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Paving Equipment Operator pay in Louisiana

Statewide and by city · BLS, May 2025

$48,450statewide median a year
$23.29median an hour
#36of 49 states + DC
350paving equipment operators employed statewide

Statewide pay Government data

Paving equipment operators in Louisiana earn a statewide median of $48,450 a year, 3% below the typical U.S. metro, ranking #36 of 49 states and DC. About 350 people work in the trade statewide.

Statewide pay range

$37,440Entry · 10th$43,57025th$48,450Median$64,02075th$73,180Top · 90th

States ranked near Louisiana

Indiana$50,380
Kansas$49,070
Utah$48,860
Louisiana$48,450
Virginia$48,060
Texas$47,060

See all states on the paving equipment operator overview.

Pay by city Government data

MetroMedian payReal payJobs
Baton RougeLOUISIANA · LA$65,610$72,274100
New OrleansLOUISIANA · LA$48,750$52,64750

Pay: BLS OEWS, May 2025 (metro-level). Real pay: BEA price parities, 2024. How we calculate

The job (national)

Operate equipment used for applying concrete, asphalt, or other materials to road beds, parking lots, or airport runways and taxiways or for tamping gravel, dirt, or other materials. Includes concrete and asphalt paving machine operators, form tampers, tamping machine operators, and stone spreader operators.

Nationally, jobs are projected to shrink 0.9% from 2025 to 2035, with about 3,100 openings a year. Typical training: moderate-term on-the-job training.

Nationally, paving equipment operators have 19 injuries or illnesses serious enough to miss work per 10,000 full-time workers, 78% below the rate for all jobs (87). The most common cause is being struck by or caught in objects and equipment.

What the work is like Government data

How often paving equipment operators deal with each condition, from surveys of workers in the job.

Outdoors, in all kinds of weatherVery often
Indoors with heating and air conditioningOccasionally
Very hot or cold conditionsOften
Working at heightsOccasionally
Climbing ladders, scaffolds or polesOccasionally
Cramped spaces and awkward positionsSometimes
Loud noiseOften
Hazardous conditionsOccasionally
Standing, bending, kneeling and walkingSometimes
SittingSometimes

Getting started usually takes some preparation (high school plus months of training).

O*NET 31.0 Work Context and Job Zones (U.S. Department of Labor), national.

Licensing in Louisiana Official source

The main state licensing office in Louisiana is the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors. It can point you to the right license for paving equipment operators.

Official Louisiana licensing site ↗

Requirements for paving equipment operators vary by state and sometimes by city; always confirm with the official agency.

Cities in Louisiana

Baton RougeLOUISIANA · LA+2.1%population since 2020 · 4.1% unemployment
New OrleansLOUISIANA · LA-3.4%population since 2020 · 4.4% unemployment

All trades in Louisiana.

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