The median payroll clerk in Louisiana earns $50,800 a year, or $24.42 an hour, in the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ May 2025 survey. That is 13% below the national median of $58,260, and 44th of the 54 states and territories BLS publishes.
The middle half of Louisiana’s 2,160 payroll clerks earn between $40,710 and $61,750. The highest paying metro area in the state is Baton Rouge, LA, at $54,580.
Liaison does the routine half of a payroll clerk’s job for 11% of what one costs in Louisiana. See how.
Every metro area in Louisiana where BLS publishes a median for payroll clerks, highest first. A metro that crosses a state line appears under each of its states.
| Metro area | Median annual | Median hourly | Middle half earns | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baton Rouge, LA | $54,580 | $26.24 | $44,250 to $64,210 | 540 |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $53,590 | $25.76 | $42,840 to $64,100 | 480 |
| Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA | $51,160 | $24.60 | $36,470 to $60,760 | 100 |
| Hammond, LA | $50,520 | $24.29 | $39,560 to $58,340 | 30 |
| Lafayette, LA | $50,510 | $24.29 | $39,870 to $61,740 | 200 |
| Lake Charles, LA | $50,170 | $24.12 | $38,370 to $59,790 | 110 |
| Alexandria, LA | $49,310 | $23.71 | $38,990 to $57,980 | 60 |
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | $49,110 | $23.61 | $39,660 to $58,870 | 90 |
| Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | $48,750 | $23.44 | $37,860 to $60,010 | 140 |
| Monroe, LA | $48,570 | $23.35 | $38,570 to $59,850 | 90 |
Wages are the start. At employers with fewer than 50 workers, benefits add 35% on top (BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation), so a payroll clerk at the Louisiana median costs about $68,600 a year. The employer’s view for every state and metro is on what a payroll clerk costs, and the routine part of the job is what Liaison does inside the tools a business already runs.
Professional is $629 a month, $7,548 a year, against about $68,600 a year for a payroll clerk at the Louisiana median once benefits are added. On Professional we connect your tools, bring your data in and set up the first rules with you. Anything that moves money waits for your yes.
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The median payroll clerk in Louisiana earned $50,800 a year, or $24.42 an hour, in May 2025. The middle half earned between $40,710 and $61,750. Nationally the median is $58,260, so Louisiana pays 13% less than the country as a whole.
Baton Rouge, LA ($54,580), New Orleans-Metairie, LA ($53,590) and Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA ($51,160).
Benefits at employers with fewer than 50 workers add 35% on top of wages, so a payroll clerk at the Louisiana median costs about $68,600 a year. The employer’s view is at useliaison.com/back-office-costs/payroll-clerk.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, occupation 43-3051. Annual figures assume 2,080 hours a year. Updated 2026-10-02.
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