BLS May 2025
Mechanic Salary in Louisiana
Louisiana falls 45th among 50 states for mechanic pay. For automotive service technicians and mechanics (SOC 49-3023), the Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2025 median is $46,400 a year, $4,220 below the national median of $50,620, and 8,620 wage and salary jobs sit behind it. The wider gap is between trades: aircraft mechanics reach $79,780, 72 percent over automotive technicians.
By Trevor Rupe, Contributor at Savo Media Group
At a Glance
- 45th of 50 states on median pay for automotive service technicians and mechanics (SOC 49-3023), $46,400 against $50,620 nationally.
- $79,780 for aircraft mechanics, 72 percent ahead of automotive technicians.
- 8 ranked programs, led by South Louisiana Community College in Lafayette, LA.
Aircraft Mechanics Out-Earn Auto Mechanics by $33,380 in Louisiana
Aircraft mechanics sit at $79,780 across 1,150 jobs, 72 percent above automotive technicians at $46,400. That leaves automotive technicians last among 5 trades.
| Trade | Louisiana median | U.S. median | Rank of 50 | Jobs | Best metro |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aircraft Mechanic | $79,780 | $79,870 | 23rd | 1,150 | Lafayette, LA, $87,630 |
| Heavy Equipment Mechanic | $62,260 | $65,510 | 39th | 4,270 | Lafayette, LA, $64,930 |
| Diesel Mechanic | $58,680 | $61,770 | 41st | 3,270 | Shreveport-Bossier City, LA, $60,490 |
| Collision Repair Technician | $47,150 | $54,890 | 48th | 1,660 | Baton Rouge, LA, $48,220 |
| Auto Mechanic | $46,400 | $50,620 | 45th | 8,620 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA, $49,190 |
Heavy equipment mechanics ($62,260, -$3,250), diesel mechanics ($58,680, -$3,090) and collision repair technicians ($47,150, -$7,740) fall short of their national medians.
Near their national medians: aircraft mechanics ($79,780, -$90).
Collision repair technicians rank 48th of 50 at $47,150, the softest of the trades here.
Aircraft mechanics do best in Lafayette, LA, where the median is $87,630.
New Orleans-Metairie, LA Leads Mechanic Pay in Louisiana
10 metropolitan areas are priced. Baton Rouge, LA, New Orleans-Metairie, LA and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA hold 4,250 jobs, and the largest of them pays $2,080 more than the $46,400 state median.
Top pay is in New Orleans-Metairie, LA at $49,190; Lake Charles, LA is lowest at $45,540, $3,650 less among areas with at least 500 jobs.
Away from the metros, 3 nonmetropolitan areas hold 13 percent of the state's jobs and every one pays less than the $46,400 median, from $39,430 to $43,250.
| Area | Median | Against Louisiana | 10th to 90th percentile | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baton Rouge, LA | $48,480 | +$2,080 | $31,310 to $80,610 | 1,710 |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $49,190 | +$2,790 | $31,640 to $80,440 | 1,610 |
| Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | $45,990 | -$410 | $29,710 to $75,890 | 930 |
| Lafayette, LA | $45,920 | -$480 | $29,950 to $74,050 | 810 |
| Lake Charles, LA | $45,540 | -$860 | $29,830 to $83,270 | 520 |
| Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA | $47,350 | +$950 | $30,650 to $77,860 | 490 |
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | $45,840 | -$560 | $30,290 to $76,090 | 400 |
| Monroe, LA | $43,760 | -$2,640 | $28,500 to $73,180 | 400 |
| Alexandria, LA | $44,900 | -$1,500 | $29,160 to $72,730 | 340 |
| Hammond, LA | $45,450 | -$950 | $29,940 to $73,840 | 280 |
| Southwest Louisiana nonmetropolitan area | $43,250 | -$3,150 | $29,020 to $74,840 | 470 |
| Northeast Louisiana nonmetropolitan area | $39,430 | -$6,970 | $29,090 to $64,340 | 330 |
| Central Louisiana nonmetropolitan area | $40,130 | -$6,270 | $29,570 to $70,520 | 320 |
8 Ranked Mechanic Programs in Louisiana
6 schools supply 8 ranked programs (3 automotive, 2 diesel and 3 aviation maintenance); South Louisiana Community College in Lafayette, LA scores best, 55.7 in diesel.
