare Dominates The Highest-Paying Jobs

Doctors and medical specialists hold the highest-paying occupation in 48 states, with only Georgia and Idaho having airline pilots at the top instead.

Cardiologists, orthopedic surgeons, radiologists, anesthesiologists and other medical specialists repeatedly show up near the top of WalletHub's rankings.

READ MORE: Louisiana Makes It Easier for Teens Under 17 to Get a Job

I was hoping the answer would be something like "professional crawfish taste tester," unfortunately, Louisiana hasn't quite gotten there yet.

Highest Paying Jobs In Every State

In Missouri, orthopedic surgeons top WalletHub's entire list showing the median annual income at $843,000.

Here's how WalletHub's rankings shook out for the top 10 highest paying occupations from state to state -

Missouri: Orthopedic surgeons — $843,000
Minnesota: Radiologists — $708,000
Washington: Cardiologists — $656,000
Nebraska: Cardiologists — $646,000
Wisconsin: Cardiologists — $637,000
Georgia: Pilots — $618,000
Tennessee: Cardiologists — $610,000
North Dakota: Surgeons — $605,000
West Virginia: Orthopedic surgeons — $598,000
Pennsylvania: Cardiologists — $579,000

Louisiana's Highest-Paying Job Pays More Than $500,000

According to May 2025 wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics used by WalletHub, general pediatricians have the highest median annual wage among reported occupations in Louisiana, at roughly $503,000 a year.

Yep, you read that right. We're talking about a half-million-dollar median paycheck.

That puts Louisiana's highest-paying occupation among some pretty impressive company nationwide.

READ MORE: Buc-ee's Says Some Employees Can Earn Up to $275,000 a Year

For comparison, anesthesiologists rank second among Louisiana's highest-paying reported occupations at about $410,500, followed by obstetricians and gynecologists at roughly $404,550.

Of course, a median wage doesn't mean every pediatrician in Louisiana is making half a million dollars. It simply means the midpoint of the reported wage distribution is around that figure.

Not Every State's Highest-Paying Job Is In Healthcare

While the healthcare industry dominated the rankings of highest earning occupations state to state, there are a couple of states that bucked the trend.

Airline pilots take the No. 1 spot in Georgia, where the median annual wage is about $618,000, and in Idaho, where the salary is roughly around $508,000.

What This Means For Louisiana Workers

The numbers don't necessarily mean everyone in Louisiana should start polishing up a medical school application, but the data does highlight something interesting about Louisiana's economy.

Healthcare continues to be one of the state's biggest sources of high-paying professional jobs.

That's especially worth paying attention to as Louisiana communities continue to grow and hospitals, clinics and healthcare systems remain major employers throughout the state.

From Lafayette and Baton Rouge to Lake Charles, Shreveport and New Orleans, healthcare is a huge part of the Louisiana workforce.

You can read more and the see the entire map over at yahoo.com.