- Overview
- Regional Overview
- Vital Statistics
- Demographics
- Labor Force
- Utilities
- Quality of Life
- Regulations & Permits
- Education/Training
- Taxes
- Incentives
- Transportation
- Businesses/Industries
- Available Real Estate
- Contacts
Labor Force
The Baton Rouge Region is home to a civilian labor force of 355,000 with a five-year growth rate of 5.6%.
According to the Louisiana Department of Education, in 2003, 51% of graduating high school seniors went on to 2- and 4- year colleges. 68% of private high school graduates went on to college as did 47% that graduated from a public high school. Approximately 49% of high school graduates are able to enter the workforce directly from high school.
| Parish | High School Graduate
or higher |
Bachelor's Degree or higher |
| Ascension | 80% | 14% |
| East Baton Rouge | 89% | 30% |
| East Feliciana | 71% | 11% |
| Iberville | 66% | 10% |
| Livingston | 77% | 11% |
| Point Coupee | 69% | 13% |
| St. Helena | 66% | 11% |
| West Baton Rouge | 73% | 11% |
| West Feliciana | 53% | 11% |
Louisiana has skilled manufacturing laborers, with experienced workers in almost every type of industrial job. According to data released by the Bureau of Census in the Annual Survey of Manufacturers, Louisiana manufacturing workers are 1st in productivity measured by value of shipments per production worker, and are 4th most productive in the United States in value added per production worker (Bureau of Census, November 2002). http://www.census.gov/econ/overview/ma0300.html
Distribution by Industry
Wage Rates
| Occupation | 2005 Wage ($) |
| Accountant | 45,130 |
| Auto Service Tech. | 31,200 |
| Carpenter | 31,940 |
| Chemical Tech. | 48,090 |
| Comp. Operator | 27,610 |
| Electrician | 37,110 |
| Exec. Assistant | 30,800 |
| File Clerk | 17,650 |
| Crane & Tower | 35,310 |
| Janitor | 16,520 |
| Mach. Maintenance | 38,910 |
| Painters/Construction | 29,440 |
| Posting Clerk | 24,080 |
| Production Manager | 53,750 |
| Receptionist | 18,500 |
| Security Guard | 20,750 |
| Trucking, Light | 25,550 |
| Trucking, Heavy | 30,010 |
| Welder | 33,230 |
| Word Processor | 25,230 |
Source: Louisiana Occupational Employment Survey, November 2005, Louisiana Department of Labor
Click here for full list of weekly wages by industry for the Baton Rouge MSA and Louisiana.
Training
The Baton Rouge Community College offers an Incumbent Worker Training Program (IWTP) as a partnership between Louisiana Department of Labor (LDOL), business and industry and a training provider, such as Baton Rouge Community College (BRCC). The IWTP is designed to benefit business and industry by assisting in the skill development of existing employees and thereby increasing employee productivity and the growth of the company. The BRCC also offers a number of Health Care Professional Certification training programs.
There are six branches of the Louisiana Technical College located throughout the Baton Rouge region. Workforce training programs include automotive technology, aviation maintenance technology, diesel powered equipment technology, electromechanical technology, industrial maintenance technology, pipefitter fabrication, pipe welder apprenticeship, practical nursing, respiratory therapists, sheetmetal apprenticeship, shipfitter fabrication, and welding, among other programs.
Louisiana Business and Technology Center (LBTC), located on the LSU Campus, is dedicated to small business development of both new and existing businesses.
LBTC provides the following services:
- Small business incubation services
- Management assistance and small business counseling services
- Technology transfer and commercialization assistance and SBIR/STTR assistance
- Financial analysis in preparation for access to capital
- Entrepreneurial educational training
- Referral to fee-based professional and advisor resources
Availability
The Baton Rouge MSA has a current unemployment rate of 3.8%. The unemployment rate measures those actively seeking jobs. A more accurate measurement of the potential labor force is the employment rate. The Baton Rouge MSA employment rate is 64.4%.
Total population 16 years and over
= 485,303
Eligible working age population that is employed
= 312,905
Employment rate
= 312,905/485,303
= 64.4%
The Baton Rouge MSA employment rate is higher than the national average of 63.0%. It should be noted that the employment rate differs considerably from the unemployment rate in that the employment rate is measuring employed as a percent of the population 16 years of age and over while the unemployment rate measures the unemployed as a percent of the labor force.
