How Much Does a CNA Make in Lake Charles, LA in 2026?
Typical pay for CNAs in Lake Charles, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Louisiana.
BLS OES May 2025 · Lake Charles metro area
A typical CNA in Lake Charles, Louisiana earns $16.27 per hour, or $33,850 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $2,821 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $27,490, and the top 10% of earners make over $38,660.
That pay is 11% above the Louisiana figure of $30,510 and 20% below the national figure of $42,260. Lake Charles ranks 3rd of 10 metro areas in Louisiana for CNA pay. About 730 CNAs work in the Lake Charles area.
CNA pay in Lake Charles at a glance
- Typical pay is $16.27 an hour, or $33,850 a year.
- That is 11% above the Louisiana figure, ranking 3rd of 10 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $27,490; the top 10% make over $38,660.
- Typical pay rose +74% from 2015 to 2025, against +51% for Louisiana as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a CNA make in Lake Charles?
Pay in Lake Charles runs from entry-level positions at around $13.22 an hour to more than $18.59 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Louisiana and national figures.
CNA pay by career stage in Lake Charles
| Career stage | Lake Charles | Louisiana | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $27,490$13.22 an hour | $27,980$13.45 an hour | $33,940$16.32 an hour |
| First years | $30,220$14.53 an hour | $29,070$13.97 an hour | $37,260$17.91 an hour |
| Typical CNA | $33,850$16.27 an hour | $30,510$14.67 an hour | $42,260$20.32 an hour |
| Experienced | $35,970$17.29 an hour | $35,100$16.87 an hour | $47,220$22.70 an hour |
| Top 10% | $38,660$18.59 an hour | $37,390$17.98 an hour | $51,980$24.99 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Lake Charles area as BLS defines it
CNA pay growth in Lake Charles
Typical (median) annual wage for CNAs in the Lake Charles area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical CNA pay in Lake Charles was $19,480 a year. By 2025 it had reached $33,850, a change of +74%, compared with +51% for Louisiana over the same years.
How Lake Charles compares with other Louisiana cities
Metairie pays CNAs the most in Louisiana at $34,320 a year, $470 more than Lake Charles. The lowest-paying area in the state is Monroe at $29,880.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Lake Charles | CNAs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Metairie metro incl. New Orleans | $34,320 | $16.50 | +1% | 3,660 |
| 2 | Covington metro incl. Mandeville · Slidell | $34,050 | $16.37 | +1% | 1,030 |
| 3 | Lake Charles | $33,850 | $16.27 | this city | 730 |
| 4 | Hammond | $33,010 | $15.87 | -2% | 600 |
| 5 | Bossier City metro incl. Shreveport | $32,160 | $15.46 | -5% | 2,330 |
| 6 | Baton Rouge | $31,220 | $15.01 | -8% | 3,500 |
| 7 | Alexandria | $30,650 | $14.74 | -9% | 910 |
| 8 | Thibodaux metro incl. Bayou Cane · Houma | $30,140 | $14.49 | -11% | 630 |
| 9 | Lafayette | $29,960 | $14.40 | -11% | 1,990 |
| 10 | Monroe | $29,880 | $14.36 | -12% | 1,340 |
Every metro area in Louisiana with CNA wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Louisiana typical pay $30,510
Is Lake Charles a good place to work as a CNA?
CNAs in Lake Charles earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $33,850 a year, 20% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Lake Charles area, about 7.2 are CNA positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 9.3. That makes CNAs a smaller part of the local job market than usual, so employers draw from a smaller pool of qualified candidates.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a CNA make in Lake Charles, LA?
- A typical CNA in Lake Charles earns $33,850 a year, or $16.27 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $27,490 and the top 10% earn over $38,660.
- How much does a CNA make an hour in Lake Charles?
- Typical hourly pay for CNAs in Lake Charles is $16.27. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $13.22, and the top 10% earn over $18.59 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a CNA in Lake Charles?
- Entry-level CNA positions in Lake Charles typically offer around $13.22 an hour, or $27,490 a year.
- Is CNA pay in Lake Charles higher than in the rest of Louisiana?
- Lake Charles pay is 11% above the Louisiana figure of $30,510 a year, ranking 3rd of 10 metro areas in the state. Metairie pays the most in Louisiana at $34,320.