High paying entry level jobs in New Orleans-Metairie, LA

These occupations in New Orleans-Metairie, LA ask for no prior experience in a related job and no on-the-job training period: you are expected to be productive on arrival. That is precisely why most of them want a specific qualification instead — the credential does the work the experience would have. Read the line under each title for what that qualification is; several here are doctorates. If you need something you can start without one, use the no-experience list.

Cost of living: prices in New Orleans-Metairie, LA run 7.4% below the national average (2024), so a New Orleans-Metairie, LA salary is worth about 1.08× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order.

Local wage estimates are suppressed more often than state ones — BLS withholds any figure too few local employers report — so an occupation missing here simply has no published local estimate.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in New Orleans-Metairie, LA

OccupationMedian, New Orleans-Metairie, LA · Employed

1Nurse Anesthetists$216,280
Master's degree
$209,900 – $384,800190
2Dentists, General$198,050
Doctoral or professional degree
$101,880 – $323,930270
3Petroleum Engineers$148,390
Bachelor's degree
$72,820 – $237,280320
4Business Teachers, Postsecondary$137,540
Doctoral or professional degree
$58,030 – $262,590240
5Chemical Engineers$136,870
Bachelor's degree
$90,620 – $178,670190
6Veterinarians$128,360
Doctoral or professional degree
$71,230 – $169,070200
7Pharmacists$128,100
Doctoral or professional degree
$86,060 – $155,2401,470
8Industrial Engineers$127,340
Bachelor's degree
$83,530 – $170,530460
9Electrical Engineers$125,120
Bachelor's degree
$78,340 – $176,580220
10Nurse Practitioners$124,800
Master's degree
$105,570 – $157,6901,270
11Physician Assistants$124,580
Master's degree
$108,740 – $169,060400
12Lawyers$121,290
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,530 – $290,1904,330
13Mechanical Engineers$117,990
Bachelor's degree
$75,340 – $170,810530
14Engineers, All Other$110,970
Bachelor's degree
$64,060 – $167,7001,050
15Civil Engineers$108,240
Bachelor's degree
$70,000 – $156,7601,070
16Software Developers$106,950
Bachelor's degree
$77,760 – $161,260940
17Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other$106,550
Bachelor's degree
$64,190 – $133,770340
18Occupational Therapists$102,520
Master's degree
$64,890 – $124,870390
19Physical Therapists$100,530
Doctoral or professional degree
$60,150 – $123,900710
20Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary$99,340
Doctoral or professional degree
$64,080 – $207,800150
21Data Scientists$98,390
Bachelor's degree
$59,560 – $130,530200
22Computer Systems Analysts$97,240
Bachelor's degree
$70,050 – $136,890940
23Chemists$96,100
Bachelor's degree
$55,110 – $137,300170
24Computer Occupations, All Other$94,520
Bachelor's degree
$48,190 – $136,9901,760
25Dental Hygienists$93,650
Associate's degree
$45,840 – $98,330840
26Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$92,610
Bachelor's degree
$58,180 – $132,050430
27Network and Computer Systems Administrators$91,570
Bachelor's degree
$61,530 – $152,460360
28Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$85,510
Associate's degree
$55,230 – $120,140180
29Project Management Specialists$85,410
Bachelor's degree
$56,090 – $143,7802,090
30Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary$82,750
Master's degree
$39,940 – $193,430350
31Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$82,160
Postsecondary nondegree award
$49,740 – $99,070240
32Registered Nurses$81,850
Bachelor's degree
$65,660 – $103,18011,530
33Biological Scientists, All Other$78,850
Bachelor's degree
$42,390 – $109,300170
34Postsecondary Teachers, All Other$78,810
Doctoral or professional degree
$49,980 – $111,5301,600
35Social Workers, All Other$78,480
Bachelor's degree
$48,110 – $111,090190
36Logisticians$78,200
Bachelor's degree
$54,560 – $131,280460
37Accountants and Auditors$77,940
Bachelor's degree
$52,630 – $121,1703,740
38Financial and Investment Analysts$77,860
Bachelor's degree
$56,990 – $132,830560
39Computer Programmers$77,220
Bachelor's degree
$37,690 – $96,370550
40Respiratory Therapists$76,590
Associate's degree
$63,230 – $93,250620
41Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$75,430
Bachelor's degree
$51,370 – $142,340340
42Fundraisers$75,110
Bachelor's degree
$33,930 – $107,180140
43Physical Therapist Assistants$73,980
Associate's degree
$29,720 – $89,940260
44Business Operations Specialists, All Other$73,920
Bachelor's degree
$35,740 – $121,4504,590
45Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$70,740
Associate's degree
$53,180 – $96,870770
46Financial Specialists, All Other$70,110
Bachelor's degree
$44,320 – $105,910950
47Public Relations Specialists$68,600
Bachelor's degree
$45,390 – $115,920490
48Drafters, All Other$65,870
Associate's degree
$46,050 – $99,520180
49Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$65,590
Bachelor's degree
$30,490 – $115,1401,580
50Paralegals and Legal Assistants$64,780
Associate's degree
$41,040 – $79,8802,120

