Kzenon // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Self-enrichment teachers
- Median annual wage: $76,600
- Median hourly wage: $36.83
- Total employment: 320 people (3.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs in Lake Charles
Despite recession fears and falling consumer confidence, the job market in the United States has remained relatively stable in 2025 thus far. According to May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics data, around 177,000 new jobs were added in April, a slight decrease from the 185,000 new jobs added in the month before, but an extension of the country's 52-month streak of job growth. Unemployment rates also held relatively steady between April 2024 and April 2025, coming in at around 4%.
Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean Americans have it easy in the workplace. A December 2024 Payscale report found that nearly half (47%) of business organizations struggle to balance fair pay practices with spend optimization, and 18% plan to reduce pay increases in 2025 as a result.
For context, median weekly earnings across all employees in the U.S. stood at $1,194 in the first quarter of 2025. This represents an increase of 4.8% from a year prior and exceeds the Consumer Price Index's 2.7% increase in the same time period. However, there's one caveat: Earnings go much further in some places than in others.
In fact, the very definition of a "high-paying" job varies by location, as well as other factors such as industry and benefits. Even a six-figure salary may be considered low-income in places with an unusually high cost of living. Meanwhile, technology, finance, and health care jobs lead in terms of salary, but benefits like remote work can make other lower-paying jobs more desirable.
Regardless, anyone seeking a high-paying job should start by looking at the numbers. Stacker used BLS data to find the 50 highest-paying jobs in Lake Charles. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2024, so any jobs without annual compensation figures available were excluded from this analysis.
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Aleksandar Karanov // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Occupational health and safety specialists
- Median annual wage: $76,770
- Median hourly wage: $36.91
- Total employment: 250 people (2.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $77,200
- Median hourly wage: $37.11
- Total employment: 760 people (7.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Registered nurses
- Median annual wage: $78,240
- Median hourly wage: $37.62
- Total employment: 2,610 people (26.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Hitdelight // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Architectural and civil drafters
- Median annual wage: $78,390
- Median hourly wage: $37.69
- Total employment: 40 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Social and community service managers
- Median annual wage: $79,010
- Median hourly wage: $37.99
- Total employment: 70 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Dental hygienists
- Median annual wage: $80,730
- Median hourly wage: $38.81
- Total employment: 70 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $80,740
- Median hourly wage: $38.82
- Total employment: 620 people (6.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
- Median annual wage: $81,230
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 250 people (2.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Chemical technicians
- Median annual wage: $81,710
- Median hourly wage: $39.29
- Total employment: 110 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Project management specialists
- Median annual wage: $82,340
- Median hourly wage: $39.59
- Total employment: 260 people (2.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Network and computer systems administrators
- Median annual wage: $82,380
- Median hourly wage: $39.61
- Total employment: 50 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $84,700
- Median hourly wage: $40.72
- Total employment: 50 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $85,280
- Median hourly wage: $41.00
- Total employment: 50 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
- Median annual wage: $85,920
- Median hourly wage: $41.31
- Total employment: 450 people (4.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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VH-studio // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors
- Median annual wage: $87,220
- Median hourly wage: $41.93
- Total employment: 830 people (8.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $89,460
- Median hourly wage: $43.01
- Total employment: 30 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
anyaivanova // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $89,910
- Median hourly wage: $43.23
- Total employment: 60 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
creativemarc // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Administrative services managers
- Median annual wage: $90,160
- Median hourly wage: $43.35
- Total employment: 50 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ABO PHOTOGRAPHY // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Occupational therapists
- Median annual wage: $90,760
- Median hourly wage: $43.63
- Total employment: 90 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Engineers, all other
- Median annual wage: $92,110
- Median hourly wage: $44.29
- Total employment: 1,470 people (14.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Medical and health services managers
- Median annual wage: $92,870
- Median hourly wage: $44.65
- Total employment: 140 people (1.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Aykut Erdogdu // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Physical therapists
- Median annual wage: $93,560
- Median hourly wage: $44.98
- Total employment: 140 people (1.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prostock-studio // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Dentists, general
- Median annual wage: $95,180
- Median hourly wage: $45.76
- Total employment: 70 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
25 / 50#25. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $96,910
- Median hourly wage: $46.59
- Total employment: 80 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Computer systems analysts (tie)
- Median annual wage: $96,910
- Median hourly wage: $46.59
- Total employment: 50 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Lawyers
- Median annual wage: $97,980
- Median hourly wage: $47.11
- Total employment: 280 people (2.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. General and operations managers
- Median annual wage: $100,680
- Median hourly wage: $48.41
- Total employment: 1,950 people (19.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $102,940
- Median hourly wage: $49.49
- Total employment: 40 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SpeedKingz // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Managers, all other
- Median annual wage: $103,650
- Median hourly wage: $49.83
- Total employment: 980 people (9.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Veterinarians
- Median annual wage: $104,270
- Median hourly wage: $50.13
- Total employment: 50 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pakorn Khantiyaporn // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Logisticians
- Median annual wage: $104,450
- Median hourly wage: $50.22
- Total employment: 120 people (1.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Construction managers
- Median annual wage: $104,500
- Median hourly wage: $50.24
- Total employment: 280 people (2.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Christian Lagerek // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Gas plant operators
- Median annual wage: $105,030
- Median hourly wage: $50.49
- Total employment: 530 people (5.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Mechanical engineers
- Median annual wage: $106,780
- Median hourly wage: $51.34
- Total employment: 70 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Civil engineers
- Median annual wage: $106,800
- Median hourly wage: $51.35
- Total employment: 80 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Health and safety engineers, except mining safety engineers and inspectors
- Median annual wage: $111,190
- Median hourly wage: $53.46
- Total employment: 30 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Frame Stock Footage // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Computer and information systems managers
- Median annual wage: $111,770
- Median hourly wage: $53.73
- Total employment: 60 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Human resources managers
- Median annual wage: $112,990
- Median hourly wage: $54.32
- Total employment: 40 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Igor Kardasov // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels
- Median annual wage: $113,350
- Median hourly wage: $54.50
- Total employment: 160 people (1.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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dokurose // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Sales managers
- Median annual wage: $119,010
- Median hourly wage: $57.22
- Total employment: 140 people (1.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $125,680
- Median hourly wage: $60.42
- Total employment: 30 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Nurse practitioners
- Median annual wage: $127,380
- Median hourly wage: $61.24
- Total employment: 110 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kanghophoto // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Financial managers
- Median annual wage: $127,640
- Median hourly wage: $61.37
- Total employment: 230 people (2.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Pharmacists
- Median annual wage: $129,670
- Median hourly wage: $62.34
- Total employment: 190 people (1.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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luchschenF // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Chemists
- Median annual wage: $130,770
- Median hourly wage: $62.87
- Total employment: 160 people (1.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Another77 // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Petroleum engineers
- Median annual wage: $153,830
- Median hourly wage: $73.96
- Total employment: 70 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BOY ANTHONY // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Architectural and engineering managers
- Median annual wage: $184,040
- Median hourly wage: $88.48
- Total employment: 120 people (1.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlurryMe // Shutterstock
49 / 50#1. General internal medicine physicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 110 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Physicians, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: At least $239,200
- Median hourly wage: At least $115.00
- Total employment: 100 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Cu Fleshman, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 364 metros.
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