How Much Does an RN Make in New Orleans, LA in 2026?
Typical pay for RNs 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 RN in New Orleans, Louisiana earns $39.35 per hour, or $81,850 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $6,821 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $65,660, and the top 10% of earners make over $103,180.
That pay is 2% above the Louisiana figure of $80,230 and 16% below the national figure of $97,550. New Orleans ranks 3rd of 10 metro areas in Louisiana for RN pay. About 11,530 RNs 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.
RN pay in New Orleans at a glance
- Typical pay is $39.35 an hour, or $81,850 a year.
- That is 2% above the Louisiana figure, ranking 3rd of 10 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $65,660; the top 10% make over $103,180.
- Typical pay rose +24% from 2015 to 2025, against +34% for Louisiana as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does an RN make in New Orleans?
Pay in New Orleans runs from entry-level positions at around $31.57 an hour to more than $49.61 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Louisiana and national figures.
RN pay by career stage in New Orleans
| Career stage | New Orleans | Louisiana | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $65,660$31.57 an hour | $63,800$30.67 an hour | $68,940$33.14 an hour |
| First years | $75,030$36.07 an hour | $69,040$33.19 an hour | $80,330$38.62 an hour |
| Typical RN | $81,850$39.35 an hour | $80,230$38.57 an hour | $97,550$46.90 an hour |
| Experienced | $95,140$45.74 an hour | $93,600$45.00 an hour | $112,350$54.02 an hour |
| Top 10% | $103,180$49.61 an hour | $104,740$50.36 an hour | $137,470$66.09 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the New Orleans · Metairie area as BLS defines it
RN pay growth in New Orleans
Typical (median) annual wage for RNs 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 RN pay in New Orleans was $66,140 a year. By 2025 it had reached $81,850, a change of +24%, compared with +34% for Louisiana over the same years.
How New Orleans compares with other Louisiana cities
Lake Charles pays RNs the most in Louisiana at $90,690 a year, $8,840 more than New Orleans. The lowest-paying area in the state is Bayou Cane at $75,740.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs New Orleans | RNs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lake Charles | $90,690 | $43.60 | +11% | 2,460 |
| 2 | Lafayette | $81,960 | $39.41 | 0% | 4,930 |
| 3 | New Orleans metro incl. Metairie | $81,850 | $39.35 | this city | 11,530 |
| 4 | Alexandria | $81,680 | $39.27 | 0% | 2,170 |
| 5 | Covington metro incl. Slidell · Mandeville | $81,160 | $39.02 | -1% | 3,190 |
| 6 | Baton Rouge | $81,130 | $39.00 | -1% | 8,290 |
| 7 | Shreveport metro incl. Bossier City | $80,080 | $38.50 | -2% | 6,390 |
| 8 | Monroe | $78,270 | $37.63 | -4% | 2,340 |
| 9 | Hammond | $76,200 | $36.64 | -7% | 1,260 |
| 10 | Houma metro incl. Thibodaux · Bayou Cane | $75,740 | $36.41 | -7% | 1,460 |
Every metro area in Louisiana with RN wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Louisiana typical pay $80,230
Is New Orleans a good place to work as an RN?
RNs in New Orleans earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $81,850 a year, 16% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the New Orleans · Metairie area, about 26 are RN positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 22. That makes the local economy more reliant on RNs than most places, and turnover keeps positions opening through the year.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does an RN make in New Orleans, LA?
- A typical RN in New Orleans earns $81,850 a year, or $39.35 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $65,660 and the top 10% earn over $103,180.
- How much does an RN make an hour in New Orleans?
- Typical hourly pay for RNs in New Orleans is $39.35. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $31.57, and the top 10% earn over $49.61 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for an RN in New Orleans?
- Entry-level RN positions in New Orleans typically offer around $31.57 an hour, or $65,660 a year.
- Is RN pay in New Orleans higher than in the rest of Louisiana?
- New Orleans pay is 2% above the Louisiana figure of $80,230 a year, ranking 3rd of 10 metro areas in the state. Lake Charles pays the most in Louisiana at $90,690.