Technology Lake Charles, LA Pop. 80,000

Data Engineer Salary in Lake Charles, Louisiana

The median data engineer salary in Lake Charles, LA is $102,500 per year, which is 18% below the national median and 5.7% below the Louisiana state average.

City Median
$102,500
vs State Avg
$-6,250
vs National
$-22,500
Cost of Living
86%

Data Engineer Pay in Lake Charles: What to Expect (2026)

Lake Charles offers a median data engineer salary of $102,500, which is $6,250 below the Louisiana state average of $108,750. Compared to the national median of $125,000, Lake Charles pays below the national benchmark for this role.

One of Lake Charles's biggest advantages is its low cost of living at 86% of the national average. This means the $102,500 salary stretches further here — equivalent to roughly $119,186 in an average-cost city. This makes Lake Charles an attractive option for data engineers seeking strong real-dollar compensation.

The salary range for data engineers in Lake Charles spans from $63,960 at the 10th percentile to $155,800 at the 90th percentile — a $91,840 spread. Entry-level professionals start around $65,600, while senior data engineers with 8+ years of experience can earn up to $147,600. Lake Charles is a smaller market (pop. 80,000), which may mean fewer openings but also less competition for available positions.

Data Engineer Salary in Lake Charles by Experience

In Lake Charles, an entry-level data engineer earns around $65,600, while experienced professionals earn up to $147,600 per year. The local cost of living index is 86% of the national average.

Entry Level (0-2 yrs)
$65,600
$-14,400 vs national
Mid Level (3-7 yrs)
$104,140
$-22,860 vs national
Senior Level (8+ yrs)
$147,600
$-32,400 vs national

Salary Percentiles in Lake Charles, LA

Percentile Lake Charles
10th Percentile $63,960
25th Percentile $82,000
Median (50th) $102,500
75th Percentile $129,560
90th Percentile $155,800

Data Engineer Salary in Other Louisiana Cities

New Orleans, LA
$117,500
Pop. 383,997
Baton Rouge, LA
$110,000
Pop. 227,470
Lafayette, LA
$105,000
Pop. 121,374
Shreveport, LA
$101,250
Pop. 187,593

How to Become a Data Engineer in Lake Charles

Education

Most data engineer positions require a bachelor's degree. Lake Charles and the surrounding Louisiana area have institutions offering relevant programs.

Key Skills

PythonSQLSparkAirflowAWS/GCPData Modeling

Job Outlook

Nationally, data engineer employment is projected to grow 28% over the next decade (much faster than average). Demand in Lake Charles may vary based on local industry and population growth.

Find Data Engineer Jobs in Lake Charles

Browse open data engineer positions in Lake Charles, LA:

Indeed → LinkedIn → ZipRecruiter → Glassdoor →

Frequently Asked Questions: Data Engineer Salary in Lake Charles

How much does a Data Engineer make in Lake Charles, LA? ▼
The median data engineer salary in Lake Charles, Louisiana is $102,500 per year, which is 18% below the national median of $125,000. Salaries range from $63,960 (10th percentile) to $155,800 (90th percentile).
How much does a Data Engineer make per hour in Lake Charles? ▼
Based on the median annual salary of $102,500, a data engineer in Lake Charles earns approximately $49 per hour assuming a standard 2,080-hour work year.
How does Lake Charles compare to the Louisiana state average for data engineer pay? ▼
Lake Charles's median data engineer salary of $102,500 is 5.7% below the Louisiana state average of $108,750. The local cost of living index is 86% of the national average.
What is the cost of living in Lake Charles, LA? ▼
Lake Charles has a cost of living index of 86% compared to the national average. This means a data engineer salary of $102,500 in Lake Charles has more purchasing power than the same salary in an average-cost city.
What qualifications do I need to become a data engineer in Lake Charles? ▼
Most data engineer positions in Lake Charles require a bachelor's degree. Key skills include Python, SQL, Spark, Airflow. The job market is projected to grow 28% nationally over the next decade.