Baton Rouge has added 2,500 jobs over the past year despite a slight dip in April, according to the latest data from the Louisiana Workforce Commission.
The Baton Rouge metro’s seasonally adjusted employment in April 2025 totaled 434,000 jobs, down 200 from March but up significantly from April 2024, reflecting steady year-over-year growth.
Statewide, Louisiana marked its 49th consecutive month of annual job gains, with total nonfarm employment reaching nearly 2 million jobs. April saw a modest month-to-month increase of 700 jobs, while private sector employment dipped slightly by 200. Year over year, however, private employment grew by 13,100 jobs, underscoring longer-term strength in the job market.
Industries with the strongest annual growth include private education and health services (+9,600 jobs), government (+3,500), and manufacturing (+3,000). April’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate held steady at 4.4%, up slightly from 4.1% a year ago.
Though Louisiana’s labor market shows signs of resilience, job gains were uneven across metro areas. While New Orleans, Lafayette and Shreveport saw strong growth, areas like Lake Charles and Alexandria reported job losses or stagnation.
