Plumbers, Pipefitters & Steamfitters salary in New Orleans, LA
Median pay for plumbers, pipefitters & steamfitters in New Orleans, LA: $60,170/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $39,140 – $72,980 · about 1,520 employed locally
Above the typical metro median ($59,690) by +$480 (+1%).
What it's really worth in New Orleans
With New Orleans's cost of living at 91 (US=100), that $60,170 has the buying power of about $65,980 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $62,748 · median home $261,414 · median rent $1,622/mo.
How New Orleans ranks for this job
On raw pay, New Orleans, LA is 89th of the 187 metros we hold plumbers, pipefitters & steamfitters wages for. Once New Orleans's cost of living is applied, it ranks 62nd.
Pay here goes further than the headline number suggests — New Orleans is one of the places where plumbers, pipefitters & steamfitters gain ground in real terms, because local costs are low relative to what the job pays.
What that salary buys in New Orleans
A median home in New Orleans, LA costs $261,414 — about 4.3× this salary, against a typical US metro figure of 4.7×. Buying is more attainable here than in the average metro on this income.
Median rent of $1,622/mo works out at 32% of gross pay — above the conventional 30% affordability ceiling, so renting would stretch this salary.
Where plumbers, pipefitters & steamfitters earn more
Pay on its own is only half the picture, so each row shows what rent costs there relative to New Orleans.
| Metro | Median pay | vs New Orleans | Rent vs New Orleans |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago, IL | $101,560 | +69% | 1.4× |
| Kennewick, WA | $97,150 | +61% | 1.1× |
| Minneapolis, MN | $96,200 | +60% | 1.1× |
| Duluth, MN | $88,000 | +46% | 0.9× |
Same job elsewhere in LA
| Metro | Median pay | vs New Orleans | Rent vs New Orleans |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baton Rouge, LA | $69,590 | +16% | 0.9× |
| Shreveport, LA | $52,570 | −13% | 0.8× |
| Lafayette, LA | $51,650 | −14% | 0.8× |
Staying in LA keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.
Who hires plumbers, pipefitters & steamfitters around New Orleans
Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.
- Entergy · Energy
Other jobs in New Orleans
Source: US BLS OEWS (May 2023) median annual wage; cost of living from BEA; home price and rent from Zillow; household income from US Census ACS. Rankings are across the 187 metros we hold wage data for in this occupation. Estimates for guidance only. See methodology.