How Much Does a Medical Assistant Make in New Orleans, LA in 2026?
Typical pay for Medical Assistants 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 Medical Assistant in New Orleans, Louisiana earns $17.69 per hour, or $36,780 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $3,065 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $30,900, and the top 10% of earners make over $46,500.
That pay is 1% above the Louisiana figure of $36,320 and 20% below the national figure of $45,690. New Orleans ranks 3rd of 10 metro areas in Louisiana for Medical Assistant pay. About 2,870 Medical Assistants 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.
Medical Assistant pay in New Orleans at a glance
- Typical pay is $17.69 an hour, or $36,780 a year.
- That is 1% above the Louisiana figure, ranking 3rd of 10 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $30,900; the top 10% make over $46,500.
- Typical pay rose +30% from 2015 to 2025, against +36% for Louisiana as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Medical Assistant make in New Orleans?
Pay in New Orleans runs from entry-level positions at around $14.86 an hour to more than $22.36 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Louisiana and national figures.
Medical Assistant pay by career stage in New Orleans
| Career stage | New Orleans | Louisiana | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $30,900$14.86 an hour | $28,970$13.93 an hour | $36,050$17.33 an hour |
| First years | $35,930$17.28 an hour | $32,020$15.40 an hour | $38,470$18.50 an hour |
| Typical Medical Assistant | $36,780$17.69 an hour | $36,320$17.46 an hour | $45,690$21.97 an hour |
| Experienced | $41,140$19.78 an hour | $38,550$18.53 an hour | $49,180$23.65 an hour |
| Top 10% | $46,500$22.36 an hour | $44,460$21.38 an hour | $59,310$28.52 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the New Orleans · Metairie area as BLS defines it
Medical Assistant pay growth in New Orleans
Typical (median) annual wage for Medical Assistants 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 Medical Assistant pay in New Orleans was $28,220 a year. By 2025 it had reached $36,780, a change of +30%, compared with +36% for Louisiana over the same years.
How New Orleans compares with other Louisiana cities
Lake Charles pays Medical Assistants the most in Louisiana at $38,550 a year, $1,770 more than New Orleans. The lowest-paying area in the state is Alexandria at $34,290.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs New Orleans | Medical Assistants employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lake Charles | $38,550 | $18.53 | +5% | 1,510 |
| 2 | Baton Rouge | $36,900 | $17.74 | 0% | 2,180 |
| 3 | New Orleans metro incl. Metairie | $36,780 | $17.69 | this city | 2,870 |
| 4 | Hammond | $36,680 | $17.64 | 0% | 330 |
| 5 | Shreveport metro incl. Bossier City | $36,210 | $17.41 | -2% | 960 |
| 6 | Slidell metro incl. Covington · Mandeville | $35,950 | $17.29 | -2% | 860 |
| 7 | Lafayette | $34,940 | $16.80 | -5% | 1,170 |
| 8 | Monroe | $34,430 | $16.55 | -6% | 550 |
| 9 | Thibodaux metro incl. Bayou Cane · Houma | $34,420 | $16.55 | -6% | 480 |
| 10 | Alexandria | $34,290 | $16.49 | -7% | 430 |
Every metro area in Louisiana with Medical Assistant wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Louisiana typical pay $36,320
Is New Orleans a good place to work as a Medical Assistant?
Medical Assistants in New Orleans earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $36,780 a year, 20% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the New Orleans · Metairie area, about 6.4 are Medical Assistant positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 5.3. That makes the local economy more reliant on Medical Assistants than most places, and turnover keeps positions opening through the year.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Medical Assistant make in New Orleans, LA?
- A typical Medical Assistant in New Orleans earns $36,780 a year, or $17.69 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $30,900 and the top 10% earn over $46,500.
- How much does a Medical Assistant make an hour in New Orleans?
- Typical hourly pay for Medical Assistants in New Orleans is $17.69. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $14.86, and the top 10% earn over $22.36 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Medical Assistant in New Orleans?
- Entry-level Medical Assistant positions in New Orleans typically offer around $14.86 an hour, or $30,900 a year.
- Is Medical Assistant pay in New Orleans higher than in the rest of Louisiana?
- New Orleans pay is 1% above the Louisiana figure of $36,320 a year, ranking 3rd of 10 metro areas in the state. Lake Charles pays the most in Louisiana at $38,550.