Average Salaries in Lake Charles, LA
Explore salaries across 275 occupations in Lake Charles, LA. The average median wage across all tracked occupations is $53.8K, -12.6% vs the national average. See the highest-paying roles, where the jobs are, and how local wages compare to the rest of the country.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2024 estimates. Coverage: 275 occupations and 91,470 total jobs in Lake Charles, LA.
How the metro compares
Lake Charles, LA pays modestly below the national average. That can be partly offset by a lower cost of living compared with higher-paying markets.
Lake Charles, LA is a smaller metro labor market. Some occupations may have limited local demand.
The highest-paid occupation tracked here is Architectural And Engineering Managers. Drill into any occupation below to see its local pay distribution, employment, and how it compares to the national market.
Top-paying and largest occupations in Lake Charles, LA
Two different lenses on the local labor market: which occupations pay the most, and which employ the most workers. The highest-paid list tends to favor specialized professional and technical roles. The largest list reflects where the everyday jobs actually are.
Top wages
Highest-paid occupations in Lake Charles, LA
| Occupation | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Architectural And Engineering Managers | $184.0K | 120 |
| Petroleum Engineers | $153.8K | 70 |
| Chemists | $130.8K | 160 |
| Pharmacists | $129.7K | 190 |
| Financial Managers | $127.6K | 230 |
| Nurse Practitioners | $127.4K | 110 |
| Electrical Engineers | $125.7K | 30 |
| Sales Managers | $119.0K | 140 |
| Captains, Mates, And Pilots Of Water Vessels | $113.4K | 160 |
| Human Resources Managers | $113.0K | 40 |
Most jobs
Largest occupations in Lake Charles, LA
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Cashiers | 3,070 | $24.6K |
| Registered Nurses | 2,610 | $78.2K |
| Retail Salespersons | 2,590 | $28.3K |
| Police And Sheriff'S Patrol Officers | 2,290 | $55.7K |
| Construction Laborers | 2,230 | $46.9K |
| Food Preparation Workers | 2,150 | $22.9K |
| Chemical Equipment Operators And Tenders | 2,050 | $71.7K |
| Laborers And Freight, Stock, And Material Movers, Hand | 1,980 | $35.0K |
| General And Operations Managers | 1,950 | $100.7K |
| Home Health And Personal Care Aides | 1,800 | $21.7K |
What Lake Charles, LA specializes in
The location quotient measures how concentrated an occupation is here compared to the national average. A value above 1.00 means the occupation is more common in Lake Charles, LA than in the country as a whole, which signals what this metro is known for.
Location quotient
Most concentrated occupations in Lake Charles, LA
| Occupation | Location quotient | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Gas Plant Operators | 51.66 | $105.0K |
| Chemical Equipment Operators And Tenders | 24.76 | $71.7K |
| Gambling Dealers | 18.59 | $31.5K |
| Engineers, All Other | 15.03 | $92.1K |
| Sailors And Marine Oilers | 14.07 | $37.6K |
| Gambling And Sports Book Writers And Runners | 10.65 | $15.2K |
| Gambling Change Persons And Booth Cashiers | 8.83 | $31.1K |
| Tank Car, Truck, And Ship Loaders | 8.03 | $63.6K |
| Captains, Mates, And Pilots Of Water Vessels | 6.83 | $113.4K |
| Healthcare Practitioners And Technical Workers, All Other | 6.40 | $36.7K |
Peer markets
Comparable metros
| Metro | Average median | Highest-paid occupation |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $90.4K | Training And Development Managers |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $89.2K | Natural Sciences Managers |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $81.4K | Nurse Anesthetists |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $80.1K | Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $78.4K | Nurse Anesthetists |
| Vallejo, CA | $77.4K | Lawyers |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $77.2K | Podiatrists |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $77.1K | Neurologists |
Common salary questions for Lake Charles, LA
What does "average median" mean? +
It is the average of all occupation-level medians in this area. It gives a rough sense of the overall wage level here compared to other states or metros, but it is not the same as a household income figure or a single blended salary.
What is a location quotient? +
A location quotient (LQ) compares how concentrated an occupation is in this area versus the national average. An LQ of 2.0 means the occupation is twice as concentrated here as it is nationally. High-LQ occupations are what this area specializes in.
How are comparable areas selected? +
Peer areas are other metros with a similar overall wage level and employment size. They give you a quick sense of how this area ranks among places with a comparable labor market.