Machinists Salary
The median pay for a machinists in New Orleans-Metairie, LA is $66,990/year ($32.21/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $44K at the entry level to $103K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.6), which stretches that salary to about $72,343 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,331/month, about 30.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $67K 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 machinists
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What this looks like in New Orleans-Metairie
New Orleans-Metairie sits well above the national pay line for machinists, local pay runs about 14% higher than the U.S. median of $59K. Rent runs $1,331/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 30% 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 machinists in metros near New Orleans-Metairie, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Lafayette | $60K | $69K |
| Baton Rouge | $68K | $75K |
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux | $56K | $65K |
| Shreveport-Bossier City | $60K | $71K |
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 machinists (10th percentile) start around $44K. Mid-career wages sit at $67K. Top earners bring in $103K or more, a $59K spread from bottom to top.
Machinists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Machinists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $84K | +44% | 260 |
| Alaska | $78K | +32% | 120 |
| District of Columbia | $73K | +24% | 160 |
| Massachusetts | $67K | +15% | 7,080 |
| Washington | $66K | +13% | 6,880 |
| Oregon | $64K | +9% | 2,760 |
| New Jersey | $63K | +8% | 3,210 |
| Wyoming | $63K | +7% | 290 |
| Vermont | $63K | +7% | 220 |
| Delaware | $63K | +7% | 310 |
| Connecticut | $62K | +6% | 5,240 |
| North Dakota | $62K | +5% | 560 |
| New Hampshire | $62K | +5% | 1,620 |
| Virginia | $61K | +4% | 5,660 |
| Utah | $61K | +4% | 3,810 |
| Minnesota | $61K | +4% | 12,500 |
| Louisiana | $61K | +4% | 4,640 |
| Arizona | $61K | +4% | 4,330 |
| New York | $61K | +4% | 9,400 |
| Montana | $61K | +4% | 630 |
| Colorado | $60K | +2% | 2,800 |
| Maryland | $60K | +2% | 1,380 |
| New Mexico | $59K | +1% | 690 |
| Texas | $59K | +1% | 21,700 |
| Maine | $59K | +1% | 1,780 |
| Wisconsin | $59K | +1% | 12,700 |
| Idaho | $59K | +0% | 1,070 |
| Missouri | $59K | -0% | 8,380 |
| Kentucky | $59K | -0% | 6,040 |
| Illinois | $59K | -0% | 16,520 |
| South Carolina | $58K | -1% | 3,790 |
| Ohio | $58K | -1% | 17,110 |
| Pennsylvania | $58K | -2% | 12,380 |
| Indiana | $58K | -2% | 14,320 |
| Rhode Island | $58K | -2% | 860 |
| Iowa | $58K | -2% | 2,880 |
| California | $57K | -3% | 18,950 |
| Florida | $57K | -3% | 8,400 |
| Nebraska | $56K | -5% | 1,810 |
| Alabama | $56K | -5% | 5,170 |
| Mississippi | $56K | -5% | 1,920 |
| North Carolina | $55K | -6% | 8,330 |
| Nevada | $53K | -10% | 900 |
| Georgia | $53K | -10% | 6,090 |
| Michigan | $52K | -11% | 20,350 |
| Kansas | $51K | -13% | 3,870 |
| Arkansas | $51K | -13% | 2,150 |
| Oklahoma | $51K | -13% | 4,230 |
| South Dakota | $51K | -13% | 830 |
| Tennessee | $50K | -16% | 8,270 |
| West Virginia | $47K | -19% | 1,700 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track machinists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when New Orleans-Metairie numbers change.
Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
Frequently asked questions
Can a machinist afford a 2BR apartment alone in New Orleans-Metairie?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $67K, rent takes 30% 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 machinists in New Orleans-Metairie?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new machinists typically earn — is $44K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,660/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 machinist a high-paying job in New Orleans-Metairie?
Local pay is 14% above the national median — $67K here vs. $59K nationally.
How does New Orleans-Metairie compare to the national average for machinists?
New Orleans-Metairie pays $67K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s +14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.6), the purchasing-power equivalent is $72K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do machinists make in New Orleans-Metairie, LA?
The median is $66,990 a year, that works out to about $32 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $44,340, and experienced machinists can clear $103,160. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $67K enough to live in New Orleans-Metairie?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,437/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,331/month, which eats 30% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a machinists 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 machinists salary is worth about $72,343 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do machinists 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.