Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters Salary
In Lake Charles, LA, helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters earn $36,800 at the median, or about $17.69 an hour. The range runs from $32K at the entry level to $47K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 85.85), which stretches that salary to about $42,865 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,217/month, about 48.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $37K 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 helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
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What this looks like in Lake Charles
Pay for helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters in Lake Charles runs about 13% below the U.S. median of $42K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,217/month, which is 47.8% 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. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitterss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters in metros near Lake Charles, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Baton Rouge | $38K | $42K |
| New Orleans-Metairie | $40K | $43K |
| Shreveport-Bossier City | $36K | $43K |
| Slidell-Mandeville-Covington | $38K | $41K |
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 helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters (10th percentile) start around $32K. Mid-career wages sit at $37K. Top earners bring in $47K or more, a $15K spread from bottom to top.
Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $56K | +33% | 600 |
| Hawaii | $52K | +23% | 180 |
| New York | $52K | +23% | 4,840 |
| Maine | $48K | +14% | N/A |
| Arizona | $48K | +13% | 460 |
| Alaska | $47K | +12% | 100 |
| California | $47K | +11% | 2,500 |
| Maryland | $46K | +9% | 970 |
| New Hampshire | $46K | +9% | 70 |
| Ohio | $46K | +8% | 1,090 |
| District of Columbia | $45K | +7% | N/A |
| Wyoming | $45K | +7% | 40 |
| Colorado | $45K | +6% | 240 |
| Oregon | $45K | +6% | 210 |
| Tennessee | $45K | +5% | 1,100 |
| Nebraska | $45K | +5% | 70 |
| New Jersey | $44K | +5% | 760 |
| Massachusetts | $44K | +5% | N/A |
| North Carolina | $44K | +3% | 3,070 |
| Utah | $43K | +2% | 390 |
| Kentucky | $43K | +2% | 960 |
| Michigan | $43K | +1% | 270 |
| Indiana | $42K | -0% | 390 |
| Pennsylvania | $42K | -0% | 920 |
| Texas | $42K | -1% | 7,210 |
| Wisconsin | $42K | -2% | 450 |
| Montana | $41K | -2% | 110 |
| Nevada | $41K | -3% | 350 |
| Kansas | $41K | -4% | 320 |
| Idaho | $40K | -5% | N/A |
| New Mexico | $40K | -5% | 400 |
| Oklahoma | $40K | -5% | 740 |
| South Carolina | $39K | -7% | 1,090 |
| Connecticut | $39K | -8% | 160 |
| Illinois | $38K | -10% | N/A |
| Virginia | $38K | -10% | 1,640 |
| Iowa | $38K | -11% | 350 |
| Georgia | $38K | -11% | 2,100 |
| Arkansas | $38K | -11% | 330 |
| Florida | $38K | -11% | 4,500 |
| Alabama | $37K | -12% | 770 |
| Vermont | $37K | -12% | 140 |
| Mississippi | $37K | -12% | 400 |
| Louisiana | $37K | -12% | 2,010 |
| South Dakota | $37K | -14% | 210 |
| Delaware | $36K | -15% | 140 |
| West Virginia | $36K | -15% | 130 |
| Missouri | $35K | -18% | 280 |
Showing 1–10 of 48 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Lake Charles?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $37K, rent takes 47.8% 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 $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters in Lake Charles?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters typically earn — is $32K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,898/month. At HUD’s $1,217/month FMR, rent would take 64% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitter a high-paying job in Lake Charles?
Local pay runs 13% below the national median — $37K here vs. $42K nationally. Cost of living is 14% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Lake Charles compare to the national average for helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters?
Lake Charles pays $37K median vs. the U.S. average of $42K — that’s -13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 85.85), the purchasing-power equivalent is $43K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters make in Lake Charles, LA?
The median is $36,800 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,630, and experienced helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters can clear $46,650. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $37K enough to live in Lake Charles?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,544/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,217/month, which eats 47.8% 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 helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters 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 helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters salary is worth about $42,865 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters 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.