Cost of hiring in the Southwest Louisiana nonmetro area
Administrative Assistant is the largest of these 14 jobs in the Southwest Louisiana nonmetro area, with about 1,600 people1. Medians run from $29,680 a year for virtual receptionists to $88,130 for project coordinators.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in the Southwest Louisiana nonmetro area
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | -13.9% | 270 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -15.5% | 1,350 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -16.5% | 270 | |
| Bookkeeper | -17.1% | 640 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -20.8% | 120 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -21.9% | 550 | |
| Recruiter | -22.5% | 240 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -22.7% | 80 | |
| Accountant | -23.4% | 440 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -23.4% | 1,600 | |
| Paralegal | -28.9% | 80 | |
| Office Manager | -30.8% | 1,120 | |
| Executive Assistant | -36.3% | 290 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -38.7% | 130 |
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 $36,410 median for administrative assistants, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $46,981 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
the Southwest Louisiana nonmetro area against the US
The Southwest Louisiana nonmetro area pays below the US median for all 14 roles. The gap is smallest for project coordinators (-13.9%) and customer support specialists (-15.5%) and largest for marketing specialists (-38.7%). The middle gap across all 14 is -22.6%: for most of these roles, hiring costs less here than at the US median. Its best national standing is for sales development representatives, #280 of 520 areas by median pay; its lowest is for office managers, #516 of 519.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, the Southwest Louisiana nonmetro area has more administrative assistants (22.3% of these jobs here, against 11.0% nationally) and office managers (15.6% against 9.2%), and fewer medical administrative assistants (1.7% against 6.2%) and marketing specialists (1.8% against 5.8%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; Valdosta, GA is nearest, at -22.8%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| McAllen-Edinburg, TX | -21.6% | 17 | 28,300 |
| Fort Smith, AR-OK | -22.1% | 16 | 7,690 |
| Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | -22.3% | 14 | 3,590 |
| Southwest Louisiana (Nonmetro) | -22.6% (this area) | 14 | 7,180 |
| Valdosta, GA | -22.8% | 15 | 4,420 |
| Eagle Pass, TX | -23.6% | 11 | 1,250 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, marketing specialists in the Southwest Louisiana nonmetro area span $22,870–$107,890, the widest band (4.7×); customer support specialists the narrowest, $27,830–$43,920. Wider than nationally for marketing specialists and medical administrative assistants, narrower for customer support specialists and recruiters. Budget from the median for accountants, marketing specialists, executive assistants and 4 more roles: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($75,190 against a $64,090 median for accountants).
the Southwest Louisiana nonmetro area against Louisiana
Against Louisiana as a whole, the Southwest Louisiana nonmetro area pays more for 3 of 14 roles, led by sales development representatives (+5.9%) and project coordinators (+3.9%), and less for 11, most of all paralegals (-25.7%). It has the lowest median in Louisiana for accountants, office managers and payroll specialists and 1 more role.
Other areas in Louisiana
By jobs in these roles, the Southwest Louisiana nonmetro area is #7 of 13 areas in Louisiana. The table shows the areas closest to it in size, from Baton Rouge to the Northeast Louisiana nonmetro area.
| Area | Jobs in these roles | Roles with data |
|---|---|---|
| Baton Rouge, LA | 37,570 | 17 |
| Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | 15,130 | 16 |
| Lafayette, LA | 14,680 | 16 |
| Slidell-Mandeville, LA | 9,120 | 14 |
| Monroe, LA | 7,200 | 16 |
| Lake Charles, LA | 7,080 | 14 |
| Houma-Bayou Cane, LA | 6,390 | 15 |
| Central Louisiana (Nonmetro) | 5,470 | 15 |
| Alexandria, LA | 4,980 | 14 |
| Northeast Louisiana (Nonmetro) | 4,440 | 14 |
Questions
Which role costs the most to hire in the Southwest Louisiana nonmetro area?
Of the 14 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $88,130 a year, about $113,716 with benefits; the lowest is Virtual Receptionist, $29,680.
Is hiring in the Southwest Louisiana nonmetro area cheaper than the US median?
Yes, for every role we track: all 14 medians are below the US figure, the furthest for marketing specialists (-38.7%).
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.