Lake Charles Hourly Wage & Salary 2026
Lake Charles, LA: $21.97/hr median hourly wage, $45,700 median annual salary, cost of living index 87, and $7.25/hr minimum wage. Calculate take-home pay with federal and Louisiana taxes.
Lake Charles Hourly Wage Quick Answer
The median hourly wage in Lake Charles, LA is $21.97/hr,and the median annual wage is $45,700. Entry-level pay estimates around $13.62/hr, senior-level pay estimates around $31.20/hr, and the local minimum wage is $7.25/hr.
Median figures: BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Lake Charles, LA metropolitan statistical area (101,690 jobs). BLS publishes wages by metro area, not by city, so Lake Charles shares this figure with the rest of its metro. Entry and senior levels are Salario estimates.
Median Salary
$45,700
$21.97/hr
Cost of Living
87
US avg = 100
Minimum Wage
$7.25
per hour
Unemployment
4.2%
rate
Lake Charles, LA Overview
Population
84,872
Median Salary
$45,700
Average Salary
$56,630
Avg Commute
20 min
Median Home Price
$175,000
Median Rent
$900/mo
Job Growth
+0.8%
Sales Tax
10.2%
Lake Charles is located in Louisiana with a population of 84,872. The median annual wage across all occupations is $45,700 ($21.97/hour, BLS OEWS May 2025, Lake Charles, LA metro), which is $5,280 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 20 minutes, and the city has a job growth rate of +0.8%.
Lake Charles Salary by Experience Level (2026)
Wage distribution in Lake Charles, LA built around the $45,700 median salary (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Lake Charles, LA 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 | $28,334 | $13.62/hr | 0–2 years |
| Mid-Level (Median) | $45,700 | $21.97/hr | 3–7 years |
| Senior-Level | $64,894 | $31.20/hr | 8–15 years |
| Top 10% (90th Percentile) | $81,346 | $39.11/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.
Lake Charles Paycheck Calculator
Enter your annual salary to see your estimated take-home pay in Lake Charles, LA, after federal, state, and local taxes.
Estimated Annual Take-Home Pay
$37,915
$3,159.60/month · $1,458.28/biweekly · Effective Rate: 17.0%
Biweekly paycheck estimate: this salary equals about $1,458.28 take-home per paycheck after estimated Louisiana and federal taxes. For the 26-paycheck formula, three-paycheck months, and withholding examples, see the Biweekly Paycheck Calculator.
Gross Pay
$45,700
Federal Tax
-$3,304
State Tax
-$985
Local Tax
$0
FICA
-$3,496
Net Pay
$37,915
Pay Breakdown
| Item | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary | $3,808.33 | $45,700.00 |
| Federal Income Tax | -$275.33 | -$3,304.00 |
| Louisiana State Tax (2.15% eff.) | -$82.06 | -$984.75 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | -$236.12 | -$2,833.40 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | -$55.22 | -$662.65 |
| Net Take-Home Pay | $3,159.60 | $37,915.20 |
Salary Comparison: Lake Charles vs Other Cities
See how Lake Charles's median salary and cost of living compare to the national average and similar cities.
| City | Median Salary | COL Index | Adj. Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Charles, LA | $45,700 | 87 | $52,529 |
| National Average | $50,980 | 100 | $50,980 |
| Springfield, MO | $45,780 | 83 | $55,157 |
| Fayetteville, NC | $45,620 | 85 | $53,671 |
| Bay City, MI | $45,620 | 84.2 | $54,181 |
| Little Rock, AR | $45,790 | 88 | $52,034 |
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 Lake Charles
Lake Charles's cost of living index is 87 (national average = 100). Living in Lake Charles is 13% less expensive than the national average.
Median Home Price
$175,000
Median Monthly Rent
$900
Annual Rent Cost
$10,800
Your Salary's Purchasing Power
Your $37,915 annual take-home pay in Lake Charles has the purchasing power of approximately $43,581 in an average-cost US area. Your $45,700 salary stretches further here than in most US cities.
Top Industries in Lake Charles
Lake Charles's economy is driven by these key industries. Workers in top industries often earn significantly above the median salary of $45,700.
Salary Tips for Lake Charles Workers
- Your salary goes further here. Lake Charles has a cost of living 13% below the national average. A salary of $45,700 here has the purchasing power of about $52,529 in an average-cost area.
- Research top industries. Lake Charles's top industries include Energy, Chemical, Gaming. Targeting roles in these sectors can help you earn above the $45,700 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.
Other Cities in Louisiana
Laplace
Marrero
Metairie
Monroe
New Iberia
New Orleans
Prairieville
Shreveport
Slidell
Alexandria
Baton Rouge
Bossier City
Methodology & Local Economy Data Sources
How we calculate Lake Charles salary data: The median annual wage, median hourly wage and mean wage are the official BLS OEWS May 2025 all-occupations values for the Lake Charles, LA 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 Lake Charles indexed at 87.
- Median salary: $45,700 annual, $21.97 hourly, BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Lake Charles, LA MSA (101,690 jobs surveyed). Mean wage $56,630 (BLS). Salario's previous modeled median for Lake Charles was $52,000.
- Tax burden reflects Louisiana 2026 state income tax brackets and standard deduction (top rate 3%) (no local income tax), sales tax (10.2%), and federal taxes per IRS 2026 brackets.
- Unemployment rate for Lake Charles: 4.2%, sourced from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS).
- Top industries: Energy, Chemical, Gaming, based on QCEW employment concentration data.
- Job growth: 0.8% projected through 2034, derived from BLS Employment Projections program for Louisiana.
- Housing context: median home price $175,000, median rent $900/mo, sourced from Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
Authoritative US data sources for Lake Charles, LA:
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), metropolitan area salary data
- BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, Lake Charles unemployment rate
- U.S. Census Bureau, Lake Charles QuickFacts, population, housing, demographics
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), county-level industry employment
- BLS Economy at a Glance, Louisiana, 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. Lake Charles's rapidly changing economy can shift these baselines, always verify with current job listings, employer offers, and recent Louisiana 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 Lake Charles, LA?
The median hourly wage in Lake Charles, LA is $21.97 per hour, the BLS OEWS May 2025 median for all occupations in the Lake Charles, LA metropolitan area, and the BLS median annual wage is $45,700. Entry-level workers are estimated around $13.62/hr, while senior-level workers are estimated around $31.20/hr before overtime, bonuses, or benefits (Salario estimates, not BLS percentiles).
What is the median salary in Lake Charles, LA?
The median salary in Lake Charles, LA is $45,700 per year, or $21.97 per hour (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Lake Charles, LA metro area). The BLS mean salary is $56,630. This is $5,280 below the BLS national median of $50,980.
What is the cost of living in Lake Charles, LA?
Lake Charles's cost of living index is 87 (national average = 100), meaning it is 13% less expensive compared to the national average. The median home price is $175,000 and the median monthly rent is $900.
What are the best industries in Lake Charles?
The top industries in Lake Charles, LA include Energy, Chemical, Gaming. The city has a job growth rate of 0.8% and an unemployment rate of 4.2%. Workers in these industries often earn above the city's median salary of $45,700.
How does Lake Charles's salary compare to other cities?
Lake Charles's median salary of $45,700 is 10.4% below the national median of $50,980. However, when adjusted for cost of living (index: 87), the real purchasing power is approximately $52,529.
What is the minimum wage in Lake Charles, LA?
The minimum wage in Lake Charles, LA 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.