What are the top jobs and emerging industries in New Orleans? GNO Inc. answers

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The city’s unemployment rate (3.6%) continues to hover around historic lows, while health care, trade and logistics, advanced manufacturing, digital media, and energy are all leading the way as emerging industries where top jobs are available, according to the 2023 Greater New Orleans Jobs Report, published by GNO Inc. and Bank of America.

The top jobs in key industries across the GNO area include health care (77,398), followed by trade and logistics (59,131), advanced manufacturing (21,418), digital media (12,744), and energy (5,364). The jobs report defines a “Top Job” as an occupation that comprises at least 100 jobs across the region, has a median hourly wage of at least $23.59 per hour, has experienced growth over the last 10 years, and is related to one of GNO Inc.’s focus industry sectors.

There are more than 175,000 total jobs available in advanced manufacturing, digital media, energy, health care, and transportation and logistics, all with a median wage of $33.62 per hour, according to the jobs report.

“While health care continues to be the largest driver of jobs in our region, a significant number of jobs are spread across our other key industries. Economic diversification plays a crucial role in enhancing the resilience and stability of our region’s economy and labor market,” according to the job report. “This diversification not only stimulates job creation in a variety of fields but also fosters innovation, as the cross-pollination of ideas from different industries can lead to new technologies and business practices.”

The average weekly wage in the GNO was $1,265 in 2023, compared to $1,186 in 2022. The unemployment rate remained the same as last year at 3.6%. It was also 3.6% in 2019, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. The rate reached as high as 8.1% in 2020.

GNO Inc. is the regional economic development nonprofit serving the 10-parish region of Southeast Louisiana. The fifth annual report examines current and anticipated trends in employment across both established and emerging industries, so GNO Inc. can work with business leaders and policymakers from those industries to align educational and training programs with the region’s employment needs.

This year’s report transitioned from a printed booklet to a series of interactive dashboards for each of the industry sectors, featuring the top jobs available, entry-level education requirements, work experience required, and filters for corresponding wages. For instance, on the healthcare dashboard, RNs are the top job available with more than 15,000 positions open. These positions pay a median of $36 an hour, with a bachelor’s degree required. The top available job on the advanced manufacturing dashboard is production workers; the digital media dashboard lists computer occupations and software developers; industrial engineers is the top job on the energy dashboard; and flight attendants are the top job available on the trade & logistics dashboard.

“Greater New Orleans will experience a bright economic future by leveraging insights from key metrics such as those presented in this jobs report,” said Michael Hecht, president and CEO of GNO Inc. “The report’s new interactive format makes it easier to be analyzed, digested, and shared by the decision-makers who foster our workforce development landscape. We’re thankful for Bank of America’s partnership in developing such a critical tool for Greater New Orleans.”

Hecht said takeaways from the jobs report included the need to balance near-term workforce needs with investment in programs for medium- and long-term demands created by transformational shifts in advanced manufacturing, digital media and information technology, and energy sectors; the prioritization of economic mobility initiatives to ensure opportunities remain available; the coordination across the workforce ecosystem to ensure seamless pathways from career awareness to exposure to training; and a strategy for traditional and non-traditional career preparation pathways, a significant proportion of which require Associate’s degree or less.