VE.Studio // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Natural sciences managers
- Median annual wage: $100,580
- Median hourly wage: $48.36
- Total employment: 130 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Baton Rouge
Despite recession fears and falling consumer confidence, the job market in the United States has remained relatively stable in 2025 thus far. According to May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics data, around 177,000 new jobs were added in April, a slight decrease from the 185,000 new jobs added in the month before, but an extension of the country's 52-month streak of job growth. Unemployment rates also held relatively steady between April 2024 and April 2025, coming in at around 4%.
Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean Americans have it easy in the workplace. A December 2024 Payscale report found that nearly half (47%) of business organizations struggle to balance fair pay practices with spend optimization, and 18% plan to reduce pay increases in 2025 as a result.
For context, median weekly earnings across all employees in the U.S. stood at $1,194 in the first quarter of 2025. This represents an increase of 4.8% from a year prior and exceeds the Consumer Price Index's 2.7% increase in the same time period. However, there's one caveat: Earnings go much further in some places than in others.
In fact, the very definition of a "high-paying" job varies by location, as well as other factors such as industry and benefits. Even a six-figure salary may be considered low-income in places with an unusually high cost of living. Meanwhile, technology, finance, and health care jobs lead in terms of salary, but benefits like remote work can make other lower-paying jobs more desirable.
Regardless, anyone seeking a high-paying job should start by looking at the numbers. Stacker used BLS data to find the 50 highest-paying jobs in Baton Rouge. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2024, so any jobs without annual compensation figures available were excluded from this analysis.
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kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Chemical plant and system operators
- Median annual wage: $101,130
- Median hourly wage: $48.62
- Total employment: 1,640 people (4.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PanuShot // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Advertising and promotions managers
- Median annual wage: $101,170
- Median hourly wage: $48.64
- Total employment: 40 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Training and development managers
- Median annual wage: $101,610
- Median hourly wage: $48.85
- Total employment: 110 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Petekub // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Economists
- Median annual wage: $101,830
- Median hourly wage: $48.96
- Total employment: 30 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers
- Median annual wage: $101,870
- Median hourly wage: $48.98
- Total employment: 670 people (1.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $102,050
- Median hourly wage: $49.06
- Total employment: 470 people (1.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Igor Kardasov // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels
- Median annual wage: $102,820
- Median hourly wage: $49.44
- Total employment: 820 people (2.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Median annual wage: $103,300
- Median hourly wage: $49.66
- Total employment: 440 people (1.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $103,310
- Median hourly wage: $49.67
- Total employment: 3,960 people (9.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Skycolors // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Commercial pilots
- Median annual wage: $103,540
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 100 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $103,990
- Median hourly wage: $50.00
- Total employment: 1,980 people (4.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Electronics engineers, except computer
- Median annual wage: $104,880
- Median hourly wage: $50.42
- Total employment: 180 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $104,990
- Median hourly wage: $50.48
- Total employment: 150 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $105,160
- Median hourly wage: $50.56
- Total employment: 1,280 people (3.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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fizkes // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $106,210
- Median hourly wage: $51.06
- Total employment: 7,930 people (19.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
dokurose // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $106,570
- Median hourly wage: $51.23
- Total employment: 1,040 people (2.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Management analysts
- Median annual wage: $106,740
- Median hourly wage: $51.32
- Total employment: 1,250 people (3.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Purchasing managers
- Median annual wage: $107,700
- Median hourly wage: $51.78
- Total employment: 160 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Education administrators, postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $108,670
- Median hourly wage: $52.25
- Total employment: 1,390 people (3.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Civil engineers
- Median annual wage: $110,460
- Median hourly wage: $53.11
- Total employment: 880 people (2.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Washburn HM // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Transportation inspectors
- Median annual wage: $113,030
- Median hourly wage: $54.34
- Total employment: 40 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
REDPIXEL.PL // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Commercial and industrial designers
- Median annual wage: $114,850
- Median hourly wage: $55.22
- Total employment: Not available
Natee K Jindakum // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Financial examiners
- Median annual wage: $117,230
- Median hourly wage: $56.36
- Total employment: 40 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $117,490
- Median hourly wage: $56.49
- Total employment: 1,790 people (4.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $120,630
- Median hourly wage: $58.00
- Total employment: 2,180 people (5.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Veterinarians
- Median annual wage: $121,160
- Median hourly wage: $58.25
- Total employment: 160 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Marketing managers
- Median annual wage: $121,200
- Median hourly wage: $58.27
- Total employment: 240 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $121,990
- Median hourly wage: $58.65
- Total employment: 900 people (2.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Optometrists
- Median annual wage: $124,190
- Median hourly wage: $59.71
- Total employment: 50 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Health and safety engineers, except mining safety engineers and inspectors
- Median annual wage: $126,390
- Median hourly wage: $60.76
- Total employment: 80 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $126,580
- Median hourly wage: $60.86
- Total employment: 260 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $127,260
- Median hourly wage: $61.18
- Total employment: 900 people (2.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Industrial engineers
- Median annual wage: $127,350
- Median hourly wage: $61.23
- Total employment: 450 people (1.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
luchschenF // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Chemists
- Median annual wage: $127,860
- Median hourly wage: $61.47
- Total employment: 220 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $130,220
- Median hourly wage: $62.61
- Total employment: 200 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
eldar nurkovic // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Chemical engineers
- Median annual wage: $130,350
- Median hourly wage: $62.67
- Total employment: 370 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Environmental engineers
- Median annual wage: $130,650
- Median hourly wage: $62.81
- Total employment: 110 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Database architects
- Median annual wage: $132,450
- Median hourly wage: $63.68
- Total employment: Not available
Stokkete // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Physician assistants
- Median annual wage: $132,770
- Median hourly wage: $63.83
- Total employment: 380 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
41 / 50#9. Pharmacists (tie)
- Median annual wage: $132,850
- Median hourly wage: $63.87
- Total employment: 930 people (2.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Mechanical engineers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $132,850
- Median hourly wage: $63.87
- Total employment: 480 people (1.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Chief executives
- Median annual wage: $148,210
- Median hourly wage: $71.25
- Total employment: 130 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Sunshine Seeds // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Industrial production managers
- Median annual wage: $154,800
- Median hourly wage: $74.42
- Total employment: 520 people (1.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $173,350
- Median hourly wage: $83.34
- Total employment: 440 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $189,390
- Median hourly wage: $91.05
- Total employment: 240 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
47 / 50#1. Physicians, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 1,050 people (2.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
48 / 50#1. Psychiatrists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 40 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
49 / 50#1. Nurse anesthetists (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: Not available
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Family medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: Not available
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Cu Fleshman, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 364 metros.
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