Boilermakers Salary
In New Orleans-Metairie, LA, boilermakers earn $77,290 at the median, or about $37.16 an hour. The range runs from $66K at the entry level to $78K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.6), which stretches that salary to about $83,467 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,331/month, or 26.2% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $77K get you in New Orleans-Metairie?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by New Orleans-Metairie’s Regional Price Parity (92.6). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About boilermakers
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What this looks like in New Orleans-Metairie
Boilermakers pay in New Orleans-Metairie tracks closely to the national median, $77K locally vs. $76K nationwide, a 1% difference. Rent runs $1,331/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 26.6% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.6 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for boilermakers in metros near New Orleans-Metairie, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Baton Rouge | $75K | $82K |
| Lafayette | $71K | $81K |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $77K | $78K |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur | $73K | $81K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, New Orleans-Metairie, LA
Entry-level boilermakers (10th percentile) start around $66K. Mid-career wages sit at $77K. Top earners bring in $78K or more, a $12K spread from bottom to top.
Boilermakers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Boilermakers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $118K | +55% | 720 |
| Mississippi | $106K | +39% | 280 |
| New Mexico | $101K | +32% | 300 |
| Illinois | $100K | +31% | 110 |
| Michigan | $98K | +29% | N/A |
| Wisconsin | $98K | +28% | 170 |
| Minnesota | $96K | +26% | 140 |
| Washington | $95K | +25% | 190 |
| Indiana | $91K | +20% | 170 |
| Colorado | $89K | +17% | 40 |
| Idaho | $88K | +16% | 70 |
| Pennsylvania | $87K | +14% | 260 |
| Ohio | $86K | +12% | 300 |
| New Hampshire | $85K | +12% | 60 |
| New York | $85K | +11% | 410 |
| Iowa | $82K | +8% | 50 |
| New Jersey | $82K | +8% | 280 |
| Connecticut | $80K | +5% | 50 |
| Missouri | $79K | +3% | 100 |
| Arizona | $78K | +2% | 170 |
| Wyoming | $78K | +2% | 30 |
| Oklahoma | $78K | +2% | N/A |
| Arkansas | $77K | +1% | 50 |
| Texas | $76K | -1% | 2,340 |
| South Carolina | $75K | -2% | N/A |
| Kentucky | $75K | -2% | 150 |
| Louisiana | $74K | -3% | 1,220 |
| Kansas | $72K | -6% | 70 |
| Florida | $70K | -9% | 400 |
| Virginia | $68K | -12% | 150 |
| Georgia | $64K | -16% | N/A |
| West Virginia | $64K | -16% | 30 |
| Alabama | $64K | -17% | 180 |
| Nevada | $61K | -20% | 70 |
| Tennessee | $52K | -32% | 180 |
| North Carolina | $50K | -35% | 150 |
| Maryland | $42K | -45% | 30 |
Showing 1–10 of 37 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track boilermakers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when New Orleans-Metairie numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a boilermaker afford a 2BR apartment alone in New Orleans-Metairie?
Yes — at the median salary of $77K, rent takes 26.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,331/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for boilermakers in New Orleans-Metairie?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new boilermakers typically earn — is $66K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,956/month. At HUD’s $1,331/month FMR, rent would take 34% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is boilermaker a high-paying job in New Orleans-Metairie?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $77K locally vs. $76K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does New Orleans-Metairie compare to the national average for boilermakers?
New Orleans-Metairie pays $77K median vs. the U.S. average of $76K — that’s +1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.6), the purchasing-power equivalent is $83K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do boilermakers make in New Orleans-Metairie, LA?
The median is $77,290 a year, that works out to about $37 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $65,940, and experienced boilermakers can clear $78,150. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $77K enough to live in New Orleans-Metairie?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,005/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,331/month, which eats 26.6% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a boilermakers salary go in New Orleans-Metairie?
New Orleans-Metairie has a Regional Price Parity of 92.6 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median boilermakers salary is worth about $83,467 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do boilermakers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.