High paying jobs in New Orleans-Metairie, LA

Every occupation below is ranked by its median annual wage in New Orleans-Metairie, LA. The percentile range matters more than the median on its own: it shows what the bottom and top of each field actually earn, which a single average hides.

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

1Emergency Medicine Physicians$336,290
Doctoral or professional degree
$206,880 – $436,120140
2Family Medicine Physicians$332,690
Doctoral or professional degree
$190,750 – $464,410250
3Physicians, All Other$326,440
Doctoral or professional degree
$63,950 – $420,6201,910
4Nurse Anesthetists$216,280
Master's degree
$209,900 – $384,800190
5Dentists, General$198,050
Doctoral or professional degree
$101,880 – $323,930270
6Architectural and Engineering Managers$165,620
Bachelor's degree
$130,740 – $208,970560
7Petroleum Engineers$148,390
Bachelor's degree
$72,820 – $237,280320
8Industrial Production Managers$147,980
Bachelor's degree
$87,010 – $217,310580
9Business Teachers, Postsecondary$137,540
Doctoral or professional degree
$58,030 – $262,590240
10Chemical Engineers$136,870
Bachelor's degree
$90,620 – $178,670190
11Commercial Pilots$135,950
Postsecondary nondegree award
$71,060 – $169,410140
12Financial Managers$134,110
Bachelor's degree
$84,250 – $229,6301,970
13Ship Engineers$132,710
Postsecondary nondegree award
$54,800 – $276,090230
14Computer and Information Systems Managers$131,570
Bachelor's degree
$69,000 – $210,570800
15Veterinarians$128,360
Doctoral or professional degree
$71,230 – $169,070200
16Pharmacists$128,100
Doctoral or professional degree
$86,060 – $155,2401,470
17Industrial Engineers$127,340
Bachelor's degree
$83,530 – $170,530460
18Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products$127,030
Bachelor's degree
$54,840 – $190,600510
19Marketing Managers$126,740
Bachelor's degree
$76,440 – $222,270250
20Electrical Engineers$125,120
Bachelor's degree
$78,340 – $176,580220
21Nurse Practitioners$124,800
Master's degree
$105,570 – $157,6901,270
22Physician Assistants$124,580
Master's degree
$108,740 – $169,060400
23Construction Managers$122,050
Bachelor's degree
$72,700 – $182,390800
24Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels$121,710
Postsecondary nondegree award
$59,980 – $170,4701,940
25Lawyers$121,290
Doctoral or professional degree
$62,530 – $290,1904,330
26Medical and Health Services Managers$120,700
Bachelor's degree
$75,920 – $216,5501,810
27Sales Managers$118,540
Bachelor's degree
$67,710 – $222,3201,000
28Mechanical Engineers$117,990
Bachelor's degree
$75,340 – $170,810530
29Human Resources Managers$116,350
Bachelor's degree
$81,150 – $201,780350
30Managers, All Other$112,550
Bachelor's degree
$62,130 – $189,2602,610
31Engineers, All Other$110,970
Bachelor's degree
$64,060 – $167,7001,050
32Information Security Analysts$109,110
Bachelor's degree
$72,720 – $147,180160
33Civil Engineers$108,240
Bachelor's degree
$70,000 – $156,7601,070
34Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers$107,490
High school diploma or equivalent
$53,280 – $111,3701,560
35Software Developers$106,950
Bachelor's degree
$77,760 – $161,260940
36Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other$106,550
Bachelor's degree
$64,190 – $133,770340
37General and Operations Managers$105,110
Bachelor's degree
$53,040 – $240,45010,670
38Administrative Services Managers$103,020
Bachelor's degree
$68,860 – $175,260810
39Occupational Therapists$102,520
Master's degree
$64,890 – $124,870390
40Physical Therapists$100,530
Doctoral or professional degree
$60,150 – $123,900710
41Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary$99,340
Doctoral or professional degree
$64,080 – $207,800150
42Data Scientists$98,390
Bachelor's degree
$59,560 – $130,530200
43Education Administrators, Postsecondary$98,320
Master's degree
$61,880 – $208,0801,310
44Architects, Except Landscape and Naval$97,950
Bachelor's degree
$56,280 – $157,530420
45Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$97,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$59,580 – $152,550780
46Computer Systems Analysts$97,240
Bachelor's degree
$70,050 – $136,890940
47Chemists$96,100
Bachelor's degree
$55,110 – $137,300170
48Facilities Managers$95,550
Bachelor's degree
$64,630 – $167,820210
49Management Analysts$95,100
Bachelor's degree
$58,640 – $170,6001,600
50Computer Occupations, All Other$94,520
Bachelor's degree
$48,190 – $136,9901,760

