New Orleans Hourly Wage & Salary 2026
New Orleans, LA: $22.73/hr median hourly wage, $47,290 median annual salary, cost of living index 96, and $7.25/hr minimum wage. Calculate take-home pay with federal and Louisiana taxes.
New Orleans Hourly Wage Quick Answer
The median hourly wage in New Orleans, LA is $22.73/hr,and the median annual wage is $47,290. Entry-level pay estimates around $14.09/hr, senior-level pay estimates around $32.28/hr, and the local minimum wage is $7.25/hr.
Median figures: BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, New Orleans-Metairie, LA metropolitan statistical area (445,550 jobs). BLS publishes wages by metro area, not by city, so New Orleans shares this figure with the rest of its metro. Entry and senior levels are Salario estimates.
Median Salary
$47,290
$22.73/hr
Cost of Living
96
US avg = 100
Minimum Wage
$7.25
per hour
Unemployment
4.5%
rate
New Orleans, LA Overview
Population
383,997
Median Salary
$47,290
Average Salary
$61,050
Avg Commute
26 min
Median Home Price
$250,000
Median Rent
$1,200/mo
Job Growth
+1%
Sales Tax
9.45%
New Orleans is located in Louisiana with a population of 383,997. The median annual wage across all occupations is $47,290 ($22.73/hour, BLS OEWS May 2025, New Orleans-Metairie, LA metro), which is $3,690 below the national median of $50,980. The national median is the BLS OEWS May 2025 all-occupations median annual wage. The average commute time is 26 minutes, and the city has a job growth rate of +1%.
New Orleans Salary by Experience Level (2026)
Wage distribution in New Orleans, LA built around the $47,290 median salary (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, New Orleans-Metairie, LA metro). Entry-level represents 10th–25th percentile; mid-level is the median; senior-level represents 75th–90th percentile. The non-median rows are Salario estimates.
| Experience Level | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage | Years Exp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-Level | $29,320 | $14.09/hr | 0–2 years |
| Mid-Level (Median) | $47,290 | $22.73/hr | 3–7 years |
| Senior-Level | $67,152 | $32.28/hr | 8–15 years |
| Top 10% (90th Percentile) | $84,176 | $40.46/hr | 15+ years / leadership |
Percentile multipliers (62%, 100%, 142%, 178%) are Salario approximations of the typical all-occupations wage spread in BLS OEWS metro tables; only the median row is a published BLS value. Specific roles vary; see jobs by city for role-specific data.
New Orleans Paycheck Calculator
Enter your annual salary to see your estimated take-home pay in New Orleans, LA, after federal, state, and local taxes.
Estimated Annual Take-Home Pay
$39,145
$3,262.09/month · $1,505.58/biweekly · Effective Rate: 17.2%
Biweekly paycheck estimate: this salary equals about $1,505.58 take-home per paycheck after estimated Louisiana and federal taxes. For the 26-paycheck formula, three-paycheck months, and withholding examples, see the Biweekly Paycheck Calculator.
Gross Pay
$47,290
Federal Tax
-$3,495
State Tax
-$1,032
Local Tax
$0
FICA
-$3,618
Net Pay
$39,145
Pay Breakdown
| Item | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary | $3,940.83 | $47,290.00 |
| Federal Income Tax | -$291.23 | -$3,494.80 |
| Louisiana State Tax (2.18% eff.) | -$86.04 | -$1,032.45 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | -$244.33 | -$2,931.98 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | -$57.14 | -$685.71 |
| Net Take-Home Pay | $3,262.09 | $39,145.07 |
Salary Comparison: New Orleans vs Other Cities
See how New Orleans's median salary and cost of living compare to the national average and similar cities.
| City | Median Salary | COL Index | Adj. Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans, LA | $47,290 | 96 | $49,260 |
| National Average | $50,980 | 100 | $50,980 |
| Metairie, LA | $47,290 | 89.4 | $52,897 |
| Kenner, LA | $47,290 | 92.5 | $51,124 |
| Marrero, LA | $47,290 | 89.5 | $52,838 |
| Horizon West, FL | $47,279 | 101.8 | $46,443 |
Adjusted salary reflects purchasing power when cost of living is factored in. A higher adjusted salary means your money goes further.
Cost of Living in New Orleans
New Orleans's cost of living index is 96 (national average = 100). Living in New Orleans is 4% less expensive than the national average.
Median Home Price
$250,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,200
Annual Rent Cost
$14,400
Your Salary's Purchasing Power
Your $39,145 annual take-home pay in New Orleans has the purchasing power of approximately $40,776 in an average-cost US area. Your $47,290 salary stretches further here than in most US cities.
