BATON ROUGE, La. (Stacker) — Stacker collected information on the highest-paying jobs in Lafayette using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jobs are ranked by average annual salary with information up to date as of May 2019.

In Lafayette, the annual mean wage is $41,620 or 22.2% lower than the national mean of $53,490, while the highest-paying occupation makes $217,280. Read on to see which jobs make the list.

50. Environmental scientists and specialists, including health

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $72,370
  • #88 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 70

National

  • Annual mean salary: $77,940
  • Employment: 84,290
  • Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • Santa Rosa, CA ($122,400)
    • San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($109,180)
    • Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($104,210)

49. Geological and hydrologic technicians

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $73,280
  • #4 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 80

National

  • Annual mean salary: $60,800
  • Employment: 17,110
  • Entry level education requirements: Associate’s degree
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($115,210)
    • Tulsa, OK ($82,040)
    • Bakersfield, CA ($76,590)

48. Conservation scientists

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $73,400
  • #32 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 60

National

  • Annual mean salary: $67,040
  • Employment: 22,070
  • Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($99,620)
    • Trenton, NJ ($99,110)
    • San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($97,190)

47. Environmental engineers

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $74,300
  • #151 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 50

National

  • Annual mean salary: $94,220
  • Employment: 53,150
  • Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($123,340)
    • Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX ($120,600)
    • California-Lexington Park, MD ($117,170)

46. Mechanical engineers

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $74,710
  • #288 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 230

National

  • Annual mean salary: $93,540
  • Employment: 306,990
  • Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($125,640)
    • San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($123,270)
    • Lake Charles, LA ($120,950)

45. Education administrators, postsecondary

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $75,210
  • #192 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 120

National

  • Annual mean salary: $112,400
  • Employment: 144,880
  • Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • Ithaca, NY ($186,580)
    • Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC ($180,620)
    • Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO ($170,400)

44. Electronics engineers, except computer

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $75,600
  • #186 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 60

National

  • Annual mean salary: $110,210
  • Employment: 128,800
  • Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($141,660)
    • Santa Rosa, CA ($132,600)
    • Austin-Round Rock, TX ($130,890)

43. Logisticians

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $75,720
  • #126 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 110

National

  • Annual mean salary: $78,680
  • Employment: 182,050
  • Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • Lake Charles, LA ($124,160)
    • California-Lexington Park, MD ($106,490)
    • Anchorage, AK ($100,690)

42. Database administrators and architects

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $75,780
  • #184 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: data not available

National

  • Annual mean salary: $96,110
  • Employment: 125,460
  • Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($140,580)
    • Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($116,780)
    • Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($114,960)

41. Training and development managers

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $75,810
  • #125 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 30

National

  • Annual mean salary: $123,470
  • Employment: 38,510
  • Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($168,900)
    • New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($167,850)
    • San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($152,380)

40. Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $76,600
  • #22 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 450

National

  • Annual mean salary: $87,420
  • Employment: 33,370
  • Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • New Orleans-Metairie, LA ($122,010)
    • Baton Rouge, LA ($113,100)
    • Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX ($110,580)

39. Computer programmers

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $78,230
  • #148 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 150

National

  • Annual mean salary: $92,610
  • Employment: 199,540
  • Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($116,400)
    • San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($113,990)
    • Charlottesville, VA ($113,760)

38. Ship engineers

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $79,700
  • #13 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 40

National

  • Annual mean salary: $79,540
  • Employment: 8,410
  • Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($100,020)
    • San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($94,590)
    • Urban Honolulu, HI ($94,200)

37. Computer systems analysts

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $80,600
  • #188 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 120

National

  • Annual mean salary: $96,160
  • Employment: 589,060
  • Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($122,990)
    • San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($121,300)
    • Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($119,540)

36. Speech-language pathologists

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $80,770
  • #134 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 120

National

  • Annual mean salary: $82,000
  • Employment: 154,360
  • Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($117,710)
    • Corvallis, OR ($105,380)
    • Chico, CA ($104,640)

35. Physician assistants

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $80,830
  • #304 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 110

