New Orleans-Metairie, LA metro area
Highest-Paying Occupations in New Orleans Metro
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025New Orleans-Metairie, LA metro area
Figures describe the New Orleans-Metairie, LA metropolitan statistical area as defined by BLS/OMB — the whole multi-county metro region, not New Orleans city limits. Occupations are ranked by published median annual wage; occupations where BLS suppressed the annual median or publishes only hourly wages are not ranked (18 such occupations here).
Top 25 of 505 occupations
| # | Occupation | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Emergency Medicine Physicians | $336,290 | $161.68 | 140 |
| 2 | Family Medicine Physicians | $332,690 | $159.95 | 250 |
| 3 | Physicians, All Other | $326,440 | $156.94 | 1,910 |
| 4 | Anesthesiologists | $239,200 or more | $115.00 or more | 120 |
| 5 | Nurse Anesthetists | $216,280 | $103.98 | 190 |
| 6 | Dentists, General | $198,050 | $95.22 | 270 |
| 7 | Architectural and Engineering Managers | $165,620 | $79.63 | 560 |
| 8 | Aerospace Engineers | $149,430 | $71.84 | 40 |
| 9 | Petroleum Engineers | $148,390 | $71.34 | 320 |
| 10 | Industrial Production Managers | $147,980 | $71.14 | 580 |
| 11 | Business Teachers, Postsecondary | $137,540 | Not published | 240 |
| 12 | Chemical Engineers | $136,870 | $65.80 | 190 |
| 13 | Optometrists | $136,200 | $65.48 | 50 |
| 14 | Commercial Pilots | $135,950 | Not published | 140 |
| 15 | Financial Managers | $134,110 | $64.48 | 1,970 |
| 16 | Sales Engineers | $133,010 | $63.95 | Not published |
| 17 | Ship Engineers | $132,710 | $63.80 | 230 |
| 18 | Computer and Information Systems Managers | $131,570 | $63.26 | 800 |
| 19 | Natural Sciences Managers | $129,960 | $62.48 | 100 |
| 20 | Purchasing Managers | $128,670 | $61.86 | 90 |
| 21 | Veterinarians | $128,360 | $61.71 | 200 |
| 22 | Pharmacists | $128,100 | $61.59 | 1,470 |
| 23 | Industrial Engineers | $127,340 | $61.22 | 460 |
| 24 | Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products | $127,030 | $61.07 | 510 |
| 25 | Marketing Managers | $126,740 | $60.93 | 250 |
The full list of every published occupation here is on the New Orleans metro area overview.
About this data. Estimates are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 release, retrieved from bls.gov/oes/tables.htm on July 24, 2026. OEWS estimates describe metropolitan/nonmetropolitan areas and states — not city limits — and are not designed for year-over-year comparisons. See BLS methodology, our plain-English methodology, and sources. CitySalaryData is independent and not affiliated with BLS.