SOC 51-9061

Quality Control Inspector Salary in New Orleans-Metairie, LA (2026)

Data updated · Sources: BLS OEWS May 2025, HUD FY 2027 Fair Market Rents, EPI 2026 Family Budget, 2026 tax tables · Methodology

Tax Tables: 2026 Fed + LA
COL Index: 105.75 (+5.8% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 76.5% Realized
$46,176 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $60,360 $29.02/hr
Effective Tax Drag 17.5% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$10,562 $406.23/check
Category 1 of 6

Wage Benchmarking & After-Tax Paycheck Engine

Dynamic statutory tax calculations based on IRS Publication 15-T and state statutory schedules.

$
2,080 annual statutory base hours $29.02 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$3,622/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$435/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$4,629
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,742
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$875
Louisiana Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$1,316
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$46,176 ($1,776.01 / check)
Category 2 of 6

New Orleans-Metairie, LA Quality Control Inspector Wage Distribution

Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) Percentiles & Career Ladders

Your Salary: $60,360
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $30.1k 25th $38.6k Median: $60,360 50th (Median) $60.4k 75th $78.1k 90th $103k You: $60,360
10th (Entry) $30,100 $14.47/hr
25th (Junior) $38,650 $18.58/hr
50th (Median) $60,360 $29.02/hr
75th (Senior) $78,130 $37.56/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $103,260 $49.64/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Quality Control Inspector in New Orleans-Metairie, LA
1
QC Inspector ApprenticeVisual inspection, measurement calipers, rejection log documentation
$39,768$19.12/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Certified Quality InspectorCMM operation, blueprint GD&T interpretation, non-conformance reports
$57,166$27.48/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Senior Quality Assurance TechSix Sigma green belt, statistical process control (SPC), ISO 9001 audits
$77,050$37.04/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Quality Assurance ManagerPlant quality management system, vendor audits, compliance signoff
$101,905$48.99/hr · 8+ Years
Scaled to the New Orleans-Metairie, LA medianView National Quality Control Inspector Salary Data
Adjacent Career Pivots & National Pay Differences
Engine and Other Machine Assemblers+$5,140/yr
National median: $53,710
Skill overlap: 84%
Industrial Machinery Mechanics+$15,950/yr
National median: $64,520
Skill overlap: 81%View Salary
Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers+$16,810/yr
National median: $65,380
Skill overlap: 81%
Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping-$2,190/yr
National median: $46,380
Skill overlap: 78%
Category 3 of 6

HUD Fair Market Rent & EPI Living Wage Affordability Index

Evaluating housing affordability vs. net take-home pay in New Orleans-Metairie, LA under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
32% of Net Income
⚠️ Cost-Burdened (Exceeds 30% Rule)
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,229/month Requires minimum annual gross of $49,160
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,480/month Requires minimum annual gross of $59,200
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $23.39/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $21.16/hr
Category 4 of 6

Hourly Wage to Annual & Overtime Matrix

Translating base hourly pay and 1.5× overtime into net take-home pay based on 2,080 annual work hours in New Orleans-Metairie, LA.

Swipe horizontally to inspect full pay schedule
Schedule Total Hours/Wk Gross Annual Est. Taxes Net Take-Home Bi-Weekly Check
Standard (40 hrs)40 hrs$60,360-$10,562$46,176$1,776.01
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$71,678-$13,111$54,266$2,087.14
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$82,995-$16,637$61,379$2,360.72
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$94,313-$20,162$68,492$2,634.29
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$105,630-$23,688$75,605$2,907.87
Category 5 of 6

Interstate MSA Relocation & State Tax Migration Comparator

Calculate required compensation, cost-of-living differences, and annual state/local tax savings between two metropolitan areas.

Equivalent Salary in Austin, TX $83,505 Cost of Living Ratio: 69.6%
Annual State & Local Tax Delta +$8,331/yr Tax savings in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX
Annual Rent Difference (1BR) -$17,676/yr Based on HUD Fair Market Rents
Net Discretionary Cash Flow Impact

Combining state tax savings and annual rent variance when relocating from San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA to Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX.

+$26,007/year
Category 6 of 6 · Executive Economic Briefing
2026 Fiscal Intelligence

Quality Control Inspector in New Orleans-Metairie, LA: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

Estimates compiled from BLS OEWS wages, IRS 2026 withholding rules, HUD Fair Market Rents, and Louisiana tax codes.

Market Baseline
$60,360/yr
$29.02/hr · SOC 51-9061
Statutory Tax Drag
17.5% Effective
-$10,562 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
32% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$2,619/mo
Post-$1,229/mo 1BR Rent

Key Economic & Compensation Takeaways

Statutory Withholding Architecture

Frequently Asked Questions

Verified Government Data Sources & Statutory Attribution

Wages sourced from US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS OEWS). Rents calibrated to HUD Fair Market Rents. Tax schedules calibrated to IRS IRC Title 26, IRS Pub 15-T, and state statutory revenue codes.

BLS OEWS May 2025 HUD FY2027 FMR IRS 15-T
Metro Pay Comparison SOC 51-9061
2026 Statutory Thresholds
  • Federal Standard Deduction (Single) $16,100
  • FICA OASDI Wage Base Cap $184,500
  • Pre-Tax 401(k) Elective Deferral $24,500
  • HSA Individual Annual Limit $4,400

Quality Control Inspector in New Orleans-Metairie, LA: Market Snapshot

Quality Control Inspector roles in New Orleans-Metairie, LA report a median annual wage of $60,360, 24.3% above the national median of $48,570. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $30,100 to $103,260, and HUD’s $1,229 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 24.4% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $23.39 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Quality Control Inspector

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Lexington Park, MD$92,000+52.4%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$76,800+27.2%
Savannah, GA$72,800+20.6%
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$71,950+19.2%
Anchorage, AK$71,470+18.4%
Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA$68,060+12.8%
Flagstaff, AZ$65,840+9.1%
Bismarck, ND$63,910+5.9%
Lake Charles, LA$63,570+5.3%
Gulfport-Biloxi, MS$63,520+5.2%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in New Orleans-Metairie, LA

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Architectural and Engineering Managers$165,620$79.62/hr
Industrial Production Managers$147,980$71.14/hr
Financial Manager$134,110$64.48/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$131,570$63.25/hr
Natural Sciences Managers$129,960$62.48/hr
Purchasing Managers$128,670$61.86/hr
Marketing Managers$126,740$60.93/hr
Nurse Practitioner$124,800$60.00/hr
Physician Assistant$124,580$59.89/hr
Fundraising Managers$124,160$59.69/hr

Wage data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2025, 388 metropolitan areas publishing this occupation; HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rents; EPI Family Budget Calculator. Taxes use 2026 federal and state rules. Data last updated .

Regional Labor Market & Career Mobility Network

Explore adjacent occupations and neighboring metropolitan wage benchmarks for peer compensation analysis.

Quality Control Inspector Salary in New Orleans-Metairie, LA (2026) Overview

Quality Control Inspector median pay in New Orleans-Metairie, LA is $60,360 a year ($29.02/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD. Official 2026 economic data for Quality Control Inspector in New Orleans-Metairie, LA compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.

Quick answers
What is the median salary for a Quality Control Inspector in New Orleans-Metairie, LA?

The median annual wage is $60,360 ($29.02 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $30,100 and $103,260. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Quality Control Inspector in New Orleans-Metairie, LA after taxes?

On the median wage of $60,360, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $49,255 a year ($4,105 a month) after $11,105 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 18.4%, using 2026 tax rules.