Software Developers Salary
The median pay for a software developers in Lake Charles, LA is $120,940/year ($58.14/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $63K at the entry level to $171K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 85.85), which stretches that salary to about $140,874 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,217/month, or 16.6% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $121K 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 software developers
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What this looks like in Lake Charles
Pay for software developers in Lake Charles runs about 11% below the U.S. median of $136K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,217/month, 16.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. 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. Lower pay, lower costs, Lake Charles can be a reasonable trade-off for software developerss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for software developers in metros near Lake Charles, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Baton Rouge | $102K | $112K |
| New Orleans-Metairie | $107K | $115K |
| Lafayette | $109K | $125K |
| Slidell-Mandeville-Covington | $102K | $109K |
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 software developers (10th percentile) start around $63K. Mid-career wages sit at $121K. Top earners bring in $171K or more, a $108K spread from bottom to top.
Software Developers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Software Developers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $174K | +28% | 284,390 |
| Washington | $167K | +22% | 107,030 |
| New York | $166K | +22% | 113,510 |
| Massachusetts | $165K | +21% | 48,190 |
| Oregon | $143K | +5% | 21,830 |
| New Hampshire | $140K | +3% | 10,840 |
| Maryland | $139K | +2% | 31,350 |
| Colorado | $138K | +2% | 43,320 |
| District of Columbia | $137K | +1% | 6,120 |
| Virginia | $136K | +0% | 88,280 |
| New Jersey | $136K | -0% | 51,570 |
| North Carolina | $135K | -1% | 58,470 |
| Connecticut | $134K | -1% | 13,660 |
| Delaware | $133K | -2% | 3,380 |
| Texas | $132K | -3% | 163,880 |
| Illinois | $132K | -3% | 56,310 |
| Idaho | $132K | -3% | 5,750 |
| Georgia | $131K | -4% | 49,700 |
| Florida | $131K | -4% | 87,890 |
| Rhode Island | $131K | -4% | 5,070 |
| Minnesota | $130K | -4% | 35,890 |
| Arizona | $130K | -5% | 38,050 |
| South Carolina | $129K | -5% | 13,230 |
| Nevada | $129K | -5% | 4,520 |
| Utah | $129K | -5% | 31,940 |
| Pennsylvania | $127K | -7% | 55,920 |
| Missouri | $126K | -7% | 20,020 |
| Michigan | $126K | -8% | 43,460 |
| Vermont | $125K | -8% | 1,740 |
| New Mexico | $125K | -8% | 3,960 |
| Hawaii | $124K | -9% | 1,600 |
| Maine | $123K | -9% | 2,790 |
| Wisconsin | $123K | -10% | 21,730 |
| Alabama | $123K | -10% | 17,450 |
| Tennessee | $122K | -10% | 19,030 |
| Montana | $122K | -10% | 2,160 |
| West Virginia | $121K | -11% | 2,650 |
| Oklahoma | $118K | -13% | 6,880 |
| Wyoming | $115K | -15% | 1,510 |
| Iowa | $115K | -16% | 9,040 |
| Ohio | $114K | -16% | 44,790 |
| Kansas | $113K | -17% | 13,580 |
| Nebraska | $111K | -18% | 7,260 |
| Kentucky | $109K | -20% | 7,660 |
| Indiana | $106K | -22% | 14,130 |
| North Dakota | $106K | -22% | 1,450 |
| Arkansas | $104K | -23% | 6,050 |
| Louisiana | $103K | -24% | 4,080 |
| South Dakota | $96K | -29% | 2,380 |
| Mississippi | $95K | -30% | 1,880 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track software developers 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 software developer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Lake Charles?
Yes — at the median salary of $121K, rent takes 16.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,217/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for software developers in Lake Charles?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new software developers typically earn — is $63K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,782/month. At HUD’s $1,217/month FMR, rent would take 32% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is software developer a high-paying job in Lake Charles?
Local pay runs 11% below the national median — $121K here vs. $136K 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 software developers?
Lake Charles pays $121K median vs. the U.S. average of $136K — that’s -11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 85.85), the purchasing-power equivalent is $141K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do software developers make in Lake Charles, LA?
The median is $120,940 a year, that works out to about $58 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $63,030, and experienced software developers can clear $171,290. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $121K enough to live in Lake Charles?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,405/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,217/month, which eats 16.4% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a software developers 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 software developers salary is worth about $140,874 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do software developers 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.