How Much Does a CNA Make in New Orleans, LA in 2026?
Typical pay for CNAs in New Orleans, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Louisiana.
BLS OES May 2025 · New Orleans · Metairie metro area
A typical CNA in New Orleans, Louisiana earns $16.50 per hour, or $34,320 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $2,860 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $28,690, and the top 10% of earners make over $38,220.
That pay is 12% above the Louisiana figure of $30,510 and 19% below the national figure of $42,260. New Orleans ranks 1st of 10 metro areas in Louisiana for CNA pay. About 3,660 CNAs work in the New Orleans · Metairie area. New Orleans is part of the New Orleans · Metairie metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Metairie share these figures.
CNA pay in New Orleans at a glance
- Typical pay is $16.50 an hour, or $34,320 a year.
- That is 12% above the Louisiana figure, ranking 1st of 10 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $28,690; the top 10% make over $38,220.
- Typical pay rose +54% from 2015 to 2025, against +51% for Louisiana as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a CNA make in New Orleans?
Pay in New Orleans runs from entry-level positions at around $13.79 an hour to more than $18.38 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Louisiana and national figures.
CNA pay by career stage in New Orleans
| Career stage | New Orleans | Louisiana | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $28,690$13.79 an hour | $27,980$13.45 an hour | $33,940$16.32 an hour |
| First years | $30,260$14.55 an hour | $29,070$13.97 an hour | $37,260$17.91 an hour |
| Typical CNA | $34,320$16.50 an hour | $30,510$14.67 an hour | $42,260$20.32 an hour |
| Experienced | $36,820$17.70 an hour | $35,100$16.87 an hour | $47,220$22.70 an hour |
| Top 10% | $38,220$18.38 an hour | $37,390$17.98 an hour | $51,980$24.99 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the New Orleans · Metairie area as BLS defines it
CNA pay growth in New Orleans
Typical (median) annual wage for CNAs in the New Orleans · Metairie area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical CNA pay in New Orleans was $22,270 a year. By 2025 it had reached $34,320, a change of +54%, compared with +51% for Louisiana over the same years.
How New Orleans compares with other Louisiana cities
New Orleans pays CNAs the most of any metro area in Louisiana. The lowest-paying area in the state is Monroe at $29,880.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs New Orleans | CNAs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Orleans metro incl. Metairie | $34,320 | $16.50 | this city | 3,660 |
| 2 | Covington metro incl. Mandeville · Slidell | $34,050 | $16.37 | -1% | 1,030 |
| 3 | Lake Charles | $33,850 | $16.27 | -1% | 730 |
| 4 | Hammond | $33,010 | $15.87 | -4% | 600 |
| 5 | Bossier City metro incl. Shreveport | $32,160 | $15.46 | -6% | 2,330 |
| 6 | Baton Rouge | $31,220 | $15.01 | -9% | 3,500 |
| 7 | Alexandria | $30,650 | $14.74 | -11% | 910 |
| 8 | Thibodaux metro incl. Bayou Cane · Houma | $30,140 | $14.49 | -12% | 630 |
| 9 | Lafayette | $29,960 | $14.40 | -13% | 1,990 |
| 10 | Monroe | $29,880 | $14.36 | -13% | 1,340 |
Every metro area in Louisiana with CNA wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Louisiana typical pay $30,510
Is New Orleans a good place to work as a CNA?
CNAs in New Orleans earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $34,320 a year, 19% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the New Orleans · Metairie area, about 8.2 are CNA positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 9.3. CNA jobs make up about the same share of the job market as they do across the country.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a CNA make in New Orleans, LA?
- A typical CNA in New Orleans earns $34,320 a year, or $16.50 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $28,690 and the top 10% earn over $38,220.
- How much does a CNA make an hour in New Orleans?
- Typical hourly pay for CNAs in New Orleans is $16.50. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $13.79, and the top 10% earn over $18.38 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a CNA in New Orleans?
- Entry-level CNA positions in New Orleans typically offer around $13.79 an hour, or $28,690 a year.
- Is CNA pay in New Orleans higher than in the rest of Louisiana?
- New Orleans pay is 12% above the Louisiana figure of $30,510 a year, ranking 1st of 10 metro areas in the state.