Counselors, All Other Salary
Counselors, All Others in Lake Charles, LA make a median of $46,000 a year, or about $22.12 an hour. The range runs from $22K at the entry level to $66K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 85.85), which stretches that salary to about $53,582 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,217/month, about 38.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $46K 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 counselors, all others
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What this looks like in Lake Charles
Counselors, all other pay in Lake Charles tracks closely to the national median, $46K locally vs. $51K nationwide, a 10% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,217/month, which is 38.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. 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. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for counselors, all others in metros near Lake Charles, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| New Orleans-Metairie | $49K | $53K |
| Baton Rouge | $48K | $53K |
| Alexandria | $49K | $57K |
| Monroe | $50K | $59K |
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 counselors, all others (10th percentile) start around $22K. Mid-career wages sit at $46K. Top earners bring in $66K or more, a $44K spread from bottom to top.
Counselors, All Other pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Counselors, All Other salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $94K | +84% | 90 |
| Utah | $94K | +84% | 150 |
| Georgia | $79K | +56% | 760 |
| Oregon | $79K | +55% | 120 |
| Virginia | $76K | +50% | 470 |
| New Jersey | $73K | +44% | 810 |
| Wisconsin | $71K | +40% | 440 |
| North Dakota | $70K | +37% | 80 |
| Washington | $70K | +37% | 120 |
| Colorado | $67K | +31% | 370 |
| Hawaii | $65K | +29% | 70 |
| Maine | $62K | +22% | 60 |
| Iowa | $61K | +20% | 90 |
| Arizona | $60K | +18% | 110 |
| Pennsylvania | $59K | +16% | 1,330 |
| New York | $59K | +15% | 470 |
| Massachusetts | $58K | +15% | 140 |
| Vermont | $56K | +11% | 150 |
| South Carolina | $55K | +8% | 60 |
| Texas | $54K | +7% | 2,550 |
| Mississippi | $54K | +6% | 40 |
| Connecticut | $53K | +5% | 60 |
| North Carolina | $52K | +3% | N/A |
| Tennessee | $52K | +2% | 740 |
| Illinois | $49K | -3% | 760 |
| Arkansas | $49K | -3% | 110 |
| Delaware | $49K | -4% | N/A |
| California | $49K | -4% | 10,770 |
| Louisiana | $48K | -6% | 1,510 |
| New Hampshire | $48K | -6% | 100 |
| Minnesota | $48K | -6% | 650 |
| Alabama | $48K | -6% | 120 |
| Maryland | $47K | -8% | 1,750 |
| Florida | $46K | -10% | 1,230 |
| Ohio | $46K | -10% | 330 |
| Nevada | $45K | -11% | 280 |
| Indiana | $45K | -11% | 70 |
| Alaska | $45K | -11% | 70 |
| West Virginia | $45K | -12% | 220 |
| Missouri | $44K | -14% | 130 |
| Nebraska | $41K | -20% | N/A |
| Kentucky | $40K | -21% | 70 |
| Montana | $39K | -23% | 110 |
| Michigan | $37K | -26% | 470 |
Showing 1–10 of 44 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track counselors, all other salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Lake Charles numbers change.
Related careers in Community & Social
Frequently asked questions
Can a counselors, all other afford a 2BR apartment alone in Lake Charles?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $46K, rent takes 38.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,217/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for counselors, all others in Lake Charles?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new counselors, all others typically earn — is $22K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,310/month. At HUD’s $1,217/month FMR, rent would take 93% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is counselors, all other a high-paying job in Lake Charles?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $46K locally vs. $51K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does Lake Charles compare to the national average for counselors, all others?
Lake Charles pays $46K median vs. the U.S. average of $51K — that’s -10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 85.85), the purchasing-power equivalent is $54K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do counselors, all others make in Lake Charles, LA?
The median is $46,000 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $21,840, and experienced counselors, all others can clear $66,040. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $46K enough to live in Lake Charles?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,133/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,217/month, which eats 38.8% 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 counselors, all other 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 counselors, all other salary is worth about $53,582 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do counselors, all others 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.