Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop Salary in Lake Charles, LA
In Lake Charles, LA, hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shops earn $20,080 at the median — $9.65 an hour. The range runs from $15K at the entry level to $32K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 85.85), which stretches that salary to about $23,390 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,217/month — about 85.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $20K 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.
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Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Lake Charles, LA
Entry-level hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shops (10th percentile) start around $15K. Mid-career wages sit at $20K. Top earners bring in $32K or more, a $16K spread from bottom to top.
Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $43K | +42% | 2,320 |
| New York | $37K | +22% | 17,350 |
| District of Columbia | $37K | +22% | 2,320 |
| Washington | $37K | +20% | 9,770 |
| California | $36K | +18% | 42,450 |
| Maine | $35K | +16% | 1,460 |
| Alaska | $35K | +15% | 820 |
| Massachusetts | $35K | +15% | 11,280 |
| New Jersey | $34K | +13% | 7,940 |
| Oregon | $34K | +13% | 4,450 |
| Arizona | $34K | +12% | 10,860 |
| Connecticut | $34K | +11% | 4,490 |
| Vermont | $33K | +8% | 1,040 |
| Maryland | $32K | +6% | 6,450 |
| Illinois | $31K | +2% | 12,500 |
| Rhode Island | $31K | +2% | 1,400 |
| New Hampshire | $31K | +1% | 1,900 |
| Virginia | $30K | -1% | 10,440 |
| Minnesota | $30K | -2% | 7,710 |
| Nevada | $29K | -3% | 7,030 |
| South Dakota | $29K | -3% | 590 |
| Montana | $29K | -4% | 1,450 |
| Florida | $29K | -4% | 40,540 |
| Wisconsin | $29K | -5% | 5,590 |
| Utah | $29K | -5% | 4,360 |
| Iowa | $28K | -6% | 3,410 |
| Pennsylvania | $28K | -7% | 16,300 |
| Tennessee | $28K | -7% | 10,940 |
| Indiana | $28K | -7% | 9,720 |
| North Dakota | $28K | -7% | 820 |
| Georgia | $28K | -7% | 15,650 |
| Michigan | $28K | -7% | 13,180 |
| Delaware | $28K | -7% | 1,720 |
| Missouri | $28K | -8% | 9,180 |
| New Mexico | $28K | -8% | 3,320 |
| Ohio | $28K | -9% | 17,420 |
| Nebraska | $27K | -10% | 2,960 |
| Texas | $27K | -11% | 37,740 |
| Kansas | $27K | -11% | 4,580 |
| Idaho | $27K | -12% | 2,180 |
| North Carolina | $27K | -13% | 13,870 |
| South Carolina | $27K | -13% | 9,000 |
| Arkansas | $26K | -14% | 3,020 |
| Kentucky | $26K | -14% | 6,000 |
| Alabama | $25K | -18% | 4,290 |
| Wyoming | $23K | -23% | 550 |
| West Virginia | $23K | -24% | 1,490 |
| Oklahoma | $22K | -26% | 4,190 |
| Mississippi | $22K | -29% | 2,870 |
| Louisiana | $21K | -32% | 6,610 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
How much do hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shops make in Lake Charles, LA?
The median is $20,080 a year, that works out to about $10 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $15,440, and experienced hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shops can clear $31,760. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $20K enough to live in Lake Charles?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $1,462/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,217/month, which eats 83.2% 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 hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop 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 hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop salary is worth about $23,390 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shops 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.