National

  • Annual mean salary: $112,410
  • Employment: 120,090
  • Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • Salinas, CA ($161,370)
    • Leominster-Gardner, MA ($156,250)
    • Waterbury, CT ($154,550)

34. Human resources managers

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $82,880
  • #302 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 130

National

  • Annual mean salary: $129,570
  • Employment: 154,800
  • Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($196,900)
    • San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($174,390)
    • New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($170,070)

33. Software developers and software quality assurance analysts and testers

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $83,210
  • #277 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 240

National

  • Annual mean salary: $111,620
  • Employment: 1,406,870
  • Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($145,730)
    • San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($145,250)
    • Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($134,090)

32. Avionics technicians

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $83,740
  • #3 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 70

National

  • Annual mean salary: $66,970
  • Employment: 21,750
  • Entry level education requirements: Associate’s degree
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($91,240)
    • Bakersfield, CA ($85,900)
    • Lafayette, LA ($83,740)

31. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $84,420
  • #237 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 110

National

  • Annual mean salary: $103,320
  • Employment: 132,040
  • Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO ($151,260)
    • San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($144,220)
    • Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($139,860)

30. Physical therapists

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $84,490
  • #269 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 350

National

  • Annual mean salary: $90,170
  • Employment: 233,350
  • Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • Yuba City, CA ($116,360)
    • Bakersfield, CA ($116,120)
    • Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV ($113,950)

29. Purchasing managers

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $87,300
  • #195 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 60

National

  • Annual mean salary: $128,400
  • Employment: 72,100
  • Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($171,560)
    • Morgantown, WV ($163,830)
    • Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO ($160,620)

28. Electrical engineers

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $88,900
  • #208 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 70

National

  • Annual mean salary: $103,480
  • Employment: 185,570
  • Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($138,450)
    • Salinas, CA ($129,850)
    • Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($128,080)

27. Occupational therapists

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $89,110
  • #96 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 140

National

  • Annual mean salary: $86,210
  • Employment: 133,570
  • Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • The Villages, FL ($115,090)
    • Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV ($108,870)
    • Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($107,450)

26. Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $90,460
  • #41 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 400

National

  • Annual mean salary: $93,090
  • Employment: 437,880
  • Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($149,880)
    • Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($148,960)
    • Owensboro, KY ($133,600)

25. Lawyers

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $91,440
  • #289 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 900

National

  • Annual mean salary: $145,300
  • Employment: 657,170
  • Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($218,420)
    • San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($188,910)
    • Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($179,590)

24. Medical and health services managers

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $92,800
  • #306 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 380

National

  • Annual mean salary: $115,160
  • Employment: 394,910
  • Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA ($163,280)
    • Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($159,190)
    • Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($154,570)

23. Sales managers

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $97,560
  • #325 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 320

National

  • Annual mean salary: $141,690
  • Employment: 402,600
  • Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($195,220)
    • Trenton, NJ ($178,020)
    • Portsmouth, NH-ME ($175,500)

22. Industrial engineers

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $97,600
  • #66 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 130

National

  • Annual mean salary: $92,660
  • Employment: 291,710
  • Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($131,850)
    • Billings, MT ($124,350)
    • San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($121,940)

21. Nurse practitioners

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $100,780
  • #281 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 260

National

  • Annual mean salary: $111,840
  • Employment: 200,600
  • Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($175,060)
    • Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA ($160,110)
    • San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($157,150)

20. Marketing managers

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $100,910
  • #228 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 60

National

  • Annual mean salary: $149,200
  • Employment: 263,680
  • Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($199,710)
    • New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($188,810)
    • Boulder, CO ($183,460)

19. Financial managers

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $102,590
  • #316 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 590

National

  • Annual mean salary: $147,530
  • Employment: 654,790
  • Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($208,770)
    • Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($203,430)
    • San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($182,190)

18. Chemists

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $102,970
  • #8 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 50

National

  • Annual mean salary: $84,150
  • Employment: 83,530
  • Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • Peoria, IL ($127,750)
    • Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($124,540)
    • Norwich-New London-Westerly, CT-RI ($116,030)

17. Industrial production managers

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $103,390
  • #247 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 160

National

  • Annual mean salary: $115,110
  • Employment: 185,790
  • Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • Florence, SC ($158,000)
    • Boulder, CO ($149,990)
    • Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX ($149,500)

