Louisiana ranks near bottom in new report on best states for jobs

BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — A new study from the personal-finance company WalletHub ranks Louisiana among the worst states in the country for job seekers in 2025.

The report places Louisiana 49th overall out of 50 states in WalletHub’s annual Best & Worst States for Jobs ranking.

WalletHub said the national unemployment rate sits at 4.3%, and its labor force participation is at its lowest level in the past couple of years.

To help job seekers find better opportunities, WalletHub compared all 50 states using 34 key indicators of job-market strength and economic vitality. The study looked at factors such as employment growth, job opportunities, median annual income and average commute time.

WalletHub said that states ranking higher tend to have stronger economies, higher wages, and more stable employment conditions.

Louisiana’s rankings in major categories include:

• 40th – Job opportunities.
• 27th – Employment growth.
• 28th – Monthly average starting salary.
• 42nd – Unemployment rate.
• 48th – Median annual income (adjusted for cost of living).
• 47th – Average work week (in hours).
• 33rd – Average commute time.
• 50th – Job security.

Best states to find a job, according to WalletHub

1. Massachusetts.
2. Connecticut.
3. Minnesota.
4. Vermont.
5. New Hampshire.

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