Chemical Technicians Salary
Chemical Technicians in Lake Charles, LA make a median of $88,780 a year, or about $42.68 an hour. The range runs from $60K at the entry level to $114K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 85.85), which stretches that salary to about $103,413 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,217/month, or 21.7% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $89K 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 chemical technicians
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What this looks like in Lake Charles
Lake Charles sits well above the national pay line for chemical technicians, local pay runs about 47% higher than the U.S. median of $60K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,217/month, 21.6% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 85.85 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 14% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Lake Charles offers a genuinely strong financial position for chemical technicianss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for chemical technicians in metros near Lake Charles, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Baton Rouge | $92K | $101K |
| New Orleans-Metairie | $80K | $87K |
| Shreveport-Bossier City | $80K | $95K |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $65K | $66K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Lake Charles, LA
Entry-level chemical technicians (10th percentile) start around $60K. Mid-career wages sit at $89K. Top earners bring in $114K or more, a $54K spread from bottom to top.
Chemical Technicians pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Chemical Technicians salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | $86K | +42% | 960 |
| Alaska | $79K | +31% | 100 |
| Delaware | $79K | +30% | 540 |
| South Carolina | $75K | +24% | 2,080 |
| Missouri | $69K | +14% | 720 |
| Massachusetts | $68K | +12% | 1,780 |
| Arizona | $66K | +9% | 390 |
| Vermont | $66K | +9% | 150 |
| Hawaii | $64K | +6% | 40 |
| Colorado | $64K | +6% | 1,180 |
| Nebraska | $63K | +4% | 280 |
| Texas | $63K | +4% | 6,090 |
| Minnesota | $62K | +3% | 870 |
| Washington | $62K | +3% | 730 |
| Illinois | $62K | +2% | 1,320 |
| Rhode Island | $62K | +2% | 190 |
| Kansas | $62K | +2% | 370 |
| Nevada | $62K | +2% | 1,050 |
| New York | $61K | +1% | 2,200 |
| Kentucky | $61K | +1% | 700 |
| Oklahoma | $60K | -1% | 610 |
| Ohio | $60K | -1% | 3,120 |
| California | $60K | -1% | 6,800 |
| Wisconsin | $59K | -2% | 1,090 |
| Pennsylvania | $59K | -2% | 2,710 |
| Indiana | $59K | -2% | 1,990 |
| North Carolina | $59K | -2% | 2,660 |
| West Virginia | $59K | -3% | 230 |
| New Jersey | $59K | -3% | 2,730 |
| Michigan | $58K | -4% | 2,220 |
| Alabama | $58K | -4% | 1,190 |
| Georgia | $58K | -4% | 850 |
| Iowa | $58K | -4% | 440 |
| Oregon | $58K | -4% | 340 |
| North Dakota | $58K | -4% | 150 |
| Connecticut | $57K | -5% | 510 |
| District of Columbia | $57K | -6% | 30 |
| Wyoming | $56K | -7% | 230 |
| New Mexico | $55K | -9% | 250 |
| Tennessee | $55K | -9% | 1,470 |
| Mississippi | $55K | -10% | 480 |
| Idaho | $55K | -10% | 170 |
| Florida | $54K | -10% | 1,840 |
| Montana | $53K | -12% | 240 |
| Virginia | $52K | -14% | 1,370 |
| Maryland | $49K | -18% | 590 |
| Maine | $49K | -18% | 100 |
| South Dakota | $49K | -19% | 90 |
| Utah | $49K | -19% | 580 |
| New Hampshire | $49K | -19% | 220 |
| Arkansas | $45K | -25% | 500 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track chemical technicians salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Lake Charles numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a chemical technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Lake Charles?
Yes — at the median salary of $89K, rent takes 21.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,217/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for chemical technicians in Lake Charles?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chemical technicians typically earn — is $60K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,611/month. At HUD’s $1,217/month FMR, rent would take 34% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is chemical technician a high-paying job in Lake Charles?
Local pay is 47% above the national median — $89K here vs. $60K nationally.
How does Lake Charles compare to the national average for chemical technicians?
Lake Charles pays $89K median vs. the U.S. average of $60K — that’s +47%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 85.85), the purchasing-power equivalent is $103K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do chemical technicians make in Lake Charles, LA?
The median is $88,780 a year, that works out to about $43 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $60,180, and experienced chemical technicians can clear $113,950. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $89K enough to live in Lake Charles?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,638/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,217/month, which eats 21.6% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a chemical technicians 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 chemical technicians salary is worth about $103,413 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do chemical technicians 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.