Louisiana’s paycheck math turns on one choice on Form L-4, the state withholding certificate. Block A asks which standard deduction to claim: none, the single amount, or the larger amount for married couples filing jointly, surviving spouses and heads of household. Your employer subtracts that deduction from annualized pay and applies a single flat withholding rate to the rest. If the calculator’s state settings are left blank, it follows your federal filing status to pick the deduction.
The form matters because of what happens without it. An employee who never hands in an L-4 is withheld on with no standard deduction at all, so every dollar of pay is taxed from the first paycheck. A new hire who skips the form will see a larger state line on the stub than the calculator’s default shows, until an L-4 is on file.
The rate itself is worth a note. Louisiana taxes income at one flat rate, and the Department of Revenue sets the withholding rate slightly above it. That small cushion means withholding tends to run a little ahead of the final bill rather than behind it. Line 7 of the L-4 lets you adjust the amount each paycheck in either direction; a decrease can bring Louisiana withholding down to zero but not below it. Workers who expect to owe nothing claim exemption on a separate form, the L-4E.
Parishes and cities in Louisiana do not tax wages, so there is no local line to account for, and the state has no payroll levy for paid leave or disability. Louisiana also has no reciprocal agreements. Residents of Mississippi or Arkansas who work in Louisiana have Louisiana tax withheld and claim a credit at home, while commuters from Texas pay Louisiana tax with no home-state tax to set it against. Enter your work and home states in the calculator to see the result.
How Louisiana taxes your paycheck
State income tax withholding
On the tax return, Louisiana taxes income at a single rate of 3%. Employers withhold at a slightly higher flat rate, 3.09%, so withholding runs a little ahead of the tax; the return settles the difference. The withholding figures here follow Louisiana's own instructions for employers.
For a single filer paid every two weeks, Louisiana withholds 1.8% of a $30,000 salary and 2.8% of $150,000:
| Salary | Louisiana tax withheld | Share of pay |
|---|---|---|
| $30,000 | $529 | 1.8% |
| $50,000 | $1,147 | 2.3% |
| $75,000 | $1,920 | 2.6% |
| $100,000 | $2,692 | 2.7% |
| $150,000 | $4,237 | 2.8% |
City and county taxes
No Louisiana city or county withholds income tax from wages, so state income tax is the only Louisiana line on your pay stub.
Living in one state and working in another
Louisiana has no reciprocal agreements, so it withholds from everyone who works there, wherever they live. If you live elsewhere, your home state may withhold too, usually less a credit for the Louisiana tax.
Enter both states in the calculator to see the credit at work; the guide to reciprocity agreements lists every pair of states that has one.
Louisiana take-home pay by salary
Net pay per paycheck at each salary, single with no 401(k), benefits or extra withholding, living and working in Louisiana. It runs from $990.61 every two weeks on $30,000 to $4,213.61 on $150,000. For a 401(k), health premiums or a different filing status, use the calculator above.
| Salary | Weekly | Every two weeks | Twice a month | Monthly | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $30,000 | $495.29 | $990.61 | $1,073.15 | $2,146.32 | $25,756 |
| $40,000 | $643.89 | $1,287.76 | $1,395.08 | $2,790.15 | $33,482 |
| $50,000 | $792.46 | $1,584.93 | $1,716.98 | $3,433.99 | $41,208 |
| $60,000 | $941.04 | $1,882.06 | $2,038.91 | $4,077.82 | $48,934 |
| $75,000 | $1,147.56 | $2,295.11 | $2,486.37 | $4,972.73 | $59,673 |
| $90,000 | $1,341.57 | $2,683.15 | $2,906.74 | $5,813.48 | $69,762 |
| $100,000 | $1,470.93 | $2,941.84 | $3,187.00 | $6,373.98 | $76,488 |
| $125,000 | $1,793.05 | $3,586.10 | $3,884.95 | $7,769.91 | $93,239 |
| $150,000 | $2,106.81 | $4,213.61 | $4,564.74 | $9,129.48 | $109,554 |
Hourly pay after tax in Louisiana
At 40 hours a week, $25.00 an hour comes to $822.17 in a weekly paycheck and $42,753 over the year, which is $20.55 for each hour worked. Overtime, tips and a different schedule change these figures: switch the calculator to its Hourly tab to enter them.
| Hourly wage | Weekly paycheck | Year | Per hour after tax |
|---|---|---|---|
| $15.00 | $513.13 | $26,683 | $12.83 |
| $20.00 | $667.65 | $34,718 | $16.69 |
| $25.00 | $822.17 | $42,753 | $20.55 |
| $30.00 | $976.69 | $50,788 | $24.42 |
| $40.00 | $1,253.62 | $65,188 | $31.34 |
| $50.00 | $1,522.66 | $79,178 | $38.07 |
Worked example: the median wage in Louisiana
The median annual wage in Louisiana is $45,520: half of all jobs pay more and half pay less, in the Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey for May 2025 (all occupations; survey date May 31, 2025). Paid every two weeks as a single filer, with no 401(k) or benefits, that salary works out like this.
| Line | Each paycheck | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $1,750.77 | $45,520.00 |
| Federal income tax | $126.25 | $3,282.49 |
| Social Security | $108.55 | $2,822.30 |
| Medicare | $25.39 | $660.14 |
| Louisiana income tax | $38.80 | $1,008.80 |
| Take-home pay | $1,451.78 | $37,746.27 |
You keep 82.9% of gross pay. Of the $7,774 withheld, federal income tax is the largest part at $3,282, followed by Social Security at $2,822.
Louisiana paycheck questions
How much is $45,520 a year after taxes in Louisiana?
Paid every two weeks as a single filer with no pre-tax deductions, $45,520 a year in Louisiana leaves $37,746 after tax, or $1,451.78 a paycheck. Federal income tax takes $3,282 and Social Security and Medicare $3,482; Louisiana income tax takes $1,009. $45,520 is the median annual wage for all jobs in Louisiana in the Bureau of Labor Statistics survey for May 2025.
Is Louisiana income tax a flat rate?
Yes. On the tax return, Louisiana taxes income at a single rate of 3%. Employers withhold at a slightly higher flat rate, 3.09%, so withholding runs a little ahead of the tax; the return settles the difference. At the median wage, Louisiana withholds 2.2% of gross pay.
I live in another state and work in Louisiana. Which state withholds?
Louisiana has no reciprocal agreements, so it withholds from everyone who works there. Your home state may withhold too, usually less a credit for the Louisiana tax.
What is $75,000 a year biweekly in Louisiana?
$2,295.11 a paycheck, single, with no 401(k) or other deductions. Paid twice a month it is $2,486.37, and monthly $4,972.73. Over the year that is $59,673.
Sources
Rules checked . How we calculate.