Cost of hiring in Baton Rouge, LA
Administrative Assistant is the largest of these 17 jobs in Baton Rouge, with about 5,950 people1. Medians run from $33,750 a year for virtual receptionists to $86,650 for project coordinators.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in Baton Rouge
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data Entry Specialist | -4.1% | 210 | |
| HR Assistant | -4.3% | 200 | |
| Paralegal | -6.1% | 960 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -6.3% | 540 | |
| Bookkeeper | -7.8% | 4,060 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -11.2% | 2,610 | |
| Office Manager | -11.2% | 4,060 | |
| Accountant | -12.7% | 3,410 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -13.4% | 5,750 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -13.9% | 5,950 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -14.0% | 1,730 | |
| Project Coordinator | -15.3% | 2,290 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -16.7% | 390 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -16.9% | 140 | |
| Recruiter | -19.1% | 1,960 | |
| Executive Assistant | -23.2% | 2,050 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -24.2% | 1,260 |
The employer pays more than the wage: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, so a $40,910 median for administrative assistants, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $52,787 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
Baton Rouge against the US
Baton Rouge pays below the US median for all 17 roles. The gap is smallest for data entry specialists (-4.1%) and HR assistants (-4.3%) and largest for marketing specialists (-24.2%). The middle gap across all 17 is -13.4%: for most of these roles, hiring costs less here than at the US median. Its best national standing is for paralegals, #190 of 506 areas by median pay; its lowest is for e-commerce order specialists, #248 of 287.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, Baton Rouge has more executive assistants (5.5% of these jobs here, against 2.9% nationally) and payroll specialists (1.4% against 1.0%), and fewer medical administrative assistants (1.0% against 6.1%) and sales development representatives (4.6% against 7.9%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX is nearest, at -13.4%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Punta Gorda, FL | -13.3% | 15 | 5,620 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | -13.4% | 17 | 14,610 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | -13.4% (this area) | 17 | 37,570 |
| Elizabethtown, KY | -13.5% | 15 | 5,430 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | -13.5% | 17 | 9,360 |
| Goldsboro, NC | -13.6% | 14 | 3,320 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, sales development representatives in Baton Rouge span $35,720–$123,280, the widest band (3.5×); medical administrative assistants the narrowest, $33,280–$52,820. Offers cluster nearer the median than nationally for 8 of 17 roles, paralegals most ($44,740–$101,500 across the US). Budget from the median for sales development representatives, project coordinators, marketing specialists and 2 more roles: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($72,700 against a $60,190 median for sales development representatives).
Baton Rouge against Louisiana
Against Louisiana as a whole, Baton Rouge pays more for 13 of 17 roles, led by executive assistants (+10.4%) and sales development representatives (+9.0%), and less for 2, most of all paralegals (-2.0%). It has the highest median in Louisiana for office managers and payroll specialists.
Other areas in Louisiana
By jobs in these roles, Baton Rouge is #2 of 13 areas in Louisiana. The table shows the areas closest to it in size, from New Orleans-Metairie to Alexandria.
| Area | Jobs in these roles | Roles with data |
|---|---|---|
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | 40,630 | 17 |
| Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | 15,130 | 16 |
| Lafayette, LA | 14,680 | 16 |
| Slidell-Mandeville, LA | 9,120 | 14 |
| Monroe, LA | 7,200 | 16 |
| Southwest Louisiana (Nonmetro) | 7,180 | 14 |
| Lake Charles, LA | 7,080 | 14 |
| Houma-Bayou Cane, LA | 6,390 | 15 |
| Central Louisiana (Nonmetro) | 5,470 | 15 |
| Alexandria, LA | 4,980 | 14 |
Questions
Which role costs the most to hire in Baton Rouge?
Of the 17 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $86,650 a year, about $111,806 with benefits; the lowest is Virtual Receptionist, $33,750.
Is hiring in Baton Rouge cheaper than the US median?
Yes, for every role we track: all 17 medians are below the US figure, the furthest for marketing specialists (-24.2%).
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.