Human Resources Specialists Salary
In New Orleans-Metairie, LA, human resources specialists earn $64,780 at the median, or about $31.14 an hour. The range runs from $45K at the entry level to $111K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.6), which stretches that salary to about $69,957 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,331/month, about 31.3% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $65K 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 human resources specialists
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What this looks like in New Orleans-Metairie
Pay for human resources specialists in New Orleans-Metairie runs about 15% below the U.S. median of $76K. Rent runs $1,331/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 30.8% 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. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for human resources specialists in metros near New Orleans-Metairie, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Baton Rouge | $61K | $68K |
| Lafayette | $56K | $64K |
| Shreveport-Bossier City | $61K | $72K |
| Slidell-Mandeville-Covington | $65K | $70K |
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 human resources specialists (10th percentile) start around $45K. Mid-career wages sit at $65K. Top earners bring in $111K or more, a $67K spread from bottom to top.
Human Resources Specialists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Human Resources Specialists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $111K | +46% | 6,910 |
| Massachusetts | $86K | +13% | 27,300 |
| Washington | $85K | +11% | 22,770 |
| New York | $84K | +11% | 54,610 |
| Maryland | $84K | +10% | 15,530 |
| California | $84K | +10% | 104,000 |
| Connecticut | $83K | +9% | 9,010 |
| Virginia | $82K | +8% | 28,540 |
| Colorado | $81K | +6% | 19,450 |
| New Jersey | $81K | +6% | 21,690 |
| Minnesota | $79K | +4% | 17,240 |
| Oregon | $78K | +3% | 10,620 |
| Vermont | $78K | +2% | 1,270 |
| Delaware | $78K | +2% | 2,720 |
| Rhode Island | $78K | +2% | 3,320 |
| Alaska | $77K | +1% | 1,420 |
| Illinois | $77K | +1% | 35,430 |
| North Dakota | $76K | -0% | 1,710 |
| Hawaii | $74K | -3% | 2,570 |
| North Carolina | $73K | -4% | 31,140 |
| Utah | $72K | -6% | 9,900 |
| Maine | $72K | -6% | 3,020 |
| Nevada | $72K | -6% | 6,520 |
| Arizona | $71K | -6% | 20,230 |
| Kansas | $71K | -7% | 7,560 |
| New Hampshire | $71K | -7% | 4,270 |
| Georgia | $71K | -7% | 32,110 |
| Wisconsin | $71K | -7% | 17,360 |
| Pennsylvania | $70K | -7% | 36,960 |
| Ohio | $70K | -8% | 33,500 |
| Michigan | $70K | -8% | 25,520 |
| Kentucky | $69K | -9% | 10,900 |
| Texas | $69K | -9% | 84,930 |
| New Mexico | $68K | -10% | 4,090 |
| South Dakota | $68K | -11% | 1,340 |
| Tennessee | $67K | -11% | 21,460 |
| Missouri | $67K | -12% | 17,650 |
| Wyoming | $67K | -12% | 1,000 |
| West Virginia | $67K | -12% | 3,130 |
| Iowa | $67K | -12% | 7,930 |
| Florida | $66K | -13% | 62,730 |
| Indiana | $66K | -14% | 17,110 |
| South Carolina | $65K | -14% | 13,720 |
| Idaho | $65K | -14% | 3,930 |
| Alabama | $65K | -14% | 11,080 |
| Montana | $64K | -16% | 2,340 |
| Nebraska | $62K | -18% | 7,220 |
| Oklahoma | $62K | -19% | 9,370 |
| Louisiana | $61K | -19% | 7,240 |
| Mississippi | $60K | -21% | 4,850 |
| Arkansas | $55K | -28% | 6,230 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track human resources specialists salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a human resources specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in New Orleans-Metairie?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $65K, rent takes 30.8% 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 $1,300/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for human resources specialists in New Orleans-Metairie?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new human resources specialists typically earn — is $45K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,672/month. At HUD’s $1,331/month FMR, rent would take 50% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is human resources specialist a high-paying job in New Orleans-Metairie?
Local pay runs 15% below the national median — $65K here vs. $76K 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 human resources specialists?
New Orleans-Metairie pays $65K median vs. the U.S. average of $76K — that’s -15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.6), the purchasing-power equivalent is $70K — below the national median.
How much do human resources specialists make in New Orleans-Metairie, LA?
The median is $64,780 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $44,540, and experienced human resources specialists can clear $111,290. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $65K enough to live in New Orleans-Metairie?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,316/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,331/month, which eats 30.8% 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 human resources specialists 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 human resources specialists salary is worth about $69,957 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do human resources specialists 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.