How many jobs were added in Louisiana last month?
Refreshed monthly
Louisiana gained 900 jobs in May 2026, ranking it 33rd among states in job growth. Those figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' state employment report, which tracks monthly job changes. Job numbers can swing month to month as local economies expand or contract, but over the past five years the state has averaged about 2,200 new jobs per month. These figures are often revised in later months as more complete data rolls in.
+900
month to month change in number of jobs (May 2026)
33rd
rank among states in monthly job growth (May 2026)
May 2026's gain of 900 jobs was the 8th consecutive month of positive job growth in Louisiana. Monthly job growth was down from the 4,100 new jobs in April 2026.
During the latest five year period (June 2021 to May 2026), Louisiana gained jobs in 45 out of 60 months. May 2026 had the 20th-lowest job growth during this period. The highest gains during this period occurred in October 2021 (+46,000) while job growth was weakest in September 2021 (-41,800).
There were 900 more jobs in May 2026 in Louisiana than the previous month.
Monthly change in nonfarm employment, June 2021–May 2026, seasonally adjusted
Which Louisiana sectors and industries had the best and worst job growth in May 2026?
The three supersectors with the highest job growth in May 2026 were health care and social assistance, mining and logging, and durable goods. Health care and social assistance added 1,700 jobs, more than the entire economy. Mining and logging gained 500 jobs, while durable goods added 500 jobs. The remaining supersectors either posted smaller gains or lost jobs during the month.
Get weekly insights
Subscribe for data-driven insights. No spin, just the facts.
The health care and social assistance sector gained 1,700 jobs during May 2026.
Change in jobs since previous month with circle size representing number of sector jobs in Louisiana (May 2026)
How does Louisiana's job growth in 2026 compare to previous years?
In 2025, Louisiana gained an average of 292 jobs every month. That's lower than the 2024 average monthly increase of 1,900, and the lowest since 2024. The 2025 average ranks as 14th-highest in job growth since 2007.
When excluding the two pandemic-affected years of 2020 and 2021, job growth ranged from a loss of 5,200 on average every month in 2009 to a gain of 4,100 on average every month in 2007.
In 2025, Louisiana gained an average of 292 jobs every month.
Average monthly change in the number of jobs, seasonally adjusted
Job growth among 10 metro areas primarily in Louisiana during May 2026 ranged from a loss of 300 jobs in the New Orleans, LA area to a gain of 300 jobs in the Lafayette, LA area metro area.
Monthly job growth, by metro area
Metro areas where at least one of its primary counties are within Louisiana
| Metro area | Change in jobs | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | +300 | |
| 2. | +200 | |
| 3. | +200 | |
| 4. | +200 | |
| 5. | +100 | |
| 6. | +100 | |
| 7. | +100 | |
| 8. | -100 | |
| 9. | -200 | |
| 10. | -300 |
Keep exploring
Methodology
USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.
Page sources
USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.
