Veterinarians Salary
The median pay for a veterinarians in Lake Charles, LA is $115,210/year ($55.39/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $73K at the entry level to $154K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 85.85), which stretches that salary to about $134,199 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,217/month, or 16.7% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $115K 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 veterinarians
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What this looks like in Lake Charles
Pay for veterinarians in Lake Charles runs about 11% below the U.S. median of $130K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,217/month, 17.2% 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 veterinarianss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for veterinarians in metros near Lake Charles, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| New Orleans-Metairie | $128K | $139K |
| Baton Rouge | $127K | $140K |
| Slidell-Mandeville-Covington | $129K | $139K |
| Lafayette | $124K | $143K |
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 veterinarians (10th percentile) start around $73K. Mid-career wages sit at $115K. Top earners bring in $154K or more, a $81K spread from bottom to top.
Veterinarians pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Veterinarians salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $164K | +26% | 9,170 |
| Maryland | $163K | +25% | 1,430 |
| Washington | $161K | +23% | 2,390 |
| New Jersey | $160K | +23% | 1,910 |
| Arizona | $152K | +17% | 2,080 |
| Massachusetts | $140K | +8% | 1,920 |
| District of Columbia | $135K | +3% | 190 |
| Illinois | $134K | +3% | 2,330 |
| Pennsylvania | $134K | +3% | 3,490 |
| Minnesota | $133K | +2% | 2,140 |
| New York | $132K | +1% | 3,390 |
| Vermont | $132K | +1% | 280 |
| Florida | $132K | +1% | 5,360 |
| Texas | $131K | +1% | 6,270 |
| Colorado | $131K | +1% | 2,340 |
| Maine | $131K | +0% | 600 |
| Hawaii | $130K | +0% | 370 |
| New Mexico | $129K | -1% | 460 |
| North Carolina | $129K | -1% | 2,940 |
| West Virginia | $129K | -1% | 390 |
| Oregon | $129K | -1% | 1,660 |
| New Hampshire | $128K | -1% | 650 |
| Virginia | $127K | -3% | 2,700 |
| Georgia | $127K | -3% | 2,670 |
| Rhode Island | $127K | -3% | 430 |
| Connecticut | $126K | -3% | 950 |
| Nevada | $126K | -3% | 680 |
| Michigan | $125K | -4% | 2,030 |
| Ohio | $125K | -4% | 3,430 |
| Iowa | $125K | -4% | 1,000 |
| Indiana | $125K | -4% | 1,500 |
| Louisiana | $124K | -4% | 950 |
| Tennessee | $124K | -4% | 1,730 |
| Utah | $124K | -5% | 640 |
| South Carolina | $122K | -6% | 1,380 |
| Idaho | $116K | -11% | 540 |
| Missouri | $115K | -12% | 1,920 |
| Wisconsin | $109K | -16% | 1,830 |
| Arkansas | $108K | -17% | 540 |
| Kansas | $107K | -18% | 1,000 |
| Alabama | $106K | -19% | 1,020 |
| Mississippi | $105K | -19% | 480 |
| Kentucky | $104K | -20% | 1,190 |
| Nebraska | $104K | -20% | 780 |
| North Dakota | $102K | -21% | 270 |
| Montana | $99K | -24% | 510 |
| Oklahoma | $98K | -25% | 1,150 |
| Wyoming | $97K | -25% | 140 |
| South Dakota | $89K | -32% | 280 |
Showing 1–10 of 49 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track veterinarians salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Lake Charles numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Can a veterinarian afford a 2BR apartment alone in Lake Charles?
Yes — at the median salary of $115K, rent takes 17.2% 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 veterinarians in Lake Charles?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new veterinarians typically earn — is $73K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,369/month. At HUD’s $1,217/month FMR, rent would take 28% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is veterinarian a high-paying job in Lake Charles?
Local pay runs 11% below the national median — $115K here vs. $130K 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 veterinarians?
Lake Charles pays $115K median vs. the U.S. average of $130K — that’s -11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 85.85), the purchasing-power equivalent is $134K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do veterinarians make in Lake Charles, LA?
The median is $115,210 a year, that works out to about $55 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $72,820, and experienced veterinarians can clear $153,670. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $115K enough to live in Lake Charles?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,093/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,217/month, which eats 17.2% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a veterinarians 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 veterinarians salary is worth about $134,199 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do veterinarians 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.