Carpenters Salary in Lake Charles, LA
Carpenters in Lake Charles, LA make a median of $50,160 a year, or about $24.11 an hour. The range runs from $31K at the entry level to $65K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 85.85), which stretches that salary to about $58,427 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,217/month — about 36.9% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $50K get you in Lake Charles?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Lake Charles’s Regional Price Parity (85.85). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About carpenters
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Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Lake Charles, LA
Entry-level carpenters (10th percentile) start around $31K. Mid-career wages sit at $50K. Top earners bring in $65K or more, a $34K spread from bottom to top.
Carpenters pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $86K | +45% | 5,630 |
| Illinois | $76K | +29% | 24,930 |
| California | $75K | +26% | 106,500 |
| Washington | $73K | +24% | 26,340 |
| Massachusetts | $71K | +20% | 19,100 |
| District of Columbia | $66K | +11% | 1,270 |
| Alaska | $65K | +10% | 2,700 |
| Minnesota | $65K | +9% | 15,190 |
| New York | $64K | +7% | 44,500 |
| Connecticut | $64K | +7% | 5,680 |
| Nevada | $62K | +5% | 13,420 |
| Vermont | $62K | +5% | 3,010 |
| New Jersey | $62K | +4% | 12,930 |
| Michigan | $61K | +4% | 21,550 |
| Oregon | $61K | +3% | 16,390 |
| Missouri | $61K | +3% | 16,390 |
| Delaware | $61K | +3% | 1,650 |
| Rhode Island | $61K | +2% | 2,870 |
| Indiana | $61K | +2% | 15,200 |
| Wisconsin | $60K | +2% | 15,330 |
| Maryland | $60K | +1% | 10,460 |
| New Hampshire | $60K | +1% | 3,960 |
| Pennsylvania | $59K | -0% | 29,900 |
| Maine | $59K | -0% | 4,830 |
| North Dakota | $58K | -2% | 2,830 |
| Ohio | $58K | -2% | 17,280 |
| Montana | $58K | -2% | 4,240 |
| Wyoming | $56K | -6% | 2,460 |
| Arizona | $55K | -8% | 18,290 |
| Iowa | $54K | -9% | 6,650 |
| New Mexico | $52K | -12% | 3,220 |
| Utah | $52K | -13% | 14,040 |
| Kansas | $52K | -13% | 5,120 |
| Kentucky | $51K | -14% | 8,200 |
| Georgia | $51K | -15% | 9,620 |
| Virginia | $50K | -15% | 18,340 |
| Louisiana | $50K | -16% | 8,820 |
| Nebraska | $50K | -16% | 6,550 |
| Tennessee | $50K | -17% | 8,680 |
| South Carolina | $49K | -18% | 7,070 |
| Idaho | $49K | -18% | 7,340 |
| Texas | $48K | -19% | 34,400 |
| Florida | $48K | -19% | 44,130 |
| Alabama | $48K | -19% | 5,700 |
| Oklahoma | $48K | -20% | 3,810 |
| North Carolina | $48K | -20% | 13,410 |
| West Virginia | $47K | -20% | 2,910 |
| South Dakota | $47K | -22% | 4,440 |
| Arkansas | $46K | -22% | 3,860 |
| Mississippi | $46K | -22% | 2,230 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track carpenters salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Lake Charles numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
How much do carpenters make in Lake Charles, LA?
The median is $50,160 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,420, and experienced carpenters can clear $65,050. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $50K enough to live in Lake Charles?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,399/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,217/month, which eats 35.8% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a carpenters salary go in Lake Charles?
Lake Charles has a Regional Price Parity of 85.85 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median carpenters salary is worth about $58,427 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do carpenters get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.