Top Industries in New Orleans
New Orleans's economy is driven by these key industries. Workers in top industries often earn significantly above the median salary of $47,290.
Salary Tips for New Orleans Workers
- Research top industries. New Orleans's top industries include Tourism, Energy, Healthcare. Targeting roles in these sectors can help you earn above the $47,290 median salary.
- Review your W-4 withholding. If you regularly receive large tax refunds, adjust your W-4 to increase your per-paycheck take-home pay instead of giving the government an interest-free loan.
Other Cities in Louisiana
Prairieville
Shreveport
Slidell
Alexandria
Baton Rouge
Bossier City
Central
Houma
Kenner
Lafayette
Lake Charles
Laplace
Methodology & Local Economy Data Sources
How we calculate New Orleans salary data: The median annual wage, median hourly wage and mean wage are the official BLS OEWS May 2025 all-occupations values for the New Orleans-Metairie, LA metropolitan statistical area, retrieved from the BLS Public Data API on September 17, 2026. BLS does not publish city-level wages, so every city inside that metro shows the same figure. The entry/senior/top-10% rows, the paycheck estimate and the purchasing-power conversion are Salario calculations built on that median. Cost-of-living adjustments use the C2ER Cost of Living Index baseline of 100 (national average), with New Orleans indexed at 96.
- Median salary: $47,290 annual, $22.73 hourly, BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, New Orleans-Metairie, LA MSA (445,550 jobs surveyed). Mean wage $61,050 (BLS). Salario's previous modeled median for New Orleans was $52,000.
- Tax burden reflects Louisiana 2026 state income tax brackets and standard deduction (top rate 3%) (no local income tax), sales tax (9.45%), and federal taxes per IRS 2026 brackets.
- Unemployment rate for New Orleans: 4.5%, sourced from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS).
- Top industries: Tourism, Energy, Healthcare, based on QCEW employment concentration data.
- Job growth: 1% projected through 2034, derived from BLS Employment Projections program for Louisiana.
- Housing context: median home price $250,000, median rent $1,200/mo, sourced from Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
Authoritative US data sources for New Orleans, LA:
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), metropolitan area salary data
- BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, New Orleans unemployment rate
- U.S. Census Bureau, New Orleans QuickFacts, population, housing, demographics
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), county-level industry employment
- BLS Economy at a Glance, Louisiana, state economic indicators
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), local GDP and personal income data
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U), regional inflation tracking
Disclaimer: Salary and cost data are estimates for general guidance. Individual compensation varies by employer, experience, education, negotiation, and skills. New Orleans's rapidly changing economy can shift these baselines, always verify with current job listings, employer offers, and recent Louisiana labor market reports for the most current figures.
Reviewed by Harlan Voss · Last updated September 17, 2026 · Wage figures: BLS OEWS May 2025 release (published May 2026) · Census data current as of latest releases
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the hourly wage in New Orleans, LA?
The median hourly wage in New Orleans, LA is $22.73 per hour, the BLS OEWS May 2025 median for all occupations in the New Orleans-Metairie, LA metropolitan area, and the BLS median annual wage is $47,290. Entry-level workers are estimated around $14.09/hr, while senior-level workers are estimated around $32.28/hr before overtime, bonuses, or benefits (Salario estimates, not BLS percentiles).
What is the median salary in New Orleans, LA?
The median salary in New Orleans, LA is $47,290 per year, or $22.73 per hour (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, New Orleans-Metairie, LA metro area). The BLS mean salary is $61,050. This is $3,690 below the BLS national median of $50,980.
What is the cost of living in New Orleans, LA?
New Orleans's cost of living index is 96 (national average = 100), meaning it is 4% less expensive compared to the national average. The median home price is $250,000 and the median monthly rent is $1,200.
What are the best industries in New Orleans?
The top industries in New Orleans, LA include Tourism, Energy, Healthcare. The city has a job growth rate of 1% and an unemployment rate of 4.5%. Workers in these industries often earn above the city's median salary of $47,290.
How does New Orleans's salary compare to other cities?
New Orleans's median salary of $47,290 is 7.2% below the national median of $50,980. However, when adjusted for cost of living (index: 96), the real purchasing power is approximately $49,260.
What is the minimum wage in New Orleans, LA?
The minimum wage in New Orleans, LA is $7.25 per hour. This equals approximately $15,080 per year for a full-time worker (40 hours/week). This matches the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hour.