At present there is a serious need for nurses and nurse educators in Louisiana. The top four cities in Louisiana, known as The Pelican State, have median salaries for registered nurses as follows: New Orleans $65,734, Baton Rouge $57,818, Shreveport $60,315, and Lafayette $60,568.
Ten of the top 25 employers in Louisiana are medical centers or hospitals. Louisiana State University Health in New Orleans is 2nd with 7,000 employees, Feist-Weiler Cancer Center in Shreveport is 3rd with 6,001 employees, Willis-Knighton Medical Center in Shreveport is 5th with 6,000 employees, LSU Health Sciences Center in Shreveport is 6th with 5,200 employees, LSU Public Hospital in New Orleans, Lafayette General Medical Center in Lafayette, Our Lady Lake Hospital in Baton Rouge are all 7th with 5,000 employees, WK Pierremont Health Center in Shreveport is 11th with 4,001 employees, Our Lady Regional Medical Center in Baton Rouge is 16th with 3,000 employees and North Oaks Health System in Hammond is 18th with 2,700 employees.
Louisiana Facts and Figures
- 2012 Unemployment Rate: 7.1%
- Unemployment Rank: 23 of 50
- 2011 Per Capita Income: $38, 578
- Per Capita Income Rank: 28 of 50
- 2011 Cost of Living Index: 94
- Cost of Living Rank: 15 of 50
Three Largest Cities in Louisiana
Ten Largest Hospitals in Louisiana
- Our Lady Of Lake Regional Medical Center
- Willis-Knighton Medical Center
- Memorial Medical Center
- Medical Center Of Louisiana
- Touro Infirmary
- Christus Schumpert Health System
- East Jefferson Genela Hospital
- LSU Medical Center-University Hospital
- East Louisiana State Hospital
- Ochsner Foundation Hospital
