Roustabouts, Oil and Gas Salary
Roustabouts, Oil and Gas in Lake Charles, LA make a median of $45,900 a year, or about $22.07 an hour. The range runs from $30K at the entry level to $65K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 85.85), which stretches that salary to about $53,465 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,217/month, about 38.9% 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 roustabouts, oil and gas
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What this looks like in Lake Charles
Roustabouts, oil and gas pay in Lake Charles tracks closely to the national median, $46K locally vs. $47K nationwide, a 2% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,217/month, which is 38.9% 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 roustabouts, oil and gas in metros near Lake Charles, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Lafayette | $50K | $57K |
| Shreveport-Bossier City | $42K | $49K |
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux | $46K | $54K |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $47K | $48K |
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 roustabouts, oil and gas (10th percentile) start around $30K. Mid-career wages sit at $46K. Top earners bring in $65K or more, a $35K spread from bottom to top.
Roustabouts, Oil and Gas pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Roustabouts, Oil and Gas salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $61K | +29% | 430 |
| North Dakota | $60K | +29% | 2,460 |
| Montana | $59K | +25% | 200 |
| Florida | $57K | +22% | 40 |
| Nebraska | $53K | +14% | 40 |
| Indiana | $52K | +10% | 100 |
| Michigan | $52K | +10% | 290 |
| Ohio | $51K | +9% | 450 |
| South Dakota | $50K | +7% | 40 |
| New Mexico | $50K | +6% | 2,220 |
| Alabama | $49K | +5% | 70 |
| Mississippi | $49K | +5% | 420 |
| Colorado | $49K | +4% | 1,620 |
| California | $49K | +4% | 660 |
| Utah | $48K | +3% | 740 |
| Pennsylvania | $48K | +1% | 1,610 |
| Oklahoma | $47K | +1% | 2,730 |
| Wyoming | $47K | -1% | 1,180 |
| Illinois | $47K | -1% | 290 |
| Kansas | $46K | -2% | 570 |
| Texas | $46K | -2% | 24,430 |
| Arkansas | $45K | -4% | 120 |
| Louisiana | $45K | -4% | 3,460 |
Showing 1–10 of 23 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track roustabouts, oil and gas 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 roustabouts, oil and ga afford a 2BR apartment alone in Lake Charles?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $46K, rent takes 38.9% 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 roustabouts, oil and gas in Lake Charles?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new roustabouts, oil and gas typically earn — is $30K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,806/month. At HUD’s $1,217/month FMR, rent would take 67% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is roustabouts, oil and ga a high-paying job in Lake Charles?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $46K locally vs. $47K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Lake Charles compare to the national average for roustabouts, oil and gas?
Lake Charles pays $46K median vs. the U.S. average of $47K — that’s -2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 85.85), the purchasing-power equivalent is $53K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do roustabouts, oil and gas make in Lake Charles, LA?
The median is $45,900 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $30,100, and experienced roustabouts, oil and gas can clear $65,100. 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 $3,127/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,217/month, which eats 38.9% 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 roustabouts, oil and gas 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 roustabouts, oil and gas salary is worth about $53,465 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do roustabouts, oil and gas 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.