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

How much does a truck driver make in Lake Charles, LA?

In the Lake Charles, LA metropolitan area, truck drivers earned a median of $49,960 a year ($24.02 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 1,340 of these jobs there. That is 9% above the $45,700 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $37,210 and $67,780; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Louisiana tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $41,210 in take-home pay.

Truck driver pay in Lake Charles, LA at a glance

Median salary

$49,960$24.02 per hour · $4,163 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$37,210$17.89/hr
25th percentile$44,190$21.25/hr
75th percentile$59,560$28.63/hr
90th percentile$67,780$32.59/hr
Jobs in this metro1,340Location quotient 0.99 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here9% aboveAll-jobs median $45,700
Against Louisiana1% aboveStatewide median $49,320
Against the U.S.15% belowNational median $58,640

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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 $50,000 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$24 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $50,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $50,000 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.

Truck driver salary in Lake Charles, LA after taxes

$49,960
$15,000$100,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$49,960
Net 82%
Fed 8%
LA 2%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$41,210After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,434Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,585Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate17.5%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,815 / yr
Louisiana state income tax$1,113 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,822 / yr
Customize deductions in full Louisiana calculator

Truck drivers 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 truck drivers earned in the Lake Charles, LA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (LA)
10th percentile$17.89/hr$3,101$37,210$31,348
25th percentile$21.25/hr$3,683$44,190$36,747
MedianMedian$24.02/hr$4,163$49,960$41,210
75th percentile$28.63/hr$4,963$59,560$48,636
90th percentile$32.59/hr$5,648$67,780$54,866

Is $49,960 a good salary in Lake Charles, LA?

It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for truck drivers 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 household74.9%of area median income

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

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Truck drivers 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.

Truck driver pay in Lake Charles, LA: common questions

What is the median salary for truck drivers in Lake Charles, LA?

The BLS median annual wage for truck drivers in the Lake Charles, LA metro area was $49,960 in May 2025, about $4,163 a month or $24.02 an hour. Statewide, the Louisiana median for this job is $49,320, so the metro pays 1% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for truck drivers in Lake Charles, LA?

The median hourly wage for truck drivers in Lake Charles, LA was $24.02 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $17.89 an hour and one in ten earned more than $32.59.

How many truck drivers work in Lake Charles, LA?

BLS estimated 1,340 jobs for truck drivers in the metro in May 2025, or 13.2 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.99 means the job is about as common here as in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for truck drivers in Lake Charles, LA?

BLS wage estimates for truck drivers in Lake Charles, LA run from $37,210 at the 10th percentile to $44,190 at the 25th, $59,560 at the 75th, and $67,780 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do truck drivers take home after taxes in Lake Charles, LA?

On a median gross salary of $49,960, an estimated $41,210 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,585 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Louisiana in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $8,750 (an effective rate of 17.5%).

How much do truck drivers make per month in Lake Charles, LA?

On the median annual salary of $49,960, gross monthly income is $4,163. After federal, FICA, and Louisiana state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $3,434 per month (or $1,585 every two weeks).

Is $49,960 a good salary in Lake Charles, LA?

At $49,960, the median salary for truck drivers is 74.9% of the Lake Charles, LA median household income ($66,700). It is 9% above 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.