Lafayette Hourly Wage & Salary 2026
Lafayette, IN: $23.45/hr median hourly wage, $48,780 median annual salary, cost of living index 84.8, and $7.25/hr minimum wage. Calculate take-home pay with federal and Indiana taxes.
Lafayette Hourly Wage Quick Answer
The median hourly wage in Lafayette, IN is $23.45/hr,and the median annual wage is $48,780. Entry-level pay estimates around $14.54/hr, senior-level pay estimates around $33.30/hr, and the local minimum wage is $7.25/hr.
Median figures: BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN metropolitan statistical area (102,200 jobs). BLS publishes wages by metro area, not by city, so Lafayette shares this figure with the rest of its metro. Entry and senior levels are Salario estimates.
Median Salary
$48,780
$23.45/hr
Cost of Living
84.8
US avg = 100
Minimum Wage
$7.25
per hour
Unemployment
3%
rate
Lafayette, IN Overview
Population
70,373
Median Salary
$48,780
Average Salary
$60,210
Avg Commute
17 min
Median Home Price
$175,000
Median Rent
$735/mo
Job Growth
+2%
Sales Tax
7%
Lafayette is located in Indiana with a population of 70,373. The median annual wage across all occupations is $48,780 ($23.45/hour, BLS OEWS May 2025, Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN metro), which is $2,200 below the national median of $50,980. The national median is the BLS OEWS May 2025 all-occupations median annual wage. The average commute time is 17 minutes, and the city has a job growth rate of +2%.
Lafayette Salary by Experience Level (2026)
Wage distribution in Lafayette, IN built around the $48,780 median salary (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN metro). Entry-level represents 10th–25th percentile; mid-level is the median; senior-level represents 75th–90th percentile. The non-median rows are Salario estimates.
| Experience Level | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage | Years Exp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-Level | $30,244 | $14.54/hr | 0–2 years |
| Mid-Level (Median) | $48,780 | $23.45/hr | 3–7 years |
| Senior-Level | $69,268 | $33.30/hr | 8–15 years |
| Top 10% (90th Percentile) | $86,828 | $41.74/hr | 15+ years / leadership |
Percentile multipliers (62%, 100%, 142%, 178%) are Salario approximations of the typical all-occupations wage spread in BLS OEWS metro tables; only the median row is a published BLS value. Specific roles vary; see jobs by city for role-specific data.
Lafayette Paycheck Calculator
Enter your annual salary to see your estimated take-home pay in Lafayette, IN, after federal, state, and local taxes.
Estimated Annual Take-Home Pay
$39,921
$3,326.76/month · $1,535.43/biweekly · Effective Rate: 18.2%
Biweekly paycheck estimate: this salary equals about $1,535.43 take-home per paycheck after estimated Indiana and federal taxes. For the 26-paycheck formula, three-paycheck months, and withholding examples, see the Biweekly Paycheck Calculator.
Gross Pay
$48,780
Federal Tax
-$3,674
State Tax
-$1,439
Local Tax
-$15
FICA
-$3,732
Net Pay
$39,921
Pay Breakdown
| Item | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary | $4,065.00 | $48,780.00 |
| Federal Income Tax | -$306.13 | -$3,673.60 |
| Indiana State Tax (2.95% eff.) | -$119.92 | -$1,439.01 |
| Local Tax (0.03%) | -$1.22 | -$14.63 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | -$252.03 | -$3,024.36 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | -$58.94 | -$707.31 |
| Net Take-Home Pay | $3,326.76 | $39,921.09 |
Salary Comparison: Lafayette vs Other Cities
See how Lafayette's median salary and cost of living compare to the national average and similar cities.
| City | Median Salary | COL Index | Adj. Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lafayette, IN | $48,780 | 84.8 | $57,524 |
| National Average | $50,980 | 100 | $50,980 |
| West Lafayette, IN | $48,780 | 89.3 | $54,625 |
| Kendall, FL | $48,753 | 103.6 | $47,059 |
| Dubuque, IA | $48,750 | 85.5 | $57,018 |
| Jacksonville, FL | $48,830 | 96 | $50,865 |
Adjusted salary reflects purchasing power when cost of living is factored in. A higher adjusted salary means your money goes further.
Cost of Living in Lafayette
Lafayette's cost of living index is 84.8 (national average = 100). Living in Lafayette is 15.200000000000003% less expensive than the national average.
