Cooks, Restaurant pay range in Lake Charles
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $22,660 a year or less, while the top 10% make $37,330 or more. The middle half of cooks, restaurant in Lake Charles earn between $26,890 and $35,070.
- $23K10th
- $27K25th
- $29KMedian
- $35K75th
- $37K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $30,280 | $2,523 | $14.56 |
| Median | $28,550 | $2,379 | $13.73 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $26,890 | $2,241 | $12.93 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $35,070 | $2,922 | $16.86 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Restaurant pay in Lake Charles vs. Louisiana and the U.S.
Cooks, restaurant in Lake Charles earn about the same as the Louisiana average ($30,630) and 22% less than the U.S. average ($38,730). At the median the gap is -24% against the U.S. median of $37,390.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Charles | $30,280 | $28,550 | $22,660 | $37,330 | 850 |
| Louisiana | $30,630 | $29,050 | $21,970 | $39,540 | 14,910 |
| United States | $38,730 | $37,390 | $28,700 | $47,900 | 1,409,890 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Cooks, Restaurant salary after taxes in Lake Charles
On the average salary of $30,280, a single filer in Lake Charles takes home about $25,988 a year, or $2,166 a month and $1,000 every two weeks. Taxes take 14% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Lake Charles a good place for cooks, restaurant? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Lake Charles area are 14% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 85.9), so the average $30,280 buys what about $35,270 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Lake Charles ($45,700). A typical home costs $202,237, or 6.7 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Restaurant salary in other Louisiana cities
Lake Charles ranks 3rd of 10 Louisiana metro areas for this job; New Orleans pays the most ($32,990).
- New Orleans$32,990
- Baton Rouge$31,590
- Lake Charles$30,280
- Slidell$30,280
- Shreveport$29,650
- Lafayette$28,720
- Hammond$28,640
- Houma$28,530
- Alexandria$27,780
- Monroe$27,650
Highest-paying cities for cooks, restaurant
Kahului, HI pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($54,460).
- Kahului, HI$54,460
- San Jose, CA$49,390
- Seattle, WA$49,000
- San Francisco, CA$48,630
- Napa, CA$47,830
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Cooks, Restaurant salary in Lake Charles: questions
How much do cooks, restaurant make an hour in Lake Charles?
$14.56 an hour on average, and $13.73 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, restaurant salary in Lake Charles?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $22,660 a year and the 25th percentile is $26,890, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, restaurant take-home pay in Lake Charles?
About $25,988 a year ($2,166 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $30,280.
Do cooks, restaurant earn more in Lake Charles than elsewhere?
The average here is 22% less than the U.S. average for this job ($38,730).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 35-2014; area Lake Charles, LA (29340). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.7%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.92, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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