Graphic Designers Salary
The median pay for a graphic designers in New Orleans-Metairie, LA is $51,710/year ($24.86/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $88K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.6), which stretches that salary to about $55,842 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,331/month, about 39.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $52K 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 graphic designers
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What this looks like in New Orleans-Metairie
Pay for graphic designers in New Orleans-Metairie runs about 18% below the U.S. median of $63K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,331/month, which is 38.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. 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. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for graphic designerss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for graphic designers in metros near New Orleans-Metairie, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Baton Rouge | $51K | $56K |
| Lafayette | $47K | $54K |
| Shreveport-Bossier City | $51K | $60K |
| Monroe | $45K | $54K |
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 graphic designers (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $52K. Top earners bring in $88K or more, a $50K spread from bottom to top.
Graphic Designers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Graphic Designers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $88K | +40% | 1,150 |
| Rhode Island | $78K | +24% | 750 |
| New York | $77K | +23% | 14,530 |
| Massachusetts | $77K | +22% | 4,450 |
| California | $75K | +19% | 27,390 |
| Maryland | $75K | +19% | 3,050 |
| New Jersey | $74K | +17% | 5,670 |
| Washington | $73K | +15% | 3,960 |
| Connecticut | $73K | +15% | 1,930 |
| Virginia | $72K | +15% | 4,740 |
| Colorado | $66K | +5% | 4,200 |
| Oregon | $66K | +5% | 4,140 |
| Vermont | $66K | +4% | 410 |
| Minnesota | $64K | +1% | 5,570 |
| Nevada | $63K | -0% | 1,570 |
| Alaska | $63K | -1% | 180 |
| Illinois | $63K | -1% | 8,960 |
| Utah | $62K | -1% | 2,720 |
| Florida | $62K | -2% | 12,660 |
| Pennsylvania | $61K | -4% | 8,150 |
| New Hampshire | $60K | -4% | 790 |
| Georgia | $60K | -4% | 5,920 |
| Texas | $60K | -4% | 13,670 |
| Delaware | $60K | -4% | 360 |
| Ohio | $60K | -5% | 7,280 |
| Maine | $60K | -5% | 560 |
| Wisconsin | $60K | -5% | 4,130 |
| Arizona | $59K | -7% | 3,560 |
| North Carolina | $58K | -7% | 5,660 |
| Hawaii | $58K | -8% | 520 |
| Michigan | $57K | -9% | 6,070 |
| Tennessee | $57K | -9% | 3,880 |
| South Carolina | $57K | -9% | 1,930 |
| Montana | $57K | -10% | 610 |
| Missouri | $57K | -10% | 4,500 |
| New Mexico | $57K | -10% | 850 |
| Nebraska | $57K | -10% | 1,670 |
| North Dakota | $56K | -10% | 460 |
| Indiana | $55K | -12% | 3,450 |
| Kansas | $54K | -15% | 1,730 |
| Oklahoma | $54K | -15% | 2,040 |
| Kentucky | $53K | -16% | 2,060 |
| Alabama | $51K | -19% | 1,760 |
| Idaho | $50K | -20% | 920 |
| Iowa | $50K | -20% | 2,100 |
| Louisiana | $50K | -21% | 1,750 |
| South Dakota | $48K | -23% | 470 |
| Arkansas | $46K | -27% | 1,390 |
| Mississippi | $46K | -28% | 830 |
| Wyoming | $45K | -28% | 240 |
| West Virginia | $40K | -36% | 520 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track graphic designers 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 graphic designer afford a 2BR apartment alone in New Orleans-Metairie?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $52K, rent takes 38.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,331/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for graphic designers in New Orleans-Metairie?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new graphic designers typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,248/month. At HUD’s $1,331/month FMR, rent would take 59% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is graphic designer a high-paying job in New Orleans-Metairie?
Local pay runs 18% below the national median — $52K here vs. $63K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does New Orleans-Metairie compare to the national average for graphic designers?
New Orleans-Metairie pays $52K median vs. the U.S. average of $63K — that’s -18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.6), the purchasing-power equivalent is $56K — below the national median.
How much do graphic designers make in New Orleans-Metairie, LA?
The median is $51,710 a year, that works out to about $25 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,460, and experienced graphic designers can clear $87,850. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $52K enough to live in New Orleans-Metairie?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,498/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,331/month, which eats 38.1% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a graphic designers 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 graphic designers salary is worth about $55,842 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do graphic designers 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.