High paying jobs in Lake Charles, LA

Every occupation below is ranked by its median annual wage in Lake Charles, LA. The percentile range matters more than the median on its own: it shows what the bottom and top of each field actually earn, which a single average hides.

Cost of living: prices in Lake Charles, LA run 14.1% below the national average (2024), so a Lake Charles, LA salary is worth about 1.16× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order.

Local wage estimates are suppressed more often than state ones — BLS withholds any figure too few local employers report — so an occupation missing here simply has no published local estimate.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in Lake Charles, LA

OccupationMedian, Lake Charles, LA · Employed

1Physicians, All Other$284,440
Doctoral or professional degree
$110,910 – $488,91060
2Architectural and Engineering Managers$191,250
Bachelor's degree
$135,260 – $223,750150
3Chemical Engineers$136,810
Bachelor's degree
$95,280 – $177,790100
4Industrial Production Managers$136,800
Bachelor's degree
$79,720 – $215,990200
5Pharmacists$133,720
Doctoral or professional degree
$84,820 – $157,400220
6Electrical Engineers$129,940
Bachelor's degree
$80,520 – $170,70070
7Industrial Engineers$129,260
Bachelor's degree
$78,540 – $180,490180
8Nurse Practitioners$128,460
Master's degree
$103,770 – $157,910180
9Chemists$128,330
Bachelor's degree
$80,060 – $168,460180
10Physician Assistants$127,160
Master's degree
$58,930 – $162,38040
11Mechanical Engineers$126,090
Bachelor's degree
$75,510 – $201,710110
12Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors$125,670
Bachelor's degree
$93,480 – $169,89070
13Sales Managers$124,580
Bachelor's degree
$65,720 – $197,810160
14Financial Managers$123,450
Bachelor's degree
$82,580 – $247,100240
15Software Developers$120,940
Bachelor's degree
$63,030 – $171,290100
16Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels$119,630
Postsecondary nondegree award
$59,190 – $123,780150
17Veterinarians$115,210
Doctoral or professional degree
$72,820 – $153,67060
18Dentists, General$114,470
Doctoral or professional degree
$66,840 – $263,99090
19Computer and Information Systems Managers$112,460
Bachelor's degree
$86,490 – $202,41070
20Construction Managers$108,590
Bachelor's degree
$62,020 – $163,570360
21Chief Executives$108,200
Bachelor's degree
$62,820 – $297,36060
22Human Resources Managers$105,370
Bachelor's degree
$54,050 – $188,86050
23Managers, All Other$103,550
Bachelor's degree
$56,700 – $187,750800
24Chemical Plant and System Operators$102,310
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,910 – $121,530740
25Lawyers$101,690
Doctoral or professional degree
$58,510 – $229,950350
26General and Operations Managers$101,370
Bachelor's degree
$50,230 – $215,6802,140
27Medical and Health Services Managers$101,320
Bachelor's degree
$67,170 – $174,230200
28Commercial Pilots$99,600
Postsecondary nondegree award
$50,820 – $158,82070
29Management Analysts$97,810
Bachelor's degree
$65,960 – $158,19060
30Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$97,740
Associate's degree
$54,320 – $106,86040
31Civil Engineers$97,490
Bachelor's degree
$42,620 – $156,930120
32Engineers, All Other$94,810
Bachelor's degree
$85,540 – $175,8701,330
33First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers$94,280
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,990 – $166,500690
34Administrative Services Managers$93,580
Bachelor's degree
$50,060 – $181,39090
35Project Management Specialists$92,770
Bachelor's degree
$55,510 – $159,550350
36Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$92,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,620 – $174,000140
37First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$92,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$53,610 – $161,200750
38Logisticians$92,170
Bachelor's degree
$60,280 – $170,470110
39Computer Systems Analysts$91,210
Bachelor's degree
$60,210 – $132,29080
40Registered Nurses$90,690
Bachelor's degree
$62,570 – $121,6802,460
41Physical Therapists$88,900
Doctoral or professional degree
$55,180 – $130,360140
42Chemical Technicians$88,780
Associate's degree
$60,180 – $113,950150
43Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$88,710
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,690 – $111,14030
44Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$87,940
Master's degree
$67,750 – $87,940850
45Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary$84,410
Master's degree
$71,860 – $94,860250
46Dental Hygienists$84,080
Associate's degree
$62,950 – $92,910120
47Occupational Therapists$83,840
Master's degree
$44,860 – $128,41070
48Network and Computer Systems Administrators$83,670
Bachelor's degree
$62,280 – $140,57040
49Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$82,710
Bachelor's degree
$62,950 – $126,410280
50Training and Development Specialists$80,550
Bachelor's degree
$41,530 – $128,380120

Bars run from the 10th to the 90th percentile; the middle half is shaded darker, and the tick is the median.

