Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Lake Charles, LA
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Lake Charles, LA
Median annual salary
$29,460
-20% vs national
Median hourly
$14.16
10th percentile
$21,800
90th percentile
$40,070
Employed locally
850
National median
$36,830
Compare Cooks, Restaurant salary & buying power
Type a city below to see how Lake Charles, LA stacks up on salary and cost of living.
Cooks, Restaurant
in
Lake Charles, LA
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Salary percentile breakdown
Lake Charles economic context
Unemployment rate
4.50%
2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
Median household income
$67,010
2023 • Census ACS
Cooks, Restaurant salary vs area income
44%
Median Cooks, Restaurant salary is 56% below the area median household income
Frequently asked questions
How much do Cooks, Restaurant make per hour in Lake Charles?
The median hourly wage for Cooks, Restaurant in Lake Charles, LA is $14.16, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $17.95 or more per hour.
Is Lake Charles above or below average for Cooks, Restaurant salaries?
The median Cooks, Restaurant salary in Lake Charles, LA is 20% below the national median of $36,830. The national figure is from BLS OEWS 2025 data covering all US metropolitan areas.
What is the entry-level salary for Cooks, Restaurant in Lake Charles?
Entry-level Cooks, Restaurant (10th percentile) earn around $21,800 per year in Lake Charles, LA. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $25,560.