Administrative Assistant salary in New Orleans-Metairie, LA
Administrative assistants earn more in New Orleans-Metairie than anywhere else in Louisiana. Expect a median of $42,830 a year1, 10.4% above the Louisiana statewide median of $38,790 and 9.9% below the US median of $47,540. Nationally it ranks #332 of 520 areas. It is the largest market for the job in Louisiana: about 6,180 people, 22% of the Louisiana total.
BLS occupation 43-6014, area New Orleans-Metairie, LA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in New Orleans-Metairie against Louisiana and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $28,820 | $42,830 | $60,210 | |
| Louisiana | $26,680 | $38,790 | $56,340 | |
| United States | $33,280 | $47,540 | $66,350 |
Administrative assistants at the 90th percentile earn $60,210, 2.1 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.0. The middle half of administrative assistants in New Orleans-Metairie earns $35,190–$48,540. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $13,350 wide, against $14,870 across Louisiana and $19,170 nationally: employers in New Orleans-Metairie pay within a narrower band.
What to budget for an administrative assistant here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $28,820 | $2,402 | $13.86 | $37,187 |
| 25th percentile | $35,190 | $2,932 | $16.92 | $45,406 |
| Median | $42,830 | $3,569 | $20.59 | $55,265 |
| 75th percentile | $48,540 | $4,045 | $23.34 | $62,632 |
| 90th percentile | $60,210 | $5,018 | $28.95 | $77,690 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $5,710 a year in pay and about $7,368 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $7,640 in pay. These percentiles describe what people in the job earn locally, not experience levels, so place your offer by the tasks and seniority you need.
For scale, the US median of $47,540 falls between the median and the 75th percentile in New Orleans-Metairie, and the Louisiana statewide median of $38,790 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in New Orleans-Metairie
At the $42,830 median, a local hire costs about $55,265 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $12,435 here. Recruiting, equipment and office space come on top. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.
We place executive assistants, customer support and e-commerce staff today; for administrative assistants we answer within one business day whether we can help. Enter the monthly pay you have in mind to compare it with a local hire. The fee field shows our standard fee3; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool4.
Other roles in New Orleans-Metairie
Of the 17 roles we track in New Orleans-Metairie, this one ranks #13 by median pay, between e-commerce order specialists ($44,880) and customer support specialists ($39,300). Project Coordinator is the highest at $85,410.
| Role | Median | vs administrative assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bookkeeper | +9.7% | 3,840 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +4.8% | 180 | |
| Administrative Assistant | this role | 6,180 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -8.2% | 5,600 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -14.6% | 530 |
Measured against the US median, administrative assistants rank #8 of the 17 roles we track in New Orleans-Metairie (-9.9%), between payroll specialists (-8.0%) and sales development representatives (-11.9%). The typical role here is at -11.9%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Administrative assistants hold 15.2% of the jobs in these 17 roles in New Orleans-Metairie, 16.3% across Louisiana and 10.8% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Louisiana
Across the 13 areas of Louisiana with data for this job, the median runs from $33,860 in the Central Louisiana nonmetro area to $42,830 in New Orleans-Metairie, a gap of $8,970 a year. No other area in Louisiana has as many administrative assistants, and all 12 others pay less.
| Area | Median | vs New Orleans-Metairie | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | this area | 6,180 | |
| Baton Rouge, LA | -4.5% | 5,950 | |
| Lake Charles, LA | -6.0% | 1,390 | |
| Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | -9.9% | 2,200 | |
| Lafayette, LA | -11.1% | 2,210 | |
| Slidell-Mandeville, LA | -12.1% | 1,330 | |
| Monroe, LA | -12.9% | 1,150 |
New Orleans-Metairie against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, New Orleans-Metairie is #52 of 520 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job, with pay near the middle of the US range. Outside Louisiana, Rocky Mount and Mobile pay just above New Orleans-Metairie and Killeen-Temple and Corpus Christi just below. All four are within $130 a year of the median in New Orleans-Metairie. Of the three markets with about as many administrative assistants, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs New Orleans-Metairie | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester, NY | +9.2% | 6,230 | jobs | |
| Indianapolis-Carmel, IN | +8.5% | 6,280 | jobs | |
| Mobile, AL | +0.0% | 3,780 | pay | |
| Rocky Mount, NC | +0.0% | 510 | pay | |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | this area | 6,180 | ||
| Killeen-Temple, TX | -0.2% | 1,560 | pay | |
| Corpus Christi, TX | -0.3% | 2,150 | pay | |
| Wichita, KS | -3.2% | 6,290 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an administrative assistant in New Orleans-Metairie, LA?
About $55,265 a year at the median, or $4,605 a month: $42,830 in pay plus about $12,435 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for administrative assistants in New Orleans-Metairie?
The median was $42,830 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $28,820, the 90th $60,210, and the middle half earned $35,190 to $48,540.
Is New Orleans-Metairie the most expensive area in Louisiana for administrative assistants?
Yes. Its median of $42,830 is the highest of 13 areas in Louisiana. Baton Rouge comes next at $40,910.
How many administrative assistants work in New Orleans-Metairie?
BLS counts about 6,180 in the May 2025 survey. That is 22% of the Louisiana total of 28,040. No other area in Louisiana has as many.
Does an administrative assistant cost more than a customer support specialist in New Orleans-Metairie?
Yes: $3,530 a year more at the median. The medians are $42,830 and $39,300.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-6014: bls.gov
- BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: bls.gov
- Stafka pricing: stafka.com
- Deel pricing, contractor management: deel.com
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.