Top 100 highest-paying jobs in Lake Charles, LA

Table 1 compares the top 100 highest-paying jobs in Lake Charles, LA, ranked by annual average salary. For each job, the table displays the number of employees with that job, as well as the job's entry-level salary. (The entry-level salary is calculated based on the 10% of paid workers with the lowest salaries.)

Based on the table, we see that the highest-paying jobs in Lake Charles, LA are those of architectural and engineering manager, with an average annual salary of $164,650. The second highest-paying jobs are those of general dentist, with an average salary of $153,540.

All of the shown salary and employment information for Lake Charles, LA has been computed using data published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in April 2023. Notably, the highest-paying occupations change from year to year. Tables 2, 3, and 4 show the top 10 highest-paying occupations in Lake Charles, LA in 2021, 2020, and 2019.

Table 1. Top 100 highest-paying jobs in Lake Charles, LA (2022 survey)

Rank	Job Description	Average Salary i	Entry Level Salary i	No. of Empl i
1	Architectural and Engineering Managers	$164,650	$100,450	110
2	General Dentists	$153,540	$23,980	40
3	Petroleum Engineers	$135,410	$101,420	150
4	Sales Managers	$129,620	$63,010	110
5	Pharmacists	$129,580	$72,740	150
6	Industrial Production Managers	$127,640	$85,990	180
7	Computer and Information Systems Managers	$127,120	$79,900	40
8	Industrial Engineers	$123,200	$85,800	170
9	Electrical Engineers	$111,940	$66,990	50
10	Nurse Practitioners	$107,340	$61,680	170
11	Construction Managers	$106,950	$75,690	400
12	Veterinarians	$105,820	$66,070	40
13	Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors	$105,100	$74,510	40
14	Financial Managers	$103,890	$64,950	230
15	General and Operations Managers	$101,450	$52,120	1,780
16	Lawyers	$99,880	$70,540	360
17	Physical Therapists	$99,800	$75,930	160
18	Mechanical Engineers	$99,460	$65,280	130
19	Management Analysts	$99,170	$51,710	50
20	All Other Managers	$97,350	$58,200	1,020
21	Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels	$97,130	$33,480	350
22	Occupational Therapists	$96,640	$62,090	80
23	Engineers, All Other	$96,160	$63,730	760
24	Administrative Services Managers	$96,150	$60,090	90
25	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers	$95,450	$52,980	60
26	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers	$94,330	$51,120	100
27	Chief Executives	$91,990	$43,760	30
28	Human Resources Managers	$91,460	$62,670	80
29	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers	$88,760	$46,650	640
30	Marketing Managers	$87,400	$61,290	40
31	Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products Sales Representatives	$87,370	$47,340	100
32	Computer Systems Analysts	$87,260	$48,910	70
33	Postsecondary Vocational Education Teachers	$87,040	$33,420	30
34	Industrial Machinery Mechanics	$85,550	$46,390	500
35	Chemical Engineers	$83,780	$48,850	70
36	Network and Computer Systems Administrators	$83,750	$56,890	50
37	Chemists	$82,440	$44,180	50
38	Civil Engineers	$81,440	$63,060	160
39	Occupational Health and Safety Specialists	$80,600	$47,990	180
40	Speech-Language Pathologists	$80,540	$48,540	100
41	Dental Hygienists	$80,480	$58,990	90
42	Financial Analysts	$80,370	$40,980	40
43	Elementary and Secondary School Education Administrators	$80,360	$63,190	230
44	Medical and Health Services Managers	$79,500	$44,900	130
45	Project Management Specialists	$79,070	$46,050	200
46	Electrical and Electronics Engineering Technicians	$78,580	$49,200	120
47	Avionics Technicians	$77,630	$49,560	100
48	Millwrights	$76,250	$50,670	550
49	Self-Enrichment Education Teachers	$75,530	$26,020	50
50	Environmental Scientists and Health Specialists	$75,160	$48,930	30
51	Cost Estimators	$75,100	$46,580	160
52	Boilermakers	$73,370	$51,480	270
53	Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment	$71,130	$52,880	70
54	Social and Community Service Managers	$70,430	$42,530	80
55	Compliance Officers	$68,310	$38,060	160
56	Construction and Building Inspectors	$67,840	$35,040	80
57	Buyers and Purchasing Agents	$67,050	$36,410	170
58	Crane and Tower Operators	$66,950	$42,250	130
59	First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers	$66,880	$44,570	590
60	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers	$66,700	$37,820	80
61	Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School	$66,250	$51,860	80
62	Logisticians	$66,210	$50,930	70
63	Registered Nurses	$65,240	$59,810	1,780
64	Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians	$65,120	$50,260	220
65	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers	$65,040	$48,830	1,150
66	Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders	$64,860	$59,830	570
67	Other Postsecondary Teachers	$64,800	$19,620	340
68	Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians	$64,590	$37,380	180
69	Educational, Guidance, School, and Vocational Counselors	$64,330	$50,440	400
70	Other Business Operations Specialists	$64,110	$31,820	580
71	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters	$64,000	$48,600	950
72	Chemical Technicians	$63,990	$38,890	220
73	Other Engineering Technicians	$62,920	$30,450	140
74	Respiratory Therapists	$62,840	$47,560	60
75	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers	$62,710	$39,020	830
76	Training and Development Specialists	$62,530	$30,220	70
77	Accountants and Auditors	$62,390	$40,660	500
78	Food Service Managers	$61,740	$40,370	40
79	Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers	$61,630	$48,410	80
80	Occupational Therapy Assistants	$61,320	$54,560	50
81	Diagnostic Medical Sonographers	$61,300	$43,760	50
82	Machinists	$61,300	$39,620	260
83	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines	$60,840	$36,540	360
84	Healthcare Social Workers	$60,750	$45,800	40
85	Electricians	$60,730	$37,520	860
86	Wholesale and Manufacturing (Except Technical and Scientific Products) Sales Representatives	$59,580	$32,140	760
87	Architectural and Civil Drafters	$59,520	$37,790	60
88	Loan Officers	$59,440	$34,760	90
89	Computer Occupations, All Other	$59,290	$33,350	100
90	Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks	$59,060	$35,200	170
91	Advertising Sales Agents	$58,760	$21,440	30
92	Physical Therapist Assistants	$58,180	$22,430	110
93	Personal Financial Advisors	$57,870	$46,950	100
94	First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers	$57,360	$29,650	40
95	Other Plant and System Operators	$56,950	$41,060	50
96	Civil Engineering Technicians	$56,930	$33,710	30
97	Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists	$55,100	$36,300	110
98	First-Line Supervisors of Transportation Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors	$54,480	$35,670	350
99	Postal Service Clerks	$54,180	$39,770	50
100	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers	$53,180	$31,460	400

