The New Orleans Region has 13 schools providing post-secondary education.  Enrollments in all institutions exceeds 80,000 students. Additionally, two Catholic and a Baptist seminary add to the area’s spectrum of higher education institutions.  Annually more than 9,000 degrees and certificates are awarded  to graduates of these programs adding to the size attainment level and diversity of the area workforce.

The region’s colleges and universities offer undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees in a broad range of academic-occupational fields including; business and economics, engineering and architecture, arts, humanities and social sciences, physical / natural sciences, mathematics and technology, health and medical studies, urban studies and public administration, music, law, education.

These institutions have been recognized as national leaders in a variety of areas such as naval architecture, marine engineering, pharmacy, biomedical engineering, law, medicine, and hotel / restaurant and tourism management education.

Six vocational-technical schools and  community colleges with a combined enrollment of approximately 15,000 provide balance between the university systems and vo-tech schools.

Each of the regions Parish's (counties) have independent public school systems.  A large number of children in the area also attend parochial schools.