SOC 35-3031 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Waiters and Waitresses — Lake Charles
Lake Charles, LA · 9 metro areas compared
Median pay in Lake Charles, LA is $15,080 a year, 57.2% under the national median of $35,230 for this occupation.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
How pay has moved
The next ten years
Projected to decline
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- -0.7%
- Openings per year
- 456,700
- Typical entry-level education
- No formal educational credential
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for Lake Charles, LA.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Salary overview
Median pay in Lake Charles, LA is $15,080 a year, 57.2% under the national median of $35,230 for this occupation. Half of workers earn between $15,080 and $20,990. Beyond that band, the tenth percentile sits at $15,080 and the ninetieth at $36,910.
The area has 1,950 jobs in this occupation, which works out to 19.2 of every thousand jobs. New Orleans leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $16,640. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 276th of 277 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $15,080 | −57.2% |
| 25th | $15,080 | −57.2% |
| Median (50th) | $15,080 | −57.2% |
| 75th | $20,990 | −40.4% |
| 90th | $36,910 | +4.8% |
| Mean | $20,490 | −41.8% |
Other metro areas in Louisiana
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Orleans | $16,640 | 10,050 | |
| 2 | Alexandria | $15,080 | 750 | |
| 3 | Baton Rouge | $15,080 | 6,650 | |
| 4 | Hammond | $15,080 | 1,050 | |
| 5 | Houma | $15,080 | 1,210 | |
| 6 | Lafayette | $15,080 | 3,410 | |
| 7 | Monroe | $15,080 | 1,370 | |
| 8 | Shreveport | $15,080 | 2,620 | |
| 9 | Slidell | $15,080 | 2,520 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Lake Charles run 14.1% below the national average, so the median of $15,080 goes as far as $17,555 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 50.2% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$15,080as reported by BLSLocal price level
85.9US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$17,555US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $15,080 a year, 57.2% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $15,080 to $36,910 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 1,950 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is New Orleans, at $16,640.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Waiters and Waitresses in Lake Charles, LA?
The median annual wage is $15,080, or $7.25 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $35,230, so pay in Lake Charles, LA is 57.2% lower. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Lake Charles, LA earns more than $36,910 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $15,080 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in New Orleans, at $16,640 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 1,950 jobs in this occupation in Lake Charles, LA. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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