StateRates

New Orleans-Metairie salaries

The median worker in the New Orleans-Metairie, LA metro area earned $45,970 a year in 2024, about $22.10 an hour. That ranks #221 of the 391 metro areas published here, 7.1% below the national median.

Louisiana

Median pay $45,970 $22.10 per hour
Vs national -7.1% U.S. $49,500
Workers 441,250 wage and salary
Metro rank #221 of 391 by median pay

What this labour market looks like

New Orleans-Metairie pays 5% more than Louisiana as a whole. Metros usually run ahead of their states because they concentrate higher-paying industries, and the gap is a rough measure of how much of a state's economy sits in its cities.

Housing here moved -0.5% over the year to 2026 Q2 and +8.5% over five years. Pay and house prices rarely move together, and where they diverge for long the affordability of an area changes even when nothing about the jobs does. House prices in New Orleans-Metairie.

Unusually concentrated here

Occupations against their national share, 2024
Occupation Concentration Employed Median
Sailors and Marine Oilers 24.08× 2,160 $39,130
Entertainers and Performers, Sports and Related Workers, All Other 23.92× 1,030 not reported
Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels 17.99× 1,820 $102,770
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Workers, All Other 17.2× 1,820 $66,190
Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers 15.93× 1,590 $105,860
Chemical Plant and System Operators 15× 770 $99,810
Material Moving Workers, All Other 9.53× 690 $50,430
Media and Communication Workers, All Other 7.67× 520 $60,420
Actors 6.06× 670 not reported
Miscellaneous Construction and Related Workers 5.91× 570 $59,430
Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other 4.75× 1,220 $28,490
Healthcare Support Workers, All Other 4.72× 1,400 $36,350

Best paid occupations

Highest median pay in New Orleans-Metairie
Occupation Median Hourly Employed
Dentists, General $208,050 $100.03 310
Architectural and Engineering Managers $163,280 $78.50 460
Commercial Pilots $153,990 n/a 250
Petroleum Engineers $143,400 $68.94 360
Industrial Engineers $139,130 $66.89 770
Industrial Production Managers $139,010 $66.83 530
Computer and Information Systems Managers $135,340 $65.07 660
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products $132,800 $63.85 400
Lawyers $131,220 $63.09 3,470
Pharmacists $128,250 $61.66 1,230
Financial Managers $127,860 $61.47 1,940
Nurse Practitioners $127,670 $61.38 1,040
Physician Assistants $126,480 $60.81 730
Mechanical Engineers $119,690 $57.54 550
Human Resources Managers $113,030 $54.34 380
Software Developers $112,450 $54.06 740
Engineers, All Other $112,450 $54.06 1,600
Electrical Engineers $108,620 $52.22 230
Construction Managers $108,100 $51.97 830
Administrative Services Managers $108,030 $51.94 610
Managers, All Other $106,280 $51.10 2,860
Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers $105,860 $50.89 1,590
Ship Engineers $105,420 $50.68 330
Sales Managers $105,290 $50.62 1,050
General and Operations Managers $104,790 $50.38 10,540
Medical and Health Services Managers $104,050 $50.02 1,490
Physical Therapists $102,990 $49.52 630
Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels $102,770 $49.41 1,820
Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers $102,630 $49.34 470
Marketing Managers $101,750 $48.92 270
Civil Engineers $100,130 $48.14 1,090
Chemical Plant and System Operators $99,810 $47.99 770
Occupational Therapists $98,230 $47.23 550
Computer Systems Analysts $97,430 $46.84 490
Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary $97,110 n/a 1,160
Management Analysts $97,060 $46.66 1,200
Business Teachers, Postsecondary $94,540 n/a 260
Computer Occupations, All Other $90,460 $43.49 1,780
Network and Computer Systems Administrators $88,990 $42.79 410
Chemical Technicians $88,800 $42.69 240
Personal Financial Advisors $85,580 $41.14 360
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health $84,760 $40.75 290
Designers, All Other $83,860 $40.32 290
Dental Hygienists $83,420 $40.11 720
Project Management Specialists $82,400 $39.62 1,910
Registered Nurses $81,920 $39.39 11,410
First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives $81,650 $39.25 760
Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers $81,110 $39.00 680
Social and Community Service Managers $81,030 $38.96 390
Occupational Health and Safety Specialists $80,630 $38.77 360
Postsecondary Teachers, All Other $80,310 n/a 1,430
Speech-Language Pathologists $79,290 $38.12 580
Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders $78,930 $37.95 1,210
Diagnostic Medical Sonographers $78,090 $37.55 300
Compliance Officers $77,710 $37.36 1,090
Respiratory Therapists $77,590 $37.30 590
Logisticians $77,570 $37.29 540
Architects, Except Landscape and Naval $76,760 $36.91 420
Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers $76,710 $36.88 240
First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers $76,010 $36.54 1,980

Where most people work

Largest occupations in New Orleans-Metairie by employment
Occupation Employed Median Hourly
Retail Salespersons 11,980 $29,840 $14.35
Registered Nurses 11,410 $81,920 $39.39
Cashiers 10,750 $26,690 $12.83
General and Operations Managers 10,540 $104,790 $50.38
Waiters and Waitresses 10,030 $18,380 $8.84
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand 9,400 $35,250 $16.95
Fast Food and Counter Workers 8,090 $26,710 $12.84
Food Preparation Workers 7,870 $24,150 $11.61
Office Clerks, General 7,270 $32,580 $15.66
Home Health and Personal Care Aides 6,380 $21,620 $10.39
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive 6,090 $39,860 $19.17
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners 6,060 $29,120 $14.00
Security Guards 5,980 $32,480 $15.61
Stockers and Order Fillers 5,760 $33,850 $16.27
Customer Service Representatives 5,560 $37,930 $18.23
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General 5,260 $42,060 $20.22
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers 5,050 $52,000 $25.00
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers 4,730 $59,880 $28.79
Construction Laborers 4,520 $42,490 $20.43
Cooks, Restaurant 4,410 $30,570 $14.70

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 state estimates. Wage and salary workers only, excluding the self-employed.

Other Louisiana metro areas

New Orleans-Metairie pay: common questions

What is the average salary in New Orleans-Metairie?

The median across all occupations is $45,970, or $22.10 an hour, covering 441,250 wage and salary workers. The mean is $59,690, higher because a small number of very large salaries pull an average upward.

Does New Orleans-Metairie pay more than the rest of Louisiana?

Yes. The metro median of $45,970 is 5% above the Louisiana median of $43,770. Metropolitan areas usually pay more than their states because they concentrate higher-paying industries, and usually cost more to live in for the same reason.

Which jobs pay best in New Orleans-Metairie?

Dentists, General ($208,050), Architectural and Engineering Managers ($163,280), Commercial Pilots ($153,990). Medical specialities top nearly every metro list, which reflects how the occupations are classified more than local conditions.

What is New Orleans-Metairie unusually full of?

Sailors and Marine Oilers, at 24.08× the national concentration. Location quotient is a better description of a local economy than its biggest employers, which are retail and food service almost everywhere.