Welders, Cutters & Solderers salary in New Orleans, LA
Median pay for welders, cutters & solderers in New Orleans, LA: $55,500/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $40,890 – $77,430 · about 2,280 employed locally
Above the typical metro median ($48,615) by +$6,885 (+14%).
What it's really worth in New Orleans
With New Orleans's cost of living at 91 (US=100), that $55,500 has the buying power of about $60,859 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 32nd of the 186 metros we hold welders, cutters & solderers wages for. Once New Orleans's cost of living is applied, it ranks 10th.
Pay here goes further than the headline number suggests — New Orleans is one of the places where welders, cutters & solderers 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 4.7× 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 35% of gross pay — above the conventional 30% affordability ceiling, so renting would stretch this salary.
Where welders, cutters & solderers 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Honolulu, HI | $76,540 | +38% | 1.8× |
| Baton Rouge, LA | $70,010 | +26% | 0.9× |
| Bremerton, WA | $66,310 | +19% | 1.3× |
| Virginia Beach, VA | $63,630 | +15% | 1.1× |
Same job elsewhere in LA
| Metro | Median pay | vs New Orleans | Rent vs New Orleans |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baton Rouge, LA | $70,010 | +26% | 0.9× |
| Lafayette, LA | $54,080 | −3% | 0.8× |
| Shreveport, LA | $48,830 | −12% | 0.8× |
Staying in LA keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.
Who hires welders, cutters & solderers 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 186 metros we hold wage data for in this occupation. Estimates for guidance only. See methodology.