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	Emergency Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$336,290	$206,880 – $436,120	140
2	Family Medicine PhysiciansDoctoral or professional degree	$332,690	$190,750 – $464,410	250
3	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$326,440	$63,950 – $420,620	1,910
4	Nurse AnesthetistsMaster's degree	$216,280	$209,900 – $384,800	190
5	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$198,050	$101,880 – $323,930	270
6	Architectural and Engineering ManagersBachelor's degree	$165,620	$130,740 – $208,970	560
7	Petroleum EngineersBachelor's degree	$148,390	$72,820 – $237,280	320
8	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$147,980	$87,010 – $217,310	580
9	Business Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$137,540	$58,030 – $262,590	240
10	Chemical EngineersBachelor's degree	$136,870	$90,620 – $178,670	190
11	Commercial PilotsPostsecondary nondegree award	$135,950	$71,060 – $169,410	140
12	Financial ManagersBachelor's degree	$134,110	$84,250 – $229,630	1,970
13	Ship EngineersPostsecondary nondegree award	$132,710	$54,800 – $276,090	230
14	Computer and Information Systems ManagersBachelor's degree	$131,570	$69,000 – $210,570	800
15	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$128,360	$71,230 – $169,070	200
16	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$128,100	$86,060 – $155,240	1,470
17	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$127,340	$83,530 – $170,530	460
18	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific ProductsBachelor's degree	$127,030	$54,840 – $190,600	510
19	Marketing ManagersBachelor's degree	$126,740	$76,440 – $222,270	250
20	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$125,120	$78,340 – $176,580	220
21	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$124,800	$105,570 – $157,690	1,270
22	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$124,580	$108,740 – $169,060	400
23	Construction ManagersBachelor's degree	$122,050	$72,700 – $182,390	800
24	Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water VesselsPostsecondary nondegree award	$121,710	$59,980 – $170,470	1,940
25	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$121,290	$62,530 – $290,190	4,330
26	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$120,700	$75,920 – $216,550	1,810
27	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$118,540	$67,710 – $222,320	1,000
28	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$117,990	$75,340 – $170,810	530
29	Human Resources ManagersBachelor's degree	$116,350	$81,150 – $201,780	350
30	Managers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$112,550	$62,130 – $189,260	2,610
31	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$110,970	$64,060 – $167,700	1,050
32	Information Security AnalystsBachelor's degree	$109,110	$72,720 – $147,180	160
33	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$108,240	$70,000 – $156,760	1,070
34	Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and GaugersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$107,490	$53,280 – $111,370	1,560
35	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$106,950	$77,760 – $161,260	940
36	Social Scientists and Related Workers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$106,550	$64,190 – $133,770	340
37	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$105,110	$53,040 – $240,450	10,670
38	Administrative Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$103,020	$68,860 – $175,260	810
39	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$102,520	$64,890 – $124,870	390
40	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$100,530	$60,150 – $123,900	710
41	Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondaryDoctoral or professional degree	$99,340	$64,080 – $207,800	150
42	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$98,390	$59,560 – $130,530	200
43	Education Administrators, PostsecondaryMaster's degree	$98,320	$61,880 – $208,080	1,310
44	Architects, Except Landscape and NavalBachelor's degree	$97,950	$56,280 – $157,530	420
45	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$97,890	$59,580 – $152,550	780
46	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$97,240	$70,050 – $136,890	940
47	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$96,100	$55,110 – $137,300	170
48	Facilities ManagersBachelor's degree	$95,550	$64,630 – $167,820	210
49	Management AnalystsBachelor's degree	$95,100	$58,640 – $170,600	1,600
50	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$94,520	$48,190 – $136,990	1,760

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.

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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 jobs in New Orleans-Metairie, LA

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