Life Scientists, All Other Salary
Life Scientists, All Others in New Orleans-Metairie, LA make a median of $60,200 a year, or about $28.94 an hour. The range runs from $48K at the entry level to $121K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.6), which stretches that salary to about $65,011 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,331/month, about 33.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $60K 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 life scientists, all others
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What this looks like in New Orleans-Metairie
Pay for life scientists, all other in New Orleans-Metairie runs about 36% below the U.S. median of $94K. Rent runs $1,331/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33% 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 life scientists, all others in metros near New Orleans-Metairie, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $90K | $87K |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $61K | $62K |
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 life scientists, all others (10th percentile) start around $48K. Mid-career wages sit at $60K. Top earners bring in $121K or more, a $72K spread from bottom to top.
Life Scientists, All Other pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Life Scientists, All Other salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | $169K | +81% | N/A |
| District of Columbia | $168K | +79% | 50 |
| Massachusetts | $125K | +34% | 100 |
| Arizona | $123K | +31% | N/A |
| Oregon | $113K | +21% | 160 |
| Alabama | $111K | +18% | 50 |
| Maryland | $110K | +17% | 420 |
| Tennessee | $109K | +16% | 40 |
| New Jersey | $104K | +11% | 110 |
| California | $103K | +10% | 860 |
| Washington | $100K | +7% | 240 |
| Florida | $92K | -2% | 80 |
| New York | $87K | -7% | 250 |
| Wisconsin | $85K | -9% | N/A |
| Georgia | $84K | -10% | 170 |
| Pennsylvania | $84K | -11% | 290 |
| Alaska | $82K | -12% | 40 |
| New Hampshire | $82K | -13% | 90 |
| Virginia | $82K | -13% | 350 |
| Texas | $81K | -13% | 510 |
| Missouri | $80K | -15% | 190 |
| Louisiana | $76K | -18% | 430 |
| Kentucky | $76K | -19% | 100 |
| Hawaii | $72K | -23% | 50 |
| Indiana | $69K | -26% | 30 |
| Idaho | $69K | -26% | 80 |
| Colorado | $66K | -29% | 40 |
| Illinois | $66K | -29% | 160 |
| Minnesota | $65K | -31% | N/A |
| Iowa | $64K | -31% | 110 |
| Michigan | $64K | -32% | 90 |
| Ohio | $63K | -33% | 50 |
Showing 1–10 of 32 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track life scientists, all other 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 life scientists, all other afford a 2BR apartment alone in New Orleans-Metairie?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $60K, rent takes 33% 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 $1,200/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for life scientists, all others in New Orleans-Metairie?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new life scientists, all others typically earn — is $48K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,907/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 life scientists, all other a high-paying job in New Orleans-Metairie?
Local pay runs 36% below the national median — $60K here vs. $94K 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 life scientists, all others?
New Orleans-Metairie pays $60K median vs. the U.S. average of $94K — that’s -36%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.6), the purchasing-power equivalent is $65K — below the national median.
How much do life scientists, all others make in New Orleans-Metairie, LA?
The median is $60,200 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $48,450, and experienced life scientists, all others can clear $120,780. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $60K enough to live in New Orleans-Metairie?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,036/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,331/month, which eats 33% 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 life scientists, all other 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 life scientists, all other salary is worth about $65,011 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do life scientists, all others 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.