Updated May 2026 · BLS OEWS 2025 reference period
New Orleans, LA Average Salary 2026
Cost of living, occupation-by-occupation pay, and percentile ranges from official BLS data.
The average salary in New Orleans, LA, Louisiana is $99,947 as of 2026, based on Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (2025 reference period) covering 60 occupations and roughly 77,440 workers. Adjusted for New Orleans, LA's cost-of-living index of 95.9, that nominal average translates to $104,220 of purchasing power in an average-cost U.S. metro. The highest-paying tracked occupation is Family Medicine Physician at $332,690; the lowest is Automotive Technician at $49,190.
New Orleans, LA, LA sits near the national cost-of-living baseline (index 95.9). 60 occupations are reported here with median wages averaging $99,947.
Highest-paying role in New Orleans, LA on BLS data is Family Medicine Physician at $332,690 median. Top-paying roles in any U.S. city skew toward physicians, executives, tech specialists, and licensed professionals; the specific ranking varies with the local industry mix. Cities at the national cost-of-living baseline are useful reference points for cross-region comparisons — the gross wage and adjusted wage are roughly equivalent, so headline comparisons work.
Salaries by Occupation in New Orleans, LA
| Role | Category | Median | Range (10th–90th) | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Family Medicine Physician | Healthcare | $332,690 | $190,750 – $464,410 | 250 |
| Dentist | Healthcare | $198,050 | $101,880 – $323,930 | 270 |
| Business Professor (Postsecondary) | Education | $137,540 | $58,030 – $262,590 | 240 |
| Optometrist | Healthcare | $136,200 | $51,140 – $199,010 | 50 |
| Financial Manager | Finance | $134,110 | $84,250 – $229,630 | 1,970 |
| Computer and Information Systems Manager | Technology | $131,570 | $69,000 – $210,570 | 800 |
| Veterinarian | Healthcare | $128,360 | $71,230 – $169,070 | 200 |
| Pharmacist | Healthcare | $128,100 | $86,060 – $155,240 | 1,470 |
| Industrial Engineer | Engineering | $127,340 | $83,530 – $170,530 | 460 |
| Marketing Manager | Management | $126,740 | $76,440 – $222,270 | 250 |
| Computer Network Architect | Technology | $126,260 | $80,420 – $171,260 | 110 |
| Electrical Engineer | Engineering | $125,120 | $78,340 – $176,580 | 220 |
| Nurse Practitioner | Healthcare | $124,800 | $105,570 – $157,690 | 1,270 |
| Physician Assistant | Healthcare | $124,580 | $108,740 – $169,060 | 400 |
| Lawyer | Legal | $121,290 | $62,530 – $290,190 | 4,330 |
| Medical and Health Services Manager | Healthcare | $120,700 | $75,920 – $216,550 | 1,810 |
| Sales Manager | Management | $118,540 | $67,710 – $222,320 | 1,000 |
| Mechanical Engineer | Engineering | $117,990 | $75,340 – $170,810 | 530 |
| Human Resources Manager | Management | $116,350 | $81,150 – $201,780 | 350 |
| Engineers (Other) | Engineering | $110,970 | $64,060 – $167,700 | 1,050 |
| Information Security Analyst | Technology | $109,110 | $72,720 – $147,180 | 160 |
| Software Quality Assurance Analyst | Technology | $108,990 | $75,570 – $136,990 | 80 |
| Civil Engineer | Engineering | $108,240 | $70,000 – $156,760 | 1,070 |
| Software Developer | Technology | $106,950 | $77,760 – $161,260 | 940 |
| General and Operations Manager | Management | $105,110 | $53,040 – $240,450 | 10,670 |
| Occupational Therapist | Healthcare | $102,520 | $64,890 – $124,870 | 390 |
| Financial Examiner | Finance | $101,200 | $60,740 – $166,160 | 70 |
| Physical Therapist | Healthcare | $100,530 | $60,150 – $123,900 | 710 |
| Data Scientist | Technology | $98,390 | $59,560 – $130,530 | 200 |
| Architect | Engineering | $97,950 | $56,280 – $157,530 | 420 |
| Computer Systems Analyst | Technology | $97,240 | $70,050 – $136,890 | 940 |
| Management Analyst | Management | $95,100 | $58,640 – $170,600 | 1,600 |
| Computer Occupations (Other) | Technology | $94,520 | $48,190 – $136,990 | 1,760 |
| Dental Hygienist | Healthcare | $93,650 | $45,840 – $98,330 | 840 |
| Network Architect | Technology | $91,570 | $61,530 – $152,460 | 360 |
| Operations Research Analyst | Technology | $89,670 | $60,780 – $128,610 | 80 |
| Registered Nurse | Healthcare | $81,850 | $65,660 – $103,180 | 11,530 |
| Writer/Author | Creative | $79,020 | $29,740 – $123,040 | 120 |
| Accountant | Finance | $77,940 | $52,630 – $121,170 | 3,740 |
| Financial Analyst | Finance | $77,860 | $56,990 – $132,830 | 560 |
| Speech-Language Pathologist | Healthcare | $77,420 | $63,410 – $102,380 | 550 |
| Computer Programmer | Technology | $77,220 | $37,690 – $96,370 | 550 |
| Database Architect | Technology | $76,990 | $52,940 – $140,720 | 70 |
| Web Designer | Technology | $75,340 | $44,410 – $123,050 | 0 |
| Personal Financial Advisor | Finance | $74,990 | $43,150 – $403,680 | 440 |
| Web Developer | Technology | $73,280 | $45,770 – $94,380 | 50 |
| Public Relations Specialist | Creative | $68,600 | $45,390 – $115,920 | 490 |
| Market Research Analyst | Management | $65,590 | $30,490 – $115,140 | 1,580 |
| Paralegal | Legal | $64,780 | $41,040 – $79,880 | 2,120 |
| Welder | Trades | $63,270 | $45,520 – $82,600 | 2,000 |
| Electrician | Trades | $62,490 | $38,990 – $82,530 | 2,240 |
| Plumber | Trades | $62,450 | $39,220 – $79,690 | 1,510 |
| Loan Officer | Finance | $62,240 | $46,180 – $132,860 | 470 |
