Buyers and Purchasing Agents Salary
In New Orleans-Metairie, LA, buyers and purchasing agents earn $71,960 at the median, or about $34.6 an hour. The range runs from $49K at the entry level to $122K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.6), which stretches that salary to about $77,711 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,331/month, or 28.1% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $72K 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 buyers and purchasing agents
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What this looks like in New Orleans-Metairie
Buyers and purchasing agents pay in New Orleans-Metairie tracks closely to the national median, $72K locally vs. $78K nationwide, a 7% difference. Rent runs $1,331/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 28.3% 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 buyers and purchasing agents in metros near New Orleans-Metairie, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Baton Rouge | $71K | $78K |
| Lafayette | $63K | $72K |
| Shreveport-Bossier City | $64K | $75K |
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux | $59K | $69K |
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 buyers and purchasing agents (10th percentile) start around $49K. Mid-career wages sit at $72K. Top earners bring in $122K or more, a $73K spread from bottom to top.
Buyers and Purchasing Agents pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Buyers and Purchasing Agents salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $124K | +60% | 1,880 |
| New Jersey | $93K | +20% | 12,180 |
| Maryland | $91K | +17% | 8,900 |
| Virginia | $89K | +15% | 22,120 |
| Rhode Island | $86K | +11% | N/A |
| Massachusetts | $86K | +11% | 12,820 |
| Washington | $85K | +10% | 15,400 |
| Colorado | $84K | +8% | 10,080 |
| Alaska | $83K | +7% | 890 |
| Connecticut | $83K | +7% | 5,530 |
| Delaware | $83K | +7% | 1,400 |
| California | $83K | +6% | 48,010 |
| Minnesota | $80K | +3% | 10,960 |
| New York | $79K | +2% | 31,240 |
| Illinois | $78K | +1% | 19,660 |
| Maine | $78K | -0% | 1,180 |
| New Hampshire | $77K | -1% | 2,580 |
| New Mexico | $77K | -1% | 2,250 |
| Ohio | $76K | -2% | 21,640 |
| North Dakota | $76K | -2% | 880 |
| Texas | $76K | -2% | 44,030 |
| Michigan | $76K | -2% | 16,680 |
| North Carolina | $76K | -2% | 14,290 |
| Arkansas | $76K | -2% | 4,510 |
| West Virginia | $76K | -3% | 1,130 |
| South Carolina | $76K | -3% | 6,150 |
| Arizona | $75K | -3% | 10,870 |
| Oregon | $75K | -3% | 7,090 |
| Nebraska | $75K | -4% | 2,850 |
| Utah | $75K | -4% | 4,090 |
| Georgia | $75K | -4% | 15,710 |
| Hawaii | $74K | -4% | 1,720 |
| Alabama | $74K | -5% | 8,960 |
| South Dakota | $74K | -5% | 1,180 |
| Pennsylvania | $74K | -5% | 17,430 |
| Nevada | $73K | -6% | 2,310 |
| Florida | $73K | -6% | 30,270 |
| Wyoming | $72K | -7% | 570 |
| Oklahoma | $72K | -8% | 4,750 |
| Mississippi | $72K | -8% | 2,240 |
| Wisconsin | $71K | -9% | 9,240 |
| Iowa | $70K | -9% | 4,570 |
| Kansas | $70K | -11% | 6,470 |
| Indiana | $69K | -11% | 10,720 |
| Idaho | $69K | -11% | 1,610 |
| Louisiana | $66K | -15% | 3,440 |
| Missouri | $66K | -16% | 8,070 |
| Tennessee | $65K | -16% | 11,420 |
| Vermont | $65K | -16% | 1,010 |
| Kentucky | $65K | -16% | 5,440 |
| Montana | $63K | -19% | 1,230 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track buyers and purchasing agents salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a buyers and purchasing agent afford a 2BR apartment alone in New Orleans-Metairie?
Yes — at the median salary of $72K, rent takes 28.3% 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 buyers and purchasing agents in New Orleans-Metairie?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new buyers and purchasing agents typically earn — is $49K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,919/month. At HUD’s $1,331/month FMR, rent would take 46% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is buyers and purchasing agent a high-paying job in New Orleans-Metairie?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $72K locally vs. $78K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does New Orleans-Metairie compare to the national average for buyers and purchasing agents?
New Orleans-Metairie pays $72K median vs. the U.S. average of $78K — that’s -7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.6), the purchasing-power equivalent is $78K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do buyers and purchasing agents make in New Orleans-Metairie, LA?
The median is $71,960 a year, that works out to about $35 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $48,650, and experienced buyers and purchasing agents can clear $122,010. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $72K enough to live in New Orleans-Metairie?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,711/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,331/month, which eats 28.3% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a buyers and purchasing agents 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 buyers and purchasing agents salary is worth about $77,711 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do buyers and purchasing agents 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.