Table 2. Top 10 highest-paying jobs in Lake Charles, LA – 2021 survey

Rank	Job Description	Average Salary i
1	Architectural and Engineering Managers	$161,630
2	General Dentists	$159,630
3	Pharmacists	$128,980
4	Petroleum Engineers	$128,430
5	Industrial Production Managers	$126,380
6	Administrative Services Managers	$125,340
7	Electrical Engineers	$122,690
8	Chief Executives	$122,330
9	Computer and Information Systems Managers	$121,770
10	Industrial Engineers	$120,380

Table 3. Top 10 highest-paying jobs in Lake Charles, LA – 2020 survey

Rank	Job Description	Average Salary i
1	All Other Physicians; and Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric	$184,470
2	Nurse Anesthetists	$180,070
3	Chief Executives	$168,680
4	Architectural and Engineering Managers	$161,710
5	Pharmacists	$128,250
6	General and Operations Managers	$121,600
7	Industrial Production Managers	$117,830
8	Nurse Practitioners	$116,350
9	Petroleum Engineers	$114,620
10	Logisticians	$114,380

Table 4. Top 10 highest-paying jobs in Lake Charles, LA – 2019 survey

Rank	Job Description	Average Salary i
1	Nurse Anesthetists	$175,320
2	Architectural and Engineering Managers	$151,460
3	Logisticians	$133,350
4	Pharmacists	$128,060
5	General and Operations Managers	$119,450
6	Mechanical Engineers	$115,560
7	Industrial Production Managers	$113,470
8	Nurse Practitioners	$112,240
9	Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors	$111,750
10	Other Designers	$108,860

Also see The most popular jobs in Lake Charles, LA.

Also see The most popular jobs in Louisiana, The top paying jobs in Louisiana.