DALLAS, Tx. (KLFY) — Wages for workers in the Lafayette area are 23% below the national average, according to statistics from May 2020 from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (USBLS) released today.

The average (mean) hourly wage for Lafayette-area workers came in at $20.79 ($43,243 annually), while the national average was listed at $27.07 per hour ($56,305 annually). The statistics apply to Acadia, Iberia, Lafayette, St. Martin and Vermillion Parishes. Local wages for major occupational groups ranged from $10.51 ($21,860 annually) per hour in food preparation and serving related jobs to $50.11 ($104,230 annually) in management occupations.

The Lafayette area also fell below the Louisiana statewide average of $22.34 per hour ($46,460 annually).

“Regional Commissioner Michael Hirniak noted that, after testing for statistical significance, 20 of 22 major occupational groups had average wages in the local area that were significantly lower than their respective national averages, including educational instruction and library, computer and mathematical, and protective service,” stated the USBLS’s report.

The USBLS has provided full breakdowns for the Lafayette area and for the entire state of Louisiana.