| Secondary School Teacher | Education | $60,750 | $48,810 – $77,090 | 2,860 |
| Elementary School Teacher | Education | $60,350 | $47,010 – $75,550 | 4,400 |
| Computer Network Support Specialist | Technology | $59,780 | $45,280 – $95,570 | 250 |
| Clinical Laboratory Technologist | Healthcare | $55,540 | $29,900 – $91,340 | 1,030 |
| Graphic Designer | Creative | $51,710 | $37,460 – $87,850 | 560 |
| Carpenter | Trades | $50,130 | $37,250 – $73,040 | 1,390 |
| Automotive Technician | Trades | $49,190 | $31,640 – $80,440 | 1,610 |
What These Numbers Tell You
The single highest-paying occupation tracked in New Orleans, LA is Family Medicine Physician, with a median of $332,690 and a 90th-percentile reading of $464,410. That $273,660 spread between the 10th and 90th percentiles is typical for a role of this seniority — entry-level workers cluster near the bottom of the band, while senior specialists and managers earn at the top.
Across all 60 BLS-tracked occupations in New Orleans, LA, the average median salary is $99,947. The top five roles average $187,718 — about 1.9× the citywide average — which is the expected shape for a U.S. metro economy: a small concentration of high-skill, high-credential occupations sits well above the broader middle.
New Orleans, LA sits close to the U.S. average on cost of living (index 95.9). Headline salary numbers translate roughly one-for-one into purchasing power — useful as a national benchmark city when comparing offers across markets.
Salary Negotiation in New Orleans, LA
For salary negotiation in New Orleans, LA, the practical input is the percentile band for your role and city, not the citywide average. The OEWS publishes 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentile wages for every metro and occupation; you can find your role's exact percentile in the table above and use the SalaryTruth percentile calculator to anchor your offer. Cost-of-living index 95.9 should also factor in any cross-metro comparison.
For city-vs-city moves, the right benchmark is COL-adjusted pay rather than nominal pay. Our COL-adjusted salaries guide shows the exact math; the negotiation playbook covers how to use BLS percentile bands to anchor offers.
How New Orleans, LA Salary Data Is Built
Wages on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program — a federal survey of more than 1.2 million U.S. establishments, published once per year by Metropolitan Statistical Area and Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code. We pull the BLS data file for New Orleans, LA, match each occupation against our role catalog, and surface percentile wages alongside employment counts. The cost-of-living index (95.9) is a composite of housing, food, transportation, and utility data from public sources, calibrated to a U.S. national average of 100. Read the full methodology.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average salary in New Orleans, LA in 2026?
The average salary in New Orleans, LA is $99,947 as of 2026, based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics' OEWS 2025 release covering 60 occupations. The mean (employment-weighted average) gives slightly more weight to large occupations; the median across roles is also close to $99,947. The top-paying role is Family Medicine Physician at $332,690.
Is $100,000 a good salary in New Orleans, LA?
In New Orleans, LA, $100,000 has the purchasing power of $104,275 in an average-cost U.S. metro (COL index 95.9). That is above $100K of buying power — a $100K salary stretches further in New Orleans, LA than in most U.S. metros. Compared to the city's average median of $99,947, $100K is above the typical worker.
What are the highest-paying jobs in New Orleans, LA?
The top-paying tracked occupations in New Orleans, LA are Family Medicine Physician ($332,690), Dentist ($198,050), Business Professor (Postsecondary) ($137,540), and Optometrist ($136,200). Across the top 10, median salaries range from $126,740 to $332,690. See the full ranking at /ranking/highest-paying-jobs/new-orleans.
How does New Orleans, LA's cost of living affect salaries?
New Orleans, LA has a cost-of-living index of 95.9, 4% below the U.S. national average. A nominal salary of $99,947 in this metro has the equivalent purchasing power of $104,220 in an average-cost U.S. city. Housing is the dominant driver of this gap; in higher-COL markets, mortgage or rent typically eats 5–15 percentage points more of pre-tax pay than in average-cost metros.
How many people are employed in New Orleans, LA?
Across the 60 BLS-tracked occupations on this page, total employment in the New Orleans, LA metro is approximately 77,440. BLS OEWS sample-based estimates cover all major occupational categories but exclude very small or volatile fields where the sample is too thin to publish.
Where does this New Orleans, LA salary data come from?
Every wage figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program at bls.gov/oes — public domain federal survey data covering about 1.2 million U.S. employers. The same data is used by the U.S. Department of Labor for prevailing wage determinations.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, New Orleans, LA MSA, 2026 release. Public domain. See bls.gov/oes. Cite as: "SalaryTruth, BLS OEWS 2026."
Last refreshed 2026-05-21 · 60 occupations · COL Index 95.9.