Develop methods to extract oil and gas from below the Earth's surface. Median salary in New Orleans: $138K/year. Data from BLS, O*NET, and H-1B disclosures.
Figures represent annual base salary in New Orleans, Louisiana. Reviewed by SalaryOptics Editorial · How we calculate this →
Analysis derived from the salary, COL, tax, and labor-market figures above — specific to this role and city.
Petroleum Engineers in New Orleans earn approximately 5% lower than the US national median for this role — a $7,000 discount on annual base salary. New Orleans's lower wage level partially reflects the area's cost-of-living index of 92 (US avg = 100).
Adjusted for New Orleans's cost-of-living index (92), the median Petroleum Engineer salary buys the equivalent of $150,000 in a US-average-cost city. That's $5,000 more purchasing power than the national median — a meaningful real-wage advantage.
Only 15% of Petroleum Engineer positions offer remote flexibility, meaning the New Orleans salary above represents what local employers actually pay — not a remote-anywhere rate. Geographic constraints reinforce the local market, so the salary range above is more directly applicable than for remote-friendly roles.
Based on BLS 2022–2032 Employment Projections and WEF Future of Jobs Report 2026. At current growth rates, median salary reaches $145K by 2030.
Enter your email for free access. We'll send salary market updates — unsubscribe anytime.
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
The median Petroleum Engineer salary in New Orleans, LA is $138,000 per year as of Q1 2026. This figure represents the midpoint of all reported compensation for this role in the New Orleans–LA metropolitan area, based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics, H-1B visa disclosures from the Department of Labor, and O*NET occupational data.
Entry-level Petroleum Engineers in New Orleans with 0–2 years of experience typically earn between $105,000 and $138,000 annually. Mid-career professionals with 3–7 years command $138,000 to $179,000, while senior-level practitioners with 8+ years of experience regularly earn $179,000 to $228,000 or more.
New Orleans has a cost of living index of 92 compared to the US national average of 100. This means your salary goes approximately 8% further in New Orleans than the national average. Louisiana has a 6% state income tax rate.
Bachelor's in Petroleum Engineering. 15% of these roles offer some remote flexibility.