Industrial Machinery Mechanics Salary
Industrial Machinery Mechanics in Lake Charles, LA make a median of $59,870 a year, or about $28.79 an hour. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $93K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 85.85), which stretches that salary to about $69,738 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,217/month, about 30.9% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $60K 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 industrial machinery mechanics
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What this looks like in Lake Charles
Industrial machinery mechanics pay in Lake Charles tracks closely to the national median, $60K locally vs. $65K nationwide, a 7% difference. Rent runs $1,217/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 30.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. 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. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for industrial machinery mechanics in metros near Lake Charles, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Baton Rouge | $62K | $68K |
| New Orleans-Metairie | $62K | $66K |
| Lafayette | $55K | $63K |
| Shreveport-Bossier City | $61K | $72K |
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 industrial machinery mechanics (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $60K. Top earners bring in $93K or more, a $56K spread from bottom to top.
Industrial Machinery Mechanics pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Industrial Machinery Mechanics salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $88K | +36% | 200 |
| Wyoming | $78K | +21% | 2,010 |
| Nevada | $78K | +21% | 2,240 |
| Alaska | $77K | +20% | 860 |
| Hawaii | $77K | +20% | 910 |
| Washington | $77K | +20% | 10,710 |
| Illinois | $76K | +18% | 12,100 |
| Oregon | $76K | +17% | 7,070 |
| Colorado | $76K | +17% | 7,260 |
| Arizona | $75K | +16% | 5,020 |
| New Jersey | $75K | +16% | 8,380 |
| California | $74K | +15% | 26,830 |
| Massachusetts | $73K | +13% | 6,130 |
| Maine | $72K | +12% | 1,190 |
| Minnesota | $72K | +12% | 6,510 |
| Maryland | $72K | +11% | 2,880 |
| Utah | $71K | +10% | 4,040 |
| Connecticut | $70K | +8% | 2,360 |
| New York | $70K | +8% | 12,740 |
| Missouri | $67K | +4% | 5,420 |
| Delaware | $67K | +4% | 890 |
| Montana | $67K | +4% | 820 |
| Wisconsin | $67K | +3% | 13,870 |
| North Dakota | $66K | +2% | 2,560 |
| Kansas | $66K | +2% | 7,700 |
| Ohio | $65K | +1% | 21,950 |
| Tennessee | $65K | +1% | 12,850 |
| Rhode Island | $65K | +0% | 1,070 |
| Kentucky | $65K | +0% | 11,540 |
| Iowa | $64K | -0% | 6,050 |
| Michigan | $64K | -0% | 17,310 |
| New Hampshire | $64K | -1% | 1,950 |
| Nebraska | $64K | -1% | 2,880 |
| Virginia | $64K | -1% | 9,470 |
| Indiana | $64K | -1% | 14,960 |
| Pennsylvania | $64K | -1% | 22,160 |
| Vermont | $63K | -2% | 700 |
| Idaho | $63K | -3% | 2,750 |
| North Carolina | $62K | -3% | 15,720 |
| South Carolina | $62K | -3% | 9,890 |
| Texas | $62K | -4% | 56,950 |
| Alabama | $62K | -4% | 17,850 |
| West Virginia | $62K | -4% | 3,150 |
| South Dakota | $62K | -5% | 1,230 |
| Oklahoma | $62K | -5% | 6,250 |
| Georgia | $61K | -5% | 14,230 |
| New Mexico | $61K | -6% | 2,780 |
| Florida | $61K | -6% | 17,120 |
| Louisiana | $60K | -7% | 7,410 |
| Arkansas | $60K | -7% | 6,270 |
| Mississippi | $58K | -10% | 4,460 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track industrial machinery mechanics salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a industrial machinery mechanic afford a 2BR apartment alone in Lake Charles?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $60K, rent takes 30.3% 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 $1,200/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for industrial machinery mechanics in Lake Charles?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new industrial machinery mechanics typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,228/month. At HUD’s $1,217/month FMR, rent would take 55% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is industrial machinery mechanic a high-paying job in Lake Charles?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $60K locally vs. $65K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Lake Charles compare to the national average for industrial machinery mechanics?
Lake Charles pays $60K median vs. the U.S. average of $65K — that’s -7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 85.85), the purchasing-power equivalent is $70K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do industrial machinery mechanics make in Lake Charles, LA?
The median is $59,870 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,130, and experienced industrial machinery mechanics can clear $93,300. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $60K enough to live in Lake Charles?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,015/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,217/month, which eats 30.3% 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 industrial machinery mechanics 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 industrial machinery mechanics salary is worth about $69,738 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do industrial machinery mechanics 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.