South Louisiana Community College in Lafayette, LA is the least expensive of 8 priced programs at $4,210 annually; Southern University at Shreveport in Shreveport, LA is the most, at $4,958 annually.
Delgado Community College sits in New Orleans-Metairie, LA, the best-paying area for mechanics at $49,190.
- South Louisiana Community College Lafayette, LA, diesel, score 55.7, #39 of 76
- SOWELA Technical Community College Lake Charles, LA, aviation maintenance, score 48.6, #94 of 148
- Delgado Community College New Orleans, LA, automotive, score 47.5, #272 of 415
- Northshore Technical Community College Lacombe, LA, automotive, score 45.5, #305 of 415
- Baton Rouge Community College Baton Rouge, LA, automotive, score 44.6, #315 of 415
- Northshore Technical Community College Lacombe, LA, diesel, score 41.0, #69 of 76
- Southern University at Shreveport Shreveport, LA, aviation maintenance, score 29.4, #145 of 148
- South Louisiana Community College Lafayette, LA, aviation maintenance, score 24.2, #148 of 148
Best Mechanic Schools in Louisiana, with 8 programs ranked in the state
Mechanic Salary in Louisiana Trails the National Median by $4,220
The bottom tenth earns $30,230 or less, $4,430 behind the U.S. figure and the top tenth earns $77,790 or more, $4,000 behind the U.S. figure. The $47,560 spread from bottom tenth to top tenth comes close to the national gap. Louisiana ranks 45th of 50 states at the 10th percentile.
| Measure | Louisiana | United States | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $30,230 | $34,660 | -$4,430 |
| 25th percentile | $36,900 | $38,900 | -$2,000 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $46,400 | $50,620 | -$4,220 |
| 75th percentile | $62,060 | $70,430 | -$8,370 |
| 90th percentile | $77,790 | $81,790 | -$4,000 |
| Mean | $50,650 | $56,420 | -$5,770 |
| Wage and salary jobs | 8,620 | 704,640 |
The 25th and 75th percentiles are $36,900 and $62,060, and each edge trails its national counterpart (-$2,000, -$8,370).
Mean pay of $50,650 climbs $4,250 over the median on the strength of top earnings.
$30,230, the 10th percentile, describes the distribution, not what a new hire makes.
Mechanic Employment Near the National Rate in Louisiana
The technician share is 4.5 per 1,000 jobs, within 2 percent of the national rate; the location quotient is 0.98. On concentration it ranks 31st of 50 states.
The most concentrated trade is heavy equipment mechanics at 1.94 on 4,270 jobs, and aircraft mechanics the least at 0.67. They are far more common here than nationally.
Mechanic Licensing in Louisiana
Motor vehicle inspector (training at state-approved schools for licensed MVI stations) comes from the Louisiana State Police, Motor Vehicle Inspection Unit and covers state inspection or emissions work, which is separate from general repair.
Official Louisiana source (lsp.org), read October 23, 2026.
Louisiana Between Oklahoma and Alabama on Mechanic Pay
Oklahoma sits closest, at $46,560, $160 more; after that comes Alabama at $45,640, a gap of $760.
14 other states land within $2,500 of $46,400; 4 are inside $1,000. Rank changes fast in this stretch.
Questions About Mechanic Salary in Louisiana
What is a typical mechanic salary in Louisiana?
$46,400 at the median, $22.31 an hour, which is $4,220 below the nation. The 10th percentile is $30,230 and the 90th $77,790.
What is the pay gap between aircraft mechanics and auto mechanics in Louisiana?
The median gap is $33,380, $79,780 versus $46,400 for automotive technicians, on 1,150 jobs.
Which mechanic school in Louisiana ranks highest?
The top score belongs to South Louisiana Community College in Lafayette, LA, with 55.7 points; 8 programs are ranked in all.
The figures here are the Bureau of Labor Statistics median for wage and salary workers, so the mechanic salary in Louisiana for any one job depends on the employer, the metro area and the trade.
Sources for Mechanic Salary in Louisiana
- BLS OEWS, Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics May 2025, read October 23, 2026.
- BLS OEWS technical notes Wage and salary workers only.
- Official Louisiana source (lsp.org) Read October 23, 2026.