How many jobs were added in Louisiana last month?
Refreshed monthly
Louisiana gained 5,500 jobs in August 2026, ranking it 12th 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 2,100 new jobs per month. These figures are often revised in later months as more complete data rolls in.
+5.5K
month to month change in number of jobs (August 2026)
12th
rank among states in monthly job growth (August 2026)
August 2026's gain of 5,500 jobs was the 11th consecutive month of positive job growth in Louisiana. Monthly job growth was down from the 6,300 gain in July 2026.
During the latest five year period (September 2021 to August 2026), Louisiana gained jobs in 45 out of 60 months. August 2026 had the 13th-highest 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 5,500 more jobs in August 2026 in Louisiana than the previous month.
Monthly change in nonfarm employment, September 2021–August 2026, seasonally adjusted
Which Louisiana sectors and industries had the best and worst job growth in August 2026?
The three supersectors with the highest job growth in August 2026 were private educational services, construction, and transportation, warehousing, and utilities. Private educational services added 1,600 jobs. Construction gained 1,200 jobs, while transportation, warehousing, and utilities added 900. The remaining supersectors either posted smaller gains or lost jobs during the month.
The three lowest-performing supersectors were non-durable goods, arts, entertainment, and recreation, and administrative and support and waste management and remediation services. non-durable goods lost 200 jobs in August 2026, while arts, entertainment, and recreation lost 200 jobs and administrative and support and waste management and remediation services lost 200 jobs.
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The health care and social assistance sector gained 300 jobs during August 2026.
Change in jobs since previous month with circle size representing number of sector jobs in Louisiana (August 2026)
How has Louisiana's job growth changed over time?
In 2025, Louisiana gained an average of 292 jobs every month. That's lower than the 2024 average monthly increase of 1,908, and the lowest since 2020. 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 August 2026 ranged from a loss of 500 jobs in the Lafayette, LA area to a gain of 900 jobs in the New Orleans, LA 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. | +900 | |
| 2. | +200 | |
| 3. | +200 | |
| 4. | +100 | |
| 5. | +100 | |
| 6. | +0 | |
| 7. | -100 | |
| 8. | -200 | |
| 9. | -400 | |
| 10. | -500 |
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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.
