Cost of hiring in Lafayette, LA
BLS counts about 14,680 people in these 16 roles in Lafayette1. Project Coordinator has the highest median ($80,720 a year), Virtual Receptionist the lowest ($30,170), and Administrative Assistant is the largest job, with about 2,210 people.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in Lafayette
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data Entry Specialist | -1.9% | 300 | |
| HR Assistant | -11.5% | 50 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -13.3% | 200 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -16.8% | 760 | |
| Paralegal | -17.1% | 470 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -17.8% | 2,140 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -17.9% | 640 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -18.2% | 50 | |
| Accountant | -19.2% | 1,100 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -19.9% | 2,210 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -20.6% | 1,180 | |
| Project Coordinator | -21.1% | 660 | |
| Bookkeeper | -23.2% | 2,130 | |
| Office Manager | -25.7% | 1,830 | |
| Recruiter | -26.2% | 540 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -28.1% | 420 |
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 $38,060 median for administrative assistants, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $49,110 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
Lafayette against the US
Lafayette pays below the US median for all 16 roles. The gap is smallest for data entry specialists (-1.9%) and HR assistants (-11.5%) and largest for marketing specialists (-28.1%). The middle gap across all 16 is -18.7%: for most of these roles, hiring costs less here than at the US median. Its best national standing is for data entry specialists, #147 of 394 areas by median pay; its lowest is for bookkeepers, #518 of 521.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, Lafayette has more data entry specialists (2.0% of these jobs here, against 0.8% nationally) and bookkeepers (14.5% against 8.9%), and fewer marketing specialists (2.9% against 5.8%) and HR assistants (0.3% against 0.6%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; Joplin, MO-KS is nearest, at -18.6%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Muncie, IN | -18.2% | 15 | 3,740 |
| Homosassa Springs, FL | -18.3% | 15 | 3,330 |
| Joplin, MO-KS | -18.6% | 14 | 6,160 |
| Lafayette, LA | -18.7% (this area) | 16 | 14,680 |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY | -18.9% | 16 | 12,600 |
| Jacksonville, NC | -19.2% | 16 | 5,050 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, sales development representatives in Lafayette span $35,620–$108,620, the widest band (3.0×); e-commerce order specialists the narrowest, $29,770–$49,090. Wider than nationally for payroll specialists and virtual receptionists, narrower for sales development representatives and marketing specialists. Budget from the median for sales development representatives, project coordinators, marketing specialists and 3 more roles: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($68,940 against a $58,240 median for sales development representatives).
Lafayette against Louisiana
Against Louisiana as a whole, Lafayette pays more for 3 of 16 roles, led by data entry specialists (+9.8%) and sales development representatives (+5.5%), and less for 11, most of all paralegals (-13.5%). It has the highest median in Louisiana for data entry specialists, and the lowest for HR assistants and bookkeepers.
Other areas in Louisiana
By jobs in these roles, Lafayette is #4 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 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | 37,570 | 17 |
| Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | 15,130 | 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 Lafayette?
Of the 16 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $80,720 a year, about $104,155 with benefits; the lowest is Virtual Receptionist, $30,170.
Is hiring in Lafayette cheaper than the US median?
Yes, for every role we track: all 16 medians are below the US figure, the furthest for marketing specialists (-28.1%).
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.