#	Occupation	MedianLake Charles, LA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$284,440	$110,910 – $488,910	60
2	Architectural and Engineering ManagersBachelor's degree	$191,250	$135,260 – $223,750	150
3	Chemical EngineersBachelor's degree	$136,810	$95,280 – $177,790	100
4	Industrial Production ManagersBachelor's degree	$136,800	$79,720 – $215,990	200
5	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$133,720	$84,820 – $157,400	220
6	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$129,940	$80,520 – $170,700	70
7	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$129,260	$78,540 – $180,490	180
8	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$128,460	$103,770 – $157,910	180
9	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$128,330	$80,060 – $168,460	180
10	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$127,160	$58,930 – $162,380	40
11	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$126,090	$75,510 – $201,710	110
12	Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and InspectorsBachelor's degree	$125,670	$93,480 – $169,890	70
13	Sales ManagersBachelor's degree	$124,580	$65,720 – $197,810	160
14	Financial ManagersBachelor's degree	$123,450	$82,580 – $247,100	240
15	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$120,940	$63,030 – $171,290	100
16	Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water VesselsPostsecondary nondegree award	$119,630	$59,190 – $123,780	150
17	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$115,210	$72,820 – $153,670	60
18	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$114,470	$66,840 – $263,990	90
19	Computer and Information Systems ManagersBachelor's degree	$112,460	$86,490 – $202,410	70
20	Construction ManagersBachelor's degree	$108,590	$62,020 – $163,570	360
21	Chief ExecutivesBachelor's degree	$108,200	$62,820 – $297,360	60
22	Human Resources ManagersBachelor's degree	$105,370	$54,050 – $188,860	50
23	Managers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$103,550	$56,700 – $187,750	800
24	Chemical Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$102,310	$50,910 – $121,530	740
25	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$101,690	$58,510 – $229,950	350
26	General and Operations ManagersBachelor's degree	$101,370	$50,230 – $215,680	2,140
27	Medical and Health Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$101,320	$67,170 – $174,230	200
28	Commercial PilotsPostsecondary nondegree award	$99,600	$50,820 – $158,820	70
29	Management AnalystsBachelor's degree	$97,810	$65,960 – $158,190	60
30	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$97,740	$54,320 – $106,860	40
31	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$97,490	$42,620 – $156,930	120
32	Engineers, All OtherBachelor's degree	$94,810	$85,540 – $175,870	1,330
33	First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$94,280	$48,990 – $166,500	690
34	Administrative Services ManagersBachelor's degree	$93,580	$50,060 – $181,390	90
35	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$92,770	$55,510 – $159,550	350
36	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$92,640	$51,620 – $174,000	140
37	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$92,560	$53,610 – $161,200	750
38	LogisticiansBachelor's degree	$92,170	$60,280 – $170,470	110
39	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$91,210	$60,210 – $132,290	80
40	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$90,690	$62,570 – $121,680	2,460
41	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$88,900	$55,180 – $130,360	140
42	Chemical TechniciansAssociate's degree	$88,780	$60,180 – $113,950	150
43	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$88,710	$37,690 – $111,140	30
44	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$87,940	$67,750 – $87,940	850
45	Education Administrators, Kindergarten through SecondaryMaster's degree	$84,410	$71,860 – $94,860	250
46	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$84,080	$62,950 – $92,910	120
47	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$83,840	$44,860 – $128,410	70
48	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$83,670	$62,280 – $140,570	40
49	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$82,710	$62,950 – $126,410	280
50	Training and Development SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$80,550	$41,530 – $128,380	120

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Lake Charles, LA. The rarer ones are real jobs — but a 1,190-person occupation at the top of a list answers a different question than the one most readers are asking.

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The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Lake Charles, LA to rank honestly.

High paying jobs in Lake Charles, LA

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