State lending data
SBA lending in Louisiana
1,610 SBA 7(a) loans went to businesses in Louisiana recently, at a median of $200,000. The lenders that made them, what they charged, and how the state is trending.
1,610 SBA 7(a) loans went to businesses in Louisiana in the most recent fiscal years, at a median of $200,000. The most active lender in the state was American Bank, with 144 loans. Approvals are down 28.2% on the year.
SBA lending in Louisiana, by the numbers
Every figure here is computed from SBA 7(a) loan-level FOIA data released 2026-06-30 — loans actually approved to businesses in Louisiana, not advertised ranges.
| Measure | Louisiana | National |
|---|---|---|
| Loans approved | 1,610 | 214,102 |
| Total approved | $923.8 million | $104.1 billion |
| Median loan | $200,000 | $150,000 |
| 25th – 75th percentile | $100,000 – $568,250 | $50,000 – $500,000 |
| Median term | 10 years | 10 years |
| Median initial rate | 10.50% | 10.25% |
| Share to startups | 34.3% | 33.6% |
| Charge-off rate, FY2010–19 | 8.7% | 7.1% |
| Jobs supported | 18,478 | 2,142,602 |
| Parishes with recorded lending | 61 | — |
| Lenders active in the state | 125 | — |
Is SBA lending in Louisiana growing or shrinking?
Shrinking, along with almost every other state. Comparing December 2025 to June 2026 with December 2024 to June 2025, the same months a year earlier, 7(a) approvals to businesses in Louisiana went from 305 to 219 loans, down 28.2% — while the dollars approved went from $179.3 million to $117.7 million, down 34.3%. The average approval fell from $587,903 to $537,585, so the change is weighted toward smaller loans.
Louisiana is falling harder than most of the country: 42nd of 51 for year-on-year change, against a national decline of 21.0%.
| Fiscal year | Loans in Louisiana | Loans nationally | State share |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2023 | 379 | 51,747 | 0.7% |
| FY2024 | 511 | 62,618 | 0.8% |
| FY2025 | 475 | 64,096 | 0.7% |
| FY2026 (part year) | 245 | 35,641 | 0.7% |
Which lenders actually fund businesses in Louisiana
Ranked by loans approved inside Louisiana. The median, startup share and rate columns describe each lender's own Louisiana loans, not its national averages — the same bank often writes very different business from one state to the next.
| Lender | Loans | Median loan | Startup share | Median rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Bank | 144 | $290,450 | 48% | 10.50% |
| Newtek Bank | 137 | $150,000 | 13% | 11.00% |
| Hancock Whitney Bank | 99 | $295,000 | 43% | 10.50% |
| The Huntington National Bank | 93 | $294,000 | 56% | 10.50% |
| Readycap Lending, LLC | 87 | $50,000 | 6% | 14.00% |
| Northeast Bank | 81 | $75,000 | 6% | 10.75% |
| JPMorgan Chase Bank | 76 | $114,550 | 12% | 13.15% |
| b1BANK | 67 | $307,000 | 54% | 10.25% |
| BayFirst National Bank | 66 | $150,000 | 0% | 12.25% |
| Live Oak Banking Company | 55 | $1,180,000 | 18% | 9.25% |
| Fidelity Bank | 37 | $127,000 | 49% | 9.75% |
| Celtic Bank Corporation | 36 | $111,200 | 19% | 10.75% |
What stands out about Louisiana
Reading the state's own figures against the national picture:
- Loans here run larger than average. The median of $200,000 is 33% above the $150,000 national median. Expect lenders in this market to be geared toward bigger deals, and expect a small request to get less attention.
- Startup share is close to average, at 34.3% against 33.6% nationally.
Who borrows in Louisiana
The industry mix of SBA borrowers here, led by construction.
| Sector | Loans | Share | Median loan | To startups |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction | 236 | 14.7% | $155,950 | 25% |
| Restaurants and Hotels | 220 | 13.7% | $350,000 | 51% |
| Retail | 186 | 11.6% | $200,000 | 26% |
| Healthcare | 172 | 10.7% | $200,000 | 42% |
| Personal Services | 156 | 9.7% | $150,000 | 36% |
| Professional Services | 143 | 8.9% | $192,500 | 22% |
| Admin Services | 88 | 5.5% | $150,000 | 36% |
| Manufacturing | 72 | 4.5% | $346,350 | 39% |
| Trucking | 66 | 4.1% | $150,000 | 20% |
| Wholesale | 60 | 3.7% | $200,000 | 23% |
| Arts and Recreation | 58 | 3.6% | $210,000 | 55% |
| Finance | 39 | 2.4% | $284,400 | 18% |
Where the money goes in Louisiana
SBA lending is more concentrated than state totals suggest, and Jefferson Parish alone accounts for 13% of the state's loans.
| Parish | Loans | Median loan | Total approved |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson Parish | 211 | $150,000 | $113.0 million |
| East Baton Rouge Parish | 185 | $200,000 | $108.8 million |
| Orleans Parish | 182 | $190,000 | $94.6 million |
| Saint Tammany Parish | 168 | $250,000 | $89.6 million |
| Lafayette Parish | 138 | $173,350 | $77.1 million |
| Caddo Parish | 78 | $183,750 | $37.2 million |
| Ascension Parish | 69 | $240,000 | $26.6 million |
| Calcasieu Parish | 64 | $186,300 | $33.1 million |
| Livingston Parish | 41 | $200,000 | $14.3 million |
| Terrebonne Parish | 36 | $285,000 | $22.9 million |
| Ouachita Parish | 35 | $257,400 | $20.8 million |
| Tangipahoa Parish | 35 | $180,000 | $13.7 million |
SBA 504 in Louisiana
7(a) is the general-purpose program. 504 is the one for buying the building or the heavy equipment, at a long fixed rate — a different program with its own lenders, called Certified Development Companies.
| Measure | Louisiana 504 | National 504 |
|---|---|---|
| Projects approved | 66 | 22,192 |
| Median CDC share | $837,000 | $730,000 |
| Median total project | $2,113,000 | $1,642,000 |
| Median term | 25 years | 25 years |
- Which CDCs operate here, and on what terms: SBA 504 in Louisiana
- How the two programs differ: SBA 504 loans and SBA 7(a) loans
How to use this page
- Start from the lender table, not a search engine. Shortlist three whose median loan in Louisiana is near what you need. Size match beats brand.
- Follow your industry link in the sector table for the lenders that fund your kind of business in this state specifically.
- Then your county, if it is listed, for the local picture.
- Check the payment before you apply with the affordability calculator — lenders decline on cash flow more than on anything else.
- Filter the whole lender file yourself in the lender finder if you want to combine state, industry, loan size and business age at once.
Other states
- States of comparable lending volume: Kentucky, Oklahoma, New Hampshire, Alabama, Idaho, Kansas, California, Florida
Questions people actually ask
How many SBA loans are approved in Louisiana each year?
1,610 SBA 7(a) loans were approved to businesses in Louisiana across fiscal years 2023 to 2026, using data released June 2026, worth $923.8 million in total. Over the most recent comparable months the number of approvals ran down 28.2% year on year, while the dollars approved ran down 34.3%.
Which bank approves the most SBA loans in Louisiana?
American Bank, with 144 loans approved to businesses in the state and a median loan of $290,450. That makes it the most active, not necessarily the best fit — a lender whose median is far from your number is usually the wrong call.
Do I have to use a lender based in Louisiana?
No. SBA lenders routinely lend across state lines and several of the largest are non-bank lenders with no branches at all. What the state data tells you is which institutions are already comfortable with businesses like yours here.