Accountant salary in Baton Rouge, LA
Baton Rouge is a lower-cost market for accountants: the median of $73,070 a year1 is 1.0% below the Louisiana statewide median of $73,810, and 12.7% below the US median of $83,680. Nationally it ranks #380 of 521 areas. BLS counts about 3,410 people in this job here, 24% of the Louisiana total.
BLS occupation 13-2011, area Baton Rouge, LA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Baton Rouge against Louisiana and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baton Rouge, LA | $49,820 | $73,070 | $114,640 | |
| Louisiana | $48,950 | $73,810 | $117,110 | |
| United States | $56,020 | $83,680 | $144,090 |
The middle half of accountants in Baton Rouge earns $61,310–$91,710. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $114,640, only 2.3 times the bottom tenth, against 2.6 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. The mean ($80,110) is 10% over the median, so a group of high earners pulls the average up; price a typical hire from the median. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $30,400 wide, against $31,870 across Louisiana and $42,790 nationally: employers in Baton Rouge pay within a narrower band.
What to budget for an accountant here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $49,820 | $4,152 | $23.95 | $64,284 |
| 25th percentile | $61,310 | $5,109 | $29.48 | $79,110 |
| Median | $73,070 | $6,089 | $35.13 | $94,284 |
| 75th percentile | $91,710 | $7,642 | $44.09 | $118,335 |
| 90th percentile | $114,640 | $9,553 | $55.12 | $147,923 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $18,640 over the median, the 25th only $11,760 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $24,052 a year in employer cost. These percentiles describe what people in the job earn locally, not experience levels, so place your offer by the tasks and seniority you need.
For scale, the US median of $83,680 falls between the median and the 75th percentile in Baton Rouge, and the Louisiana statewide median of $73,810 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Baton Rouge
At the $73,070 median, a local hire costs about $94,284 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $21,214 here. Recruiting, equipment and office space come on top. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.
We place executive assistants, customer support and e-commerce staff today; for accountants we answer within one business day whether we can help. Enter the monthly pay you have in mind to compare it with a local hire. The fee field shows our standard fee3; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool4.
Other roles in Baton Rouge
Of the 17 roles we track in Baton Rouge, this one ranks #2 by median pay, after project coordinators ($86,650); office managers come next at $61,710.
| Role | Median | vs accountant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +18.6% | 2,290 | |
| Accountant | this role | 3,410 | |
| Office Manager | -15.5% | 4,060 | |
| Recruiter | -16.0% | 1,960 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -17.6% | 1,730 |
Measured against the US median, accountants rank #8 of the 17 roles we track in Baton Rouge (-12.7%), between office managers (-11.2%) and customer support specialists (-13.4%). The typical role here is at -13.4%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Accountants hold 9.1% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Baton Rouge, 8.2% across Louisiana and 9.1% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Louisiana
Across the 13 areas of Louisiana with data for this job, the median runs from $64,090 in the Southwest Louisiana nonmetro area to $77,940 in New Orleans-Metairie, a gap of $13,850 a year. The one area in Louisiana with more accountants, New Orleans-Metairie, LA ($77,940), also pays more.
| Area | Median | vs Baton Rouge | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | +6.7% | 3,740 | |
| Houma-Bayou Cane, LA | +2.1% | 480 | |
| Monroe, LA | +1.1% | 510 | |
| Baton Rouge, LA | this area | 3,410 | |
| Slidell-Mandeville, LA | -0.8% | 770 | |
| Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | -3.6% | 1,250 | |
| Lake Charles, LA | -4.1% | 600 |
Baton Rouge against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Baton Rouge is #60 of 521 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job, with pay near the middle of the US range. Outside Louisiana, Youngstown-Warren and Killeen-Temple pay just above Baton Rouge and Columbia and State College just below. All four are within $200 a year of the median in Baton Rouge. Of the three markets with about as many accountants, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Baton Rouge | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | +9.7% | 3,300 | jobs | |
| Albuquerque, NM | +9.3% | 3,260 | jobs | |
| Killeen-Temple, TX | +0.3% | 730 | pay | |
| Youngstown-Warren, OH | +0.0% | 1,150 | pay | |
| Baton Rouge, LA | this area | 3,410 | ||
| Columbia, MO | +0.0% | 930 | pay | |
| State College, PA | -0.0% | 460 | pay | |
| Columbia, SC | -5.3% | 3,260 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an accountant in Baton Rouge, LA?
About $94,284 a year at the median, or $7,857 a month: $73,070 in pay plus about $21,214 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do accountants earn in Baton Rouge?
The median was $73,070 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $49,820, the 90th $114,640, and the middle half earned $61,310 to $91,710.
Is Baton Rouge cheaper than the rest of Louisiana for accountants?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $73,070 against $73,810 statewide. The next area up in Louisiana is Monroe at $73,840, the next down Slidell-Mandeville at $72,490.
How many accountants work in Baton Rouge?
BLS counts about 3,410 in the May 2025 survey. That is 24% of the Louisiana total of 14,050. Only New Orleans-Metairie has more in Louisiana.
Does an accountant cost more than an office manager in Baton Rouge?
Yes: $11,360 a year more at the median. The medians are $73,070 and $61,710.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 13-2011: bls.gov
- BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: bls.gov
- Stafka pricing: stafka.com
- Deel pricing, contractor management: deel.com
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.