A new university study predicts that Louisiana will gain 35,800 jobs over the next two years, with Monroe adding jobs at the highest rate and New Orleans, still struggling to rebuild after Hurricane Katrina, adding jobs at the slowest pace. The study also highlights two wild cards that could change the numbers significantly. The first is a proposed federal tax on petroleum production and the other is carbon legislation, both of which could have huge impact on petrochemical manufacturing. If neither bills pass, the job growth could be substantially higher.

New Orleans continues to struggle after Katrina, and in addition to declining tourism revenue, the area expects to lose jobs at the Michoud Assembly Facility as the space shuttle program ends. Businesses are reluctant to open new facilities in and around the city due to fears of levee safety.