How much do Machinists make in Lake Charles, LA?

Percentile spread

For Machinists, the published 10th percentile is $46,830 and the 90th percentile is $108,260. The difference is $61,430, which is 81.3% of the median. Ten percent of measured wages fall below the 10th percentile and ten percent fall above the 90th. How to read a percentile.

The middle half of the distribution, from the 25th percentile at $58,530 to the 75th at $83,060, covers $24,530.

The mean annual wage is $73,690, which sits below the median of $75,580. Median and mean measure different points in the same distribution.

National and state comparison

The Lake Charles, LA median is 28.6% higher than the national median of $58,750 for Machinists. In 2024 national prices the local median is $88,035, which is 49.8% higher than that same national median. The national figure is already in national prices because the United States parity is 100.

It is 23.7% higher than the Louisiana median of $61,110.

Price-adjusted pay

The 2024 all-items regional price parity for Lake Charles, LA is 85.852, with the United States at 100. The Bureau of Economic Analysis released those parities on February 19, 2026. Dividing the May 2025 median of $75,580 by that parity and multiplying by 100 puts Machinists at $88,035 in national prices. The wage year and the price year are different. Compare this wage after prices.

Nearby metros

9 other metropolitan areas within 200 miles publish a annual median for Machinists. Lake Charles, LA ranks 1st of 10 on that median, counting itself. Distance is the great-circle mileage between Census Bureau internal points (U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files, Core Based Statistical Areas, internal points (INTPTLAT, INTPTLONG).).

• Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX is 61 miles away, with a median of $59,800 and employment of 520. That median is 20.9% lower than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $66,411, against $88,035 here.
• Lafayette, LA is 63 miles away, with a median of $59,830 and employment of 980. That median is 20.8% lower than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $68,605, against $88,035 here.
• Baton Rouge, LA is 127 miles away, with a median of $67,700 and employment of 870. That median is 10.4% lower than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $74,576, against $88,035 here.

Employment share

Machinists accounts for 0.28% of wage-and-salary employment in Lake Charles, LA (280 of 101,690). Nationally the occupation is 0.18% of employment (287,050 of 155,495,730). The local share is 1.49 times the national share. That ratio is the location quotient computed from these May 2025 employment counts. It is not copied from the location-quotient column in the BLS bulk file.