Cost of hiring in Lake Charles, LA
Administrative Assistant is the largest of these 14 jobs in Lake Charles, with about 1,390 people1. Medians run from $31,620 a year for virtual receptionists to $92,770 for project coordinators.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in Lake Charles
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | -9.3% | 350 | |
| Bookkeeper | -12.1% | 830 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -13.9% | 110 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -15.3% | 1,390 | |
| Recruiter | -15.6% | 280 | |
| Accountant | -16.3% | 600 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -16.8% | 570 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -19.4% | 40 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -20.7% | 170 | |
| Office Manager | -20.9% | 880 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -21.6% | 1,090 | |
| Paralegal | -22.1% | 220 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -32.4% | 390 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -35.1% | 160 |
The employer pays more than the wage: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, so a $40,260 median for administrative assistants, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $51,948 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
Lake Charles against the US
Lake Charles pays below the US median for all 14 roles. The gap is smallest for project coordinators (-9.3%) and bookkeepers (-12.1%) and largest for marketing specialists (-35.1%). The middle gap across all 14 is -18.1%: for most of these roles, hiring costs less here than at the US median. Its best national standing is for project coordinators, #253 of 518 areas by median pay; its lowest is for customer support specialists, #503 of 520.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, Lake Charles has more administrative assistants (19.6% of these jobs here, against 11.2% nationally) and payroll specialists (1.6% against 1.0%), and fewer medical administrative assistants (2.4% against 6.3%) and marketing specialists (2.3% against 5.9%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; Little Rock-North Little Rock, AR is nearest, at -18.1%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rome, GA | -18.0% | 13 | 3,220 |
| Mansfield, OH | -18.0% | 15 | 3,440 |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | -18.1% | 16 | 8,910 |
| Little Rock-North Little Rock, AR | -18.1% | 17 | 32,430 |
| Lake Charles, LA | -18.1% (this area) | 14 | 7,080 |
| Muncie, IN | -18.2% | 15 | 3,740 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, marketing specialists in Lake Charles span $30,340–$102,410, the widest band (3.4×); customer support specialists the narrowest, $25,700–$48,000. Wider than nationally for virtual receptionists and medical administrative assistants, narrower for sales development representatives and recruiters. Budget from the median for sales development representatives, accountants, marketing specialists and 2 more roles: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($60,350 against a $47,310 median for sales development representatives).
Lake Charles against Louisiana
Against Louisiana as a whole, Lake Charles pays more for 3 of 14 roles, led by project coordinators (+9.3%) and recruiters (+4.6%), and less for 10, most of all paralegals (-18.7%). It has the lowest median in Louisiana for data entry specialists.
Other areas in Louisiana
By jobs in these roles, Lake Charles is #8 of 13 areas in Louisiana. The table shows the areas closest to it in size, from Shreveport-Bossier City to Hammond.
| Area | Jobs in these roles | Roles with data |
|---|---|---|
| Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | 15,130 | 16 |
| Lafayette, LA | 14,680 | 16 |
| Slidell-Mandeville, LA | 9,120 | 14 |
| Monroe, LA | 7,200 | 16 |
| Southwest Louisiana (Nonmetro) | 7,180 | 14 |
| Houma-Bayou Cane, LA | 6,390 | 15 |
| Central Louisiana (Nonmetro) | 5,470 | 15 |
| Alexandria, LA | 4,980 | 14 |
| Northeast Louisiana (Nonmetro) | 4,440 | 14 |
| Hammond, LA | 3,540 | 14 |
Questions
Which role costs the most to hire in Lake Charles?
Of the 14 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $92,770 a year, about $119,703 with benefits; the lowest is Virtual Receptionist, $31,620.
Is hiring in Lake Charles cheaper than the US median?
Yes, for every role we track: all 14 medians are below the US figure, the furthest for marketing specialists (-35.1%).
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.