Historians Salary
In New Orleans-Metairie, LA, historians earn $82,400 at the median, or about $39.62 an hour. The range runs from $62K at the entry level to $99K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.6), which stretches that salary to about $88,985 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,331/month, or 25.6% of estimated take-home pay.
Where the paycheck goes
What $82K actually covers in New Orleans-Metairie, month by month
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 historians
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What this looks like in New Orleans-Metairie
Historians pay in New Orleans-Metairie tracks closely to the national median, $82K locally vs. $77K nationwide, a 7% difference. Rent runs $1,331/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 25.2% 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.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, New Orleans-Metairie, LA
Entry-level historians (10th percentile) start around $62K. Mid-career wages sit at $82K. Top earners bring in $99K or more, a $37K spread from bottom to top.
Historians pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Historians salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $122K | +59% | N/A |
| Maryland | $121K | +57% | 50 |
| District of Columbia | $118K | +54% | 250 |
| Minnesota | $103K | +34% | 50 |
| Virginia | $102K | +33% | 180 |
| Washington | $100K | +30% | 30 |
| Oregon | $100K | +30% | 40 |
| California | $97K | +27% | 210 |
| Hawaii | $93K | +21% | 70 |
| Illinois | $90K | +17% | N/A |
| Louisiana | $81K | +5% | 60 |
| Nevada | $80K | +4% | N/A |
| Texas | $78K | +2% | 130 |
| New Jersey | $77K | +0% | 130 |
| Florida | $75K | -3% | 110 |
| North Carolina | $73K | -4% | 120 |
| Kansas | $73K | -5% | 40 |
| Alabama | $72K | -6% | 60 |
| Pennsylvania | $72K | -6% | 70 |
| Tennessee | $71K | -7% | 40 |
| Nebraska | $70K | -9% | 30 |
| New Mexico | $67K | -13% | 40 |
| Connecticut | $67K | -13% | 40 |
| Missouri | $64K | -16% | 50 |
| Georgia | $64K | -17% | 110 |
| Indiana | $64K | -17% | 30 |
| Kentucky | $64K | -17% | 50 |
| New York | $63K | -18% | 410 |
| Michigan | $63K | -18% | 80 |
| Ohio | $60K | -21% | N/A |
| South Carolina | $52K | -32% | 60 |
| Oklahoma | $51K | -34% | 50 |
| Mississippi | $46K | -40% | 90 |
| Wisconsin | $46K | -40% | 50 |
| Utah | $34K | -56% | 80 |
Showing 1–10 of 35 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track historians salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when New Orleans-Metairie numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a historian afford a 2BR apartment alone in New Orleans-Metairie?
Yes — at the median salary of $82K, rent takes 25.2% 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 historians in New Orleans-Metairie?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new historians typically earn — is $62K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,163/month. At HUD’s $1,331/month FMR, rent would take 32% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is historian a high-paying job in New Orleans-Metairie?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $82K locally vs. $77K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does New Orleans-Metairie compare to the national average for historians?
New Orleans-Metairie pays $82K median vs. the U.S. average of $77K — that’s +7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.6), the purchasing-power equivalent is $89K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do historians make in New Orleans-Metairie, LA?
The median is $82,400 a year, that works out to about $40 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $62,210, and experienced historians can clear $99,280. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $82K enough to live in New Orleans-Metairie?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,286/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,331/month, which eats 25.2% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a historians 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 historians salary is worth about $88,985 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do historians 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.