How Much Does a Physical Therapist Make in Lake Charles, LA in 2026?
Typical pay for Physical Therapists 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 Physical Therapist in Lake Charles, Louisiana earns $42.74 per hour, or $88,900 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $7,408 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $55,180, and the top 10% of earners make over $130,360.
That pay is 10% below the Louisiana figure of $98,530 and 13% below the national figure of $102,760. Lake Charles ranks 8th of 10 metro areas in Louisiana for Physical Therapist pay. About 140 Physical Therapists work in the Lake Charles area.
Physical Therapist pay in Lake Charles at a glance
- Typical pay is $42.74 an hour, or $88,900 a year.
- That is 10% below the Louisiana figure, ranking 8th of 10 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $55,180; the top 10% make over $130,360.
- Typical pay rose +34% from 2015 to 2025, against +25% for Louisiana as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Physical Therapist make in Lake Charles?
Pay in Lake Charles runs from entry-level positions at around $26.53 an hour to more than $62.67 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Louisiana and national figures.
Physical Therapist pay by career stage in Lake Charles
| Career stage | Lake Charles | Louisiana | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $55,180$26.53 an hour | $60,150$28.92 an hour | $77,140$37.09 an hour |
| First years | $71,580$34.41 an hour | $77,740$37.38 an hour | $86,160$41.42 an hour |
| Typical Physical Therapist | $88,900$42.74 an hour | $98,530$47.37 an hour | $102,760$49.40 an hour |
| Experienced | $106,810$51.35 an hour | $109,650$52.72 an hour | $121,160$58.25 an hour |
| Top 10% | $130,360$62.67 an hour | $127,640$61.37 an hour | $135,140$64.97 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Lake Charles area as BLS defines it
Physical Therapist pay growth in Lake Charles
Typical (median) annual wage for Physical Therapists in the Lake Charles area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Physical Therapist pay in Lake Charles was $66,200 a year. By 2025 it had reached $88,900, a change of +34%, compared with +25% for Louisiana over the same years.
How Lake Charles compares with other Louisiana cities
Alexandria pays Physical Therapists the most in Louisiana at $103,380 a year, $14,480 more than Lake Charles. The lowest-paying area in the state is Bayou Cane at $78,320.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Lake Charles | Physical Therapists employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alexandria | $103,380 | $49.70 | +16% | 160 |
| 2 | Covington metro incl. Slidell · Mandeville | $101,980 | $49.03 | +15% | 230 |
| 3 | New Orleans metro incl. Metairie | $100,530 | $48.33 | +13% | 710 |
| 4 | Bossier City metro incl. Shreveport | $100,230 | $48.19 | +13% | 280 |
| 5 | Hammond | $98,930 | $47.56 | +11% | 130 |
| 6 | Baton Rouge | $98,920 | $47.56 | +11% | 590 |
| 7 | Monroe | $96,140 | $46.22 | +8% | 170 |
| 8 | Lake Charles | $88,900 | $42.74 | this city | 140 |
| 9 | Lafayette | $84,340 | $40.55 | -5% | 290 |
| 10 | Houma metro incl. Thibodaux · Bayou Cane | $78,320 | $37.65 | -12% | 180 |
Every metro area in Louisiana with Physical Therapist wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Louisiana typical pay $98,530
Is Lake Charles a good place to work as a Physical Therapist?
Physical Therapists in Lake Charles earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $88,900 a year, 13% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Lake Charles area, about 1.4 are Physical Therapist positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 1.7. That makes Physical Therapists 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 Physical Therapist make in Lake Charles, LA?
- A typical Physical Therapist in Lake Charles earns $88,900 a year, or $42.74 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $55,180 and the top 10% earn over $130,360.
- How much does a Physical Therapist make an hour in Lake Charles?
- Typical hourly pay for Physical Therapists in Lake Charles is $42.74. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $26.53, and the top 10% earn over $62.67 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Physical Therapist in Lake Charles?
- Entry-level Physical Therapist positions in Lake Charles typically offer around $26.53 an hour, or $55,180 a year.
- Is Physical Therapist pay in Lake Charles higher than in the rest of Louisiana?
- Lake Charles pay is 10% below the Louisiana figure of $98,530 a year, ranking 8th of 10 metro areas in the state. Alexandria pays the most in Louisiana at $103,380.