Cost of hiring in New Orleans-Metairie, LA
Administrative Assistant is the largest of these 17 jobs in New Orleans-Metairie, with about 6,180 people1. Medians run from $34,890 a year for data entry specialists to $85,410 for project coordinators.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in New Orleans-Metairie
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paralegal | +3.0% | 2,120 | |
| HR Assistant | -2.1% | 190 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -2.8% | 180 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -5.9% | 2,930 | |
| Accountant | -6.9% | 3,740 | |
| Bookkeeper | -7.3% | 3,840 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -8.0% | 480 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -9.9% | 6,180 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -11.9% | 2,200 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -12.2% | 5,600 | |
| Office Manager | -13.3% | 4,830 | |
| Recruiter | -14.7% | 1,900 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -15.6% | 320 | |
| Project Coordinator | -16.5% | 2,090 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -16.7% | 1,580 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -20.4% | 530 | |
| Executive Assistant | -21.2% | 1,920 |
The employer pays more than the wage: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, so a $42,830 median for administrative assistants, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $55,265 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
New Orleans-Metairie against the US
New Orleans-Metairie pays above the US median for only one of the 17 roles, paralegals (+3.0%), and below it for 16, furthest for executive assistants (-21.2%). The middle gap across all 17 is -11.9%: for most of these roles, hiring costs less here than at the US median. Its best national standing is for paralegals, #50 of 506 areas by median pay; its lowest is for data entry specialists, #360 of 394.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, New Orleans-Metairie has more paralegals (5.2% of these jobs here, against 2.5% nationally) and executive assistants (4.7% against 2.9%), and fewer medical administrative assistants (1.3% against 6.1%) and sales development representatives (5.4% against 7.9%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; Deltona-Daytona Beach, FL is nearest, at -11.9%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canton-Massillon, OH | -11.8% | 17 | 13,420 |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | -11.9% (this area) | 17 | 40,630 |
| Deltona-Daytona Beach, FL | -11.9% | 17 | 20,940 |
| Killeen-Temple, TX | -11.9% | 17 | 13,290 |
| Kankakee, IL | -11.9% | 13 | 3,160 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | -12.0% | 17 | 75,230 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, marketing specialists in New Orleans-Metairie span $30,490–$115,140, the widest band (3.8×); medical administrative assistants the narrowest, $30,830–$49,120. Wider than nationally for data entry specialists and virtual receptionists, narrower for sales development representatives and paralegals. Budget from the median for project coordinators, sales development representatives, recruiters and 2 more roles: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($95,660 against a $85,410 median for project coordinators).
New Orleans-Metairie against Louisiana
Against Louisiana as a whole, New Orleans-Metairie pays more for 14 of 17 roles, led by e-commerce order specialists (+19.6%) and executive assistants (+13.4%), and less for 2, most of all data entry specialists (-5.5%). It has the highest median in Louisiana for accountants, marketing specialists and paralegals and 8 more roles.
Other areas in Louisiana
By jobs in these roles, New Orleans-Metairie is #1 of 13 areas in Louisiana. The table shows the areas closest to it in size, from Baton Rouge to Alexandria.
| Area | Jobs in these roles | Roles with data |
|---|---|---|
| Baton Rouge, LA | 37,570 | 17 |
| Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | 15,130 | 16 |
| Lafayette, LA | 14,680 | 16 |
| Slidell-Mandeville, LA | 9,120 | 14 |
| Monroe, LA | 7,200 | 16 |
| Southwest Louisiana (Nonmetro) | 7,180 | 14 |
| Lake Charles, LA | 7,080 | 14 |
| Houma-Bayou Cane, LA | 6,390 | 15 |
| Central Louisiana (Nonmetro) | 5,470 | 15 |
| Alexandria, LA | 4,980 | 14 |
Questions
Which role costs the most to hire in New Orleans-Metairie?
Of the 17 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $85,410 a year, about $110,206 with benefits; the lowest is Data Entry Specialist, $34,890.
Is hiring in New Orleans-Metairie cheaper than the US median?
For 16 of the 17 roles, yes, most of all executive assistants (-21.2%). One pays more than the US median: paralegals (+3.0%).
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.