SOC 27-1013 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators — New Orleans
New Orleans-Metairie, LA · 1 metro areas compared
In New Orleans, LA the median wage is $46,080.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
How pay has moved
The next ten years
Projected to decline
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- -1.2%
- Openings per year
- 2,200
- Typical entry-level education
- Bachelor's degree
- On-the-job training
- Long-term on-the-job training
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
61.6% of people in this occupation work for themselves.
Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for New Orleans-Metairie, LA.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Salary overview
In New Orleans, LA the median wage is $46,080. That is 17.0% lower than the national median of $55,490. The middle half of workers in this occupation earn between $34,680 and $77,700. The lowest tenth earn under $34,680, while the highest tenth earn more than $77,700.
Shreveport leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $72,400. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 349th of 505 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $34,680 | −37.5% |
| 25th | $34,680 | −37.5% |
| Median (50th) | $46,080 | −17.0% |
| 75th | $77,700 | +40.0% |
| 90th | $77,700 | +40.0% |
| Mean | $50,850 | −8.4% |
Other metro areas in Louisiana
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shreveport | $72,400 | 60 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in New Orleans run 7.4% below the national average, so the median of $46,080 goes as far as $49,762 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 10.3% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$46,080as reported by BLSLocal price level
92.6US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$49,762US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $46,080 a year, 17.0% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $34,680 to $77,700 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Shreveport, at $72,400.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators in New Orleans, LA?
The median annual wage is $46,080, or $22.15 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $55,490, so pay in New Orleans, LA is 17.0% lower. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in New Orleans, LA earns more than $77,700 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $34,680 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Shreveport, at $72,400 per year.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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