(The Center Square) – Louisiana private-sector workers are putting in more hours than workers anywhere else in the country, but their average hourly earnings remain among the lowest in the nation.

In Louisiana, private-sector workers averaged 36.4 hours a week in July, the longest workweek among the 50 states, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Average hourly earnings were $31.09.

Louisiana's average hourly earnings were the sixth lowest among the states. Only Mississippi, Arkansas, West Virginia, Kentucky and Iowa had lower averages in July.

The federal data measures jobs on private-sector payrolls, not individual workers. The $31.09 hourly figure is an average across those payroll jobs and does not mean a typical Louisiana worker earns that amount.

Louisiana does not have a state minimum wage, so the federal minimum of $7.25 per hour applies. The MIT living wage calculator estimates that a living wage for a single adult with no children in Louisiana is $20.37 per hour.

Changes in the types of jobs employers add or cut can also affect the statewide average.

Louisiana Works and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics produce the estimates through the federal Current Employment Statistics program. The July figures are not adjusted for seasonal changes.

Longer workweeks help make up some of Louisiana's hourly earnings gap. At $31.09 an hour and 36.4 hours a week, private-sector payroll employees averaged $1,131.68 in weekly earnings.

By comparison, Texas private-sector employees averaged slightly fewer hours, at 36.1 per week, but average hourly earnings were $36.09. Average weekly earnings were $1,302.85, about $171 more than in Louisiana. Texas also defaults to the federal minimum wage.

The numbers come as Louisiana's private sector continues to add jobs. The state reached a record 1.69 million private-sector jobs in July, according to Louisiana Works. That was 32,300 more jobs than in July 2025 using figures that are not adjusted for seasonal changes.

Louisiana's longer workweeks are not limited to July.

In June, private-sector employees averaged 36.5 hours a week, up from 36.2 hours a year earlier, according to Louisiana Works.

Workers in some of the state's major goods-producing industries put in considerably more time. Construction employees averaged 44.3 hours a week in June, while manufacturing employees averaged 44.7 hours.

Those longer hours came as construction posted some of the state's strongest job growth. Construction employment increased by 11,400 jobs, or 8.3%, from June 2025 to June 2026 using figures not adjusted for seasonal changes.

Pay has also been rising according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Louisiana's average private-sector hourly earnings increased from $29.50 in June 2025 to $30.58 in June 2026, an increase of about 3.7%. Average weekly earnings rose from $1,067.90 to $1,116.17, or about 4.5%.

The statewide averages, however, can hide significant differences among industries.

Construction workers averaged $33.20 an hour in June, up from $32.39 a year earlier. Their longer workweek helped push average weekly earnings to $1,470.76, up from $1,379.81.

Leisure and hospitality workers earned considerably less, although their average hourly earnings increased from $16.70 to $18.09 over the year.

Other industries saw average hourly earnings decline. Trade, transportation and utilities fell from $28.25 an hour to $27.21, while professional and business services declined from $37.45 to $35.38.