Median Home Price
$175,000
Median Monthly Rent
$735
Annual Rent Cost
$8,820
Your Salary's Purchasing Power
Your $39,921 annual take-home pay in Lafayette has the purchasing power of approximately $47,077 in an average-cost US area. Your $48,780 salary stretches further here than in most US cities.
Top Industries in Lafayette
Lafayette's economy is driven by these key industries. Workers in top industries often earn significantly above the median salary of $48,780.
Salary Tips for Lafayette Workers
- Your salary goes further here. Lafayette has a cost of living 15.200000000000003% below the national average. A salary of $48,780 here has the purchasing power of about $57,524 in an average-cost area.
- Research top industries. Lafayette's top industries include Manufacturing, Logistics, Life Sciences. Targeting roles in these sectors can help you earn above the $48,780 median salary.
- Review your W-4 withholding. If you regularly receive large tax refunds, adjust your W-4 to increase your per-paycheck take-home pay instead of giving the government an interest-free loan.
Methodology & Local Economy Data Sources
How we calculate Lafayette salary data: The median annual wage, median hourly wage and mean wage are the official BLS OEWS May 2025 all-occupations values for the Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN metropolitan statistical area, retrieved from the BLS Public Data API on September 17, 2026. BLS does not publish city-level wages, so every city inside that metro shows the same figure. The entry/senior/top-10% rows, the paycheck estimate and the purchasing-power conversion are Salario calculations built on that median. Cost-of-living adjustments use the C2ER Cost of Living Index baseline of 100 (national average), with Lafayette indexed at 84.8.
- Median salary: $48,780 annual, $23.45 hourly, BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN MSA (102,200 jobs surveyed). Mean wage $60,210 (BLS). Salario's previous modeled median for Lafayette was $35,789.
- Tax burden reflects Indiana 2026 state income tax brackets and standard deduction (top rate 2.95%), plus Lafayette local tax of 0.03%, sales tax (7%), and federal taxes per IRS 2026 brackets.
- Unemployment rate for Lafayette: 3%, sourced from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS).
- Top industries: Manufacturing, Logistics, Life Sciences, based on QCEW employment concentration data.
- Job growth: 2% projected through 2034, derived from BLS Employment Projections program for Indiana.
- Housing context: median home price $175,000, median rent $735/mo, sourced from Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
Authoritative US data sources for Lafayette, IN:
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), metropolitan area salary data
- BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, Lafayette unemployment rate
- U.S. Census Bureau, Lafayette QuickFacts, population, housing, demographics
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), county-level industry employment
- BLS Economy at a Glance, Indiana, state economic indicators
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), local GDP and personal income data
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U), regional inflation tracking
Disclaimer: Salary and cost data are estimates for general guidance. Individual compensation varies by employer, experience, education, negotiation, and skills. Lafayette's rapidly changing economy can shift these baselines, always verify with current job listings, employer offers, and recent Indiana labor market reports for the most current figures.
Reviewed by Harlan Voss · Last updated September 17, 2026 · Wage figures: BLS OEWS May 2025 release (published May 2026) · Census data current as of latest releases
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the hourly wage in Lafayette, IN?
The median hourly wage in Lafayette, IN is $23.45 per hour, the BLS OEWS May 2025 median for all occupations in the Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN metropolitan area, and the BLS median annual wage is $48,780. Entry-level workers are estimated around $14.54/hr, while senior-level workers are estimated around $33.30/hr before overtime, bonuses, or benefits (Salario estimates, not BLS percentiles).
What is the median salary in Lafayette, IN?
The median salary in Lafayette, IN is $48,780 per year, or $23.45 per hour (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN metro area). The BLS mean salary is $60,210. This is $2,200 below the BLS national median of $50,980.
What is the cost of living in Lafayette, IN?
Lafayette's cost of living index is 84.8 (national average = 100), meaning it is 15.200000000000003% less expensive compared to the national average. The median home price is $175,000 and the median monthly rent is $735.
What are the best industries in Lafayette?
The top industries in Lafayette, IN include Manufacturing, Logistics, Life Sciences. The city has a job growth rate of 2% and an unemployment rate of 3%. Workers in these industries often earn above the city's median salary of $48,780.
How does Lafayette's salary compare to other cities?
Lafayette's median salary of $48,780 is 4.3% below the national median of $50,980. However, when adjusted for cost of living (index: 84.8), the real purchasing power is approximately $57,524.
What is the minimum wage in Lafayette, IN?
The minimum wage in Lafayette, IN is $7.25 per hour. This equals approximately $15,080 per year for a full-time worker (40 hours/week). This matches the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hour.