Pile Driver Operators Salary
The median pay for a pile driver operators in New Orleans-Metairie, LA is $61,610/year ($29.62/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $61K at the entry level to $96K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.6), which stretches that salary to about $66,533 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,331/month, about 32.9% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $62K 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 pile driver operators
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What this looks like in New Orleans-Metairie
Pay for pile driver operators in New Orleans-Metairie runs about 16% below the U.S. median of $73K. Rent runs $1,331/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 32.3% 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.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, New Orleans-Metairie, LA
Entry-level pile driver operators (10th percentile) start around $61K. Mid-career wages sit at $62K. Top earners bring in $96K or more, a $35K spread from bottom to top.
Pile Driver Operators pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Pile Driver Operators salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $121K | +65% | 130 |
| Washington | $111K | +52% | 50 |
| California | $110K | +51% | 480 |
| Pennsylvania | $94K | +28% | 90 |
| Alaska | $78K | +7% | 190 |
| Texas | $66K | -10% | 280 |
| Louisiana | $61K | -17% | 180 |
| Virginia | $60K | -18% | 150 |
| Tennessee | $55K | -25% | 30 |
| Florida | $52K | -29% | 270 |
| Georgia | $48K | -35% | 50 |
Showing 1–10 of 11 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track pile driver operators 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 pile driver operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in New Orleans-Metairie?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $62K, rent takes 32.3% 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 pile driver operators in New Orleans-Metairie?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new pile driver operators typically earn — is $61K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,090/month. At HUD’s $1,331/month FMR, rent would take 33% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is pile driver operator a high-paying job in New Orleans-Metairie?
Local pay runs 16% below the national median — $62K here vs. $73K 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 pile driver operators?
New Orleans-Metairie pays $62K median vs. the U.S. average of $73K — that’s -16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.6), the purchasing-power equivalent is $67K — below the national median.
How much do pile driver operators make in New Orleans-Metairie, LA?
The median is $61,610 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $61,050, and experienced pile driver operators can clear $96,310. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $62K enough to live in New Orleans-Metairie?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,125/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,331/month, which eats 32.3% 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 pile driver operators 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 pile driver operators salary is worth about $66,533 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do pile driver operators 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.