Executive Assistant salary in New Orleans-Metairie, LA
New Orleans-Metairie is the most expensive place in Louisiana to hire an executive assistant. The median is $60,370 a year1, 13.4% above the Louisiana statewide median of $53,240 and 21.2% below the US median of $76,590. Nationally it ranks #347 of 509 areas. About 1,920 executive assistants work here, 21% of the Louisiana total.
BLS occupation 43-6011, 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 | $40,290 | $60,370 | $91,020 | |
| Louisiana | $35,800 | $53,240 | $79,600 | |
| United States | $50,560 | $76,590 | $109,850 |
The middle half of executive assistants in New Orleans-Metairie earns $49,870–$75,970. The top tenth earns $91,020 or more, 2.3 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.2 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $26,100 wide, between the figure for Louisiana ($19,790) and the US figure ($33,000).
What to budget for an executive assistant here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $40,290 | $3,358 | $19.37 | $51,987 |
| 25th percentile | $49,870 | $4,156 | $23.98 | $64,348 |
| Median | $60,370 | $5,031 | $29.02 | $77,897 |
| 75th percentile | $75,970 | $6,331 | $36.52 | $98,026 |
| 90th percentile | $91,020 | $7,585 | $43.76 | $117,445 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $10,500 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $15,600, or about $20,129 once benefits are added. 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 $76,590 falls between the 75th and 90th percentiles in New Orleans-Metairie, and the Louisiana statewide median of $53,240 falls between the 25th percentile and the median. An offer at the national rate would beat what three quarters of local executive assistants earn.
What a hire really costs in New Orleans-Metairie
Pay is only part of it. Benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, which adds about $17,527 to the $60,370 median and brings it to $77,897 a year. Recruiting, equipment and office space come on top. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.
Our open executive assistant roles pay $800–$1,100 a month under a direct contract. The one-time fee is $2,5003 with a 180-day replacement; paying through Deel adds $49 a month4. Change any number below to match your plan.
A local hire here costs about 5.4 times as much as a remote hire in year one at the midpoint of our range. From year two, when the fee drops out, it is 6.5 times the remote figure of $11,988. About the candidates: most apply through our assessment platform with a written and a spoken English task; each profile shows the English level (B1–C2); Silkstaff interviews every shortlisted candidate live, in English, before you meet them.
Other roles in New Orleans-Metairie
Of the 17 roles we track in New Orleans-Metairie, this one ranks #7 by median pay, between sales development representatives ($61,670) and office managers ($60,270). Project Coordinator is the highest at $85,410.
| Role | Median | vs executive assistant | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recruiter | +7.3% | 1,900 | |
| Sales Development Representative | +2.2% | 2,200 | |
| Executive Assistant | this role | 1,920 | |
| Office Manager | -0.2% | 4,830 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -11.2% | 480 |
Measured against the US median, this job is the lowest paid of the 17 roles we track in New Orleans-Metairie (-21.2%); paralegals come first (+3.0%). The typical role here is at -11.9%, so, measured against the US, executive assistants cost less in New Orleans-Metairie than the area's general pay level would suggest. Executive assistants hold 4.7% of the jobs in these 17 roles in New Orleans-Metairie, 5.4% across Louisiana and 2.9% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Louisiana
Across the 11 areas of Louisiana with data for this job, the median runs from $47,450 in Alexandria to $60,370 in New Orleans-Metairie, a gap of $12,920 a year. The one area in Louisiana with more executive assistants, Baton Rouge, LA ($58,800), pays less: a bigger pool at a lower median.
| Area | Median | vs New Orleans-Metairie | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | this area | 1,920 | |
| Baton Rouge, LA | -2.6% | 2,050 | |
| Hammond, LA | -7.8% | 110 | |
| Slidell-Mandeville, LA | -8.0% | 420 | |
| Houma-Bayou Cane, LA | -9.1% | 340 | |
| Northeast Louisiana (Nonmetro) | -10.9% | 140 | |
| Central Louisiana (Nonmetro) | -11.7% | 180 |
New Orleans-Metairie against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, New Orleans-Metairie is #43 of 506 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, McAllen-Edinburg and Lake Havasu City-Kingman pay just above New Orleans-Metairie and Dubuque and Myrtle Beach-Conway just below. All four are within $160 a year of the median in New Orleans-Metairie. Of the three markets with about as many executive assistants, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs New Orleans-Metairie | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | +22.1% | 1,910 | jobs | |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY | +17.6% | 1,830 | jobs | |
| Las Vegas-Henderson, NV | +10.0% | 1,950 | jobs | |
| Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ | +0.1% | 60 | pay | |
| McAllen-Edinburg, TX | +0.1% | 420 | pay | |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | this area | 1,920 | ||
| Dubuque, IA | -0.0% | 110 | pay | |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway, SC | -0.3% | 140 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire an executive assistant in New Orleans-Metairie, LA?
About $77,897 a year at the median, or $6,491 a month: $60,370 in pay plus about $17,527 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for executive assistants in New Orleans-Metairie?
The median was $60,370 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $40,290, the 90th $91,020, and the middle half earned $49,870 to $75,970.
Is New Orleans-Metairie the most expensive area in Louisiana for executive assistants?
Yes. Its median of $60,370 is the highest of 11 areas in Louisiana. Baton Rouge comes next at $58,800.
How many executive assistants work in New Orleans-Metairie?
BLS counts about 1,920 in the May 2025 survey. That is 21% of the Louisiana total of 9,270. Only Baton Rouge has more in Louisiana.
Does an executive assistant cost more than an office manager in New Orleans-Metairie?
Yes: $100 a year more at the median. The medians are $60,370 and $60,270.
What does a remote executive assistant cost compared with New Orleans-Metairie?
Our open roles pay $800–$1,100 a month. At the midpoint, with the one-time fee and Deel, year one comes to $14,488, against about $77,897 for a local hire at the median.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-6011: 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.