16. Commercial pilots

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $103,400
  • #36 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 150

National

  • Annual mean salary: $102,870
  • Employment: 37,830
  • Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • Springfield, MA-CT ($164,720)
    • Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA ($139,920)
    • Jackson, MS ($136,010)

15. Construction managers

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $105,290
  • #96 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 140

National

  • Annual mean salary: $105,000
  • Employment: 293,380
  • Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • Vineland-Bridgeton, NJ ($160,500)
    • New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($148,140)
    • Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ ($146,820)

14. Computer and information systems managers

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $106,710
  • #285 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 190

National

  • Annual mean salary: $156,390
  • Employment: 433,960
  • Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($215,090)
    • San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($201,960)
    • New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($196,290)

13. Civil engineers

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $108,510
  • #17 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 190

National

  • Annual mean salary: $94,360
  • Employment: 310,850
  • Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($120,110)
    • Midland, TX ($117,900)
    • Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, FL ($117,200)

12. Geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $110,630
  • #12 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 80

National

  • Annual mean salary: $108,350
  • Employment: 29,200
  • Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • Tulsa, OK ($207,900)
    • Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($170,220)
    • Midland, TX ($165,590)

11. Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $115,040
  • #18 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 30

National

  • Annual mean salary: $174,870
  • Employment: 84,520
  • Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($243,550)
    • Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($241,310)
    • Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV ($238,320)

10. Management analysts

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $115,920
  • #11 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 230

National

  • Annual mean salary: $95,560
  • Employment: 709,750
  • Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • Dothan, AL ($132,090)
    • Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL ($127,750)
    • Barnstable Town, MA ($127,570)

9. Pharmacists

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $116,610
  • #325 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 520

National

  • Annual mean salary: $125,510
  • Employment: 311,200
  • Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • Tyler, TX ($161,790)
    • Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($158,250)
    • Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($157,850)

8. General and operations managers

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $122,560
  • #80 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 3,880

National

  • Annual mean salary: $123,030
  • Employment: 2,400,280
  • Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($189,060)
    • Trenton, NJ ($173,050)
    • New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($167,160)

7. Nurse anesthetists

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $123,950
  • #106 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: data not available

National

  • Annual mean salary: $181,040
  • Employment: 43,570
  • Entry level education requirements: Master’s degree
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • Toledo, OH ($266,260)
    • San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($254,860)
    • Columbus, GA-AL ($247,540)

6. Petroleum engineers

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $124,760
  • #27 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 230

National

  • Annual mean salary: $156,780
  • Employment: 32,620
  • Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($191,370)
    • Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($183,190)
    • Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX ($179,240)

5. Dentists, general

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $141,480
  • #256 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 140

National

  • Annual mean salary: $178,260
  • Employment: 110,730
  • Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • Burlington, NC ($278,360)
    • Burlington-South Burlington, VT ($275,430)
    • Longview, TX ($272,440)

4. Architectural and engineering managers

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $143,310
  • #99 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 100

National

  • Annual mean salary: $152,930
  • Employment: 194,250
  • Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($203,310)
    • Amarillo, TX ($198,010)
    • Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, FL ($188,210)

3. Personal financial advisors

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $152,240
  • #11 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 120

National

  • Annual mean salary: $119,290
  • Employment: 210,190
  • Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • Montgomery, AL ($178,100)
    • Santa Fe, NM ($173,970)
    • San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA ($171,370)

2. Family medicine physicians

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $192,670
  • #205 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 60

National

  • Annual mean salary: $213,270
  • Employment: 109,370
  • Entry level education requirements: Doctoral or professional degree
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • Racine, WI ($286,030)
    • Jacksonville, NC ($282,580)
    • Gadsden, AL ($281,430)

1. Chief executives

Lafayette, LA

  • Annual mean salary: $217,280
  • #58 highest pay among all metros
  • Employment: 40

National

  • Annual mean salary: $193,850
  • Employment: 205,890
  • Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
  • Metros with highest average pay:
    • Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($270,040)
    • Sioux Falls, SD ($264,330)
    • Midland, TX ($258,760)

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