Bars run from the 10th to the 90th percentile; the middle half is shaded darker, and the tick is the median.

#	Occupation	MedianNew Orleans-Metairie, LA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$216,280	$209,900 – $384,800	190
2	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$198,050	$101,880 – $323,930	270
3	Petroleum EngineersBachelor's degree	$148,390	$72,820 – $237,280	320
4	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$137,540	$58,030 – $262,590	240
5	Chemical EngineersBachelor's degree	$136,870	$90,620 – $178,670	190
6	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$128,360	$71,230 – $169,070	200
7	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$128,100	$86,060 – $155,240	1,470
8	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$127,340	$83,530 – $170,530	460
9	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$125,120	$78,340 – $176,580	220
10	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$124,800	$105,570 – $157,690	1,270
11	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$124,580	$108,740 – $169,060	400
12	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$121,290	$62,530 – $290,190	4,330
13	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$117,990	$75,340 – $170,810	530
14	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$110,970	$64,060 – $167,700	1,050
15	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$108,240	$70,000 – $156,760	1,070
16	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$106,950	$77,760 – $161,260	940
17	Social Scientists and Related Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$106,550	$64,190 – $133,770	340
18	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$102,520	$64,890 – $124,870	390
19	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$100,530	$60,150 – $123,900	710
20	Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$99,340	$64,080 – $207,800	150
21	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$98,390	$59,560 – $130,530	200
22	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$97,240	$70,050 – $136,890	940
23	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$96,100	$55,110 – $137,300	170
24	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$94,520	$48,190 – $136,990	1,760
25	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$93,650	$45,840 – $98,330	840
26	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$92,610	$58,180 – $132,050	430
27	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$91,570	$61,530 – $152,460	360
28	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$85,510	$55,230 – $120,140	180
29	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$85,410	$56,090 – $143,780	2,090
30	Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$82,750	$39,940 – $193,430	350
31	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$82,160	$49,740 – $99,070	240
32	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$81,850	$65,660 – $103,180	11,530
33	Biological Scientists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$78,850	$42,390 – $109,300	170
34	Postsecondary Teachers, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$78,810	$49,980 – $111,530	1,600
35	Social Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$78,480	$48,110 – $111,090	190
36	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$78,200	$54,560 – $131,280	460
37	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$77,940	$52,630 – $121,170	3,740
38	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$77,860	$56,990 – $132,830	560
39	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$77,220	$37,690 – $96,370	550
40	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$76,590	$63,230 – $93,250	620
41	Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including HealthBachelor's degree	$75,430	$51,370 – $142,340	340
42	FundraisersBachelor's degree	$75,110	$33,930 – $107,180	140
43	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$73,980	$29,720 – $89,940	260
44	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$73,920	$35,740 – $121,450	4,590
45	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$70,740	$53,180 – $96,870	770
46	Financial Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$70,110	$44,320 – $105,910	950
47	Public Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$68,600	$45,390 – $115,920	490
48	Drafters, All OtherAssociate's degree	$65,870	$46,050 – $99,520	180
49	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$65,590	$30,490 – $115,140	1,580
50	Paralegals and Legal AssistantsAssociate's degree	$64,780	$41,040 – $79,880	2,120

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in New Orleans-Metairie, LA. The rarer ones are real jobs — but a 1,190-person occupation at the top of a list answers a different question than the one most readers are asking.

More for New Orleans-Metairie, LA

Other metro areas in LA

By field in New Orleans-Metairie, LA

Without a degree

The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in New Orleans-Metairie, LA to rank honestly.

High paying entry level jobs in New Orleans-Metairie, LA

More for New Orleans-Metairie, LA

Other metro areas in LA

By field in New Orleans-Metairie, LA

Without a degree

High paying entry level jobs in each state