The jobless rate rose to 6.5 from 6.2 percent in March, though it remained below April 2012's 6.8 percent rate.
Louisiana's unemployment rate rose in April for the fourth straight month, as fewer people reported having work.
While the labor force was basically flat, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of people who said they had a job fell by nearly 5,000.
The jobless rate rose to 6.5 from 6.2 percent in March, though it remained below April 2012's 6.8 percent rate.
A separate survey of employer payrolls was more positive. Those numbers, also published by BLS, shows payrolls were flat from March, but continued to hover just below Louisiana's all-time high. About 16,000 more people had a job than in April 2012.
The number of unemployed Louisianans rose to 135,000 in April, up from 129,000 in March. About 142,000 people were unemployed in April 2012.