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Lake Charles, LA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Lake Charles, LA?

In the Lake Charles, LA metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $23,380 a year ($11.24 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 1,940 of these jobs there. That is 49% below the $45,700 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $17,740 and $35,800; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Louisiana tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $20,548 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Lake Charles, LA at a glance

Median salary

$23,380$11.24 per hour · $1,948 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$17,740$8.53/hr
25th percentile$22,090$10.62/hr
75th percentile$29,310$14.09/hr
90th percentile$35,800$17.21/hr
Jobs in this metro1,940Location quotient 3.32 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here49% belowAll-jobs median $45,700
Against Louisiana1% belowStatewide median $23,620
Against the U.S.34% belowNational median $35,320

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Same U.S. tax tables as the rest of the site. Change the salary, state, or filing status.

Take-home payWhat $23,000 a year leaves after tax in LouisianaFederal tax, FICA and Louisiana withholding on that salary, with the other 49 states beside it.
By the hour$11 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $23,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $23,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation Louisiana publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about Louisiana.

Food preparation worker salary in Lake Charles, LA after taxes

$23,380
$15,000$50,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$23,380
Net 88%
Fed 3%
LA 1%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$20,548After all taxes
Monthly deposit$1,712Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$790Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate12.1%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$728 / yr
Louisiana state income tax$315 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$1,789 / yr
Customize deductions in full Louisiana calculator

Food preparation workers pay range in Lake Charles, LA, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Lake Charles, LA metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What food preparation workers earned in the Lake Charles, LA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (LA)
10th percentile$8.53/hr$1,478$17,740$16,073
25th percentile$10.62/hr$1,841$22,090$19,525
MedianMedian$11.24/hr$1,948$23,380$20,548
75th percentile$14.09/hr$2,443$29,310$25,238
90th percentile$17.21/hr$2,983$35,800$30,258

Is $23,380 a good salary in Lake Charles, LA?

It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for food preparation workers next to both.

Median household income$66,700Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)85.914.1% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household35.1%of area median income

The same job statewide and nationally, and a calculator for your own paycheck.

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Food preparation workers pay in other Louisiana metros

Metros in the same state that are closest in size to Lake Charles, LA. A statewide average can hide differences this large.

Food preparation worker pay in Lake Charles, LA: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Lake Charles, LA?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Lake Charles, LA metro area was $23,380 in May 2025, about $1,948 a month or $11.24 an hour. Statewide, the Louisiana median for this job is $23,620, so the metro pays 1% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Lake Charles, LA?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Lake Charles, LA was $11.24 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $8.53 an hour and one in ten earned more than $17.21.

How many food preparation workers work in Lake Charles, LA?

BLS estimated 1,940 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 19.1 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 3.32 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Lake Charles, LA?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Lake Charles, LA run from $17,740 at the 10th percentile to $22,090 at the 25th, $29,310 at the 75th, and $35,800 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Lake Charles, LA?

On a median gross salary of $23,380, an estimated $20,548 lands in net take-home pay per year ($790 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Louisiana in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $2,832 (an effective rate of 12.1%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Lake Charles, LA?

On the median annual salary of $23,380, gross monthly income is $1,948. After federal, FICA, and Louisiana state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $1,712 per month (or $790 every two weeks).

Is $23,380 a good salary in Lake Charles, LA?

At $23,380, the median salary for food preparation workers is 35.1% of the Lake Charles, LA median household income ($66,700). It is 49% below the $45,700 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 85.9, so prices here run 14.1% below the U.S. average.