How Much Does a Surgical Tech Make in Lake Charles, LA in 2026?
Typical pay for Surgical Techs 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 Surgical Tech in Lake Charles, Louisiana earns $28.29 per hour, or $58,850 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $4,904 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $39,850, and the top 10% of earners make over $69,290.
That pay is 3% above the Louisiana figure of $57,370 and 9% below the national figure of $64,650. Lake Charles ranks 4th of 10 metro areas in Louisiana for Surgical Tech pay. About 60 Surgical Techs work in the Lake Charles area.
Surgical Tech pay in Lake Charles at a glance
- Typical pay is $28.29 an hour, or $58,850 a year.
- That is 3% above the Louisiana figure, ranking 4th of 10 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $39,850; the top 10% make over $69,290.
- Typical pay rose +54% from 2015 to 2025, against +49% for Louisiana as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Surgical Tech make in Lake Charles?
Pay in Lake Charles runs from entry-level positions at around $19.16 an hour to more than $33.31 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Louisiana and national figures.
Surgical Tech pay by career stage in Lake Charles
| Career stage | Lake Charles | Louisiana | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $39,850$19.16 an hour | $36,580$17.59 an hour | $45,940$22.09 an hour |
| First years | $50,150$24.11 an hour | $47,410$22.79 an hour | $54,690$26.29 an hour |
| Typical Surgical Tech | $58,850$28.29 an hour | $57,370$27.58 an hour | $64,650$31.08 an hour |
| Experienced | $60,660$29.16 an hour | $62,790$30.19 an hour | $79,750$38.34 an hour |
| Top 10% | $69,290$33.31 an hour | $74,650$35.89 an hour | $96,940$46.61 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Lake Charles area as BLS defines it
Surgical Tech pay growth in Lake Charles
Typical (median) annual wage for Surgical Techs in the Lake Charles area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Surgical Tech pay in Lake Charles was $38,170 a year. By 2025 it had reached $58,850, a change of +54%, compared with +49% for Louisiana over the same years.
How Lake Charles compares with other Louisiana cities
Hammond pays Surgical Techs the most in Louisiana at $61,090 a year, $2,240 more than Lake Charles. The lowest-paying area in the state is Alexandria at $50,960.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Lake Charles | Surgical Techs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hammond | $61,090 | $29.37 | +4% | 60 |
| 2 | Baton Rouge | $60,230 | $28.96 | +2% | 470 |
| 3 | Slidell metro incl. Covington · Mandeville | $59,100 | $28.42 | 0% | 170 |
| 4 | Lake Charles | $58,850 | $28.29 | this city | 60 |
| 5 | Metairie metro incl. New Orleans | $58,660 | $28.20 | 0% | 590 |
| 6 | Monroe | $56,790 | $27.31 | -4% | 90 |
| 7 | Lafayette | $53,770 | $25.85 | -9% | 220 |
| 8 | Thibodaux metro incl. Bayou Cane · Houma | $52,780 | $25.38 | -10% | 80 |
| 9 | Bossier City metro incl. Shreveport | $51,770 | $24.89 | -12% | 230 |
| 10 | Alexandria | $50,960 | $24.50 | -13% | 100 |
Every metro area in Louisiana with Surgical Tech wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Louisiana typical pay $57,370
Is Lake Charles a good place to work as a Surgical Tech?
Surgical Techs in Lake Charles earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $58,850 a year, 9% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Lake Charles area, about 0.6 are Surgical Tech positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 0.8. That makes Surgical Techs 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 Surgical Tech make in Lake Charles, LA?
- A typical Surgical Tech in Lake Charles earns $58,850 a year, or $28.29 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $39,850 and the top 10% earn over $69,290.
- How much does a Surgical Tech make an hour in Lake Charles?
- Typical hourly pay for Surgical Techs in Lake Charles is $28.29. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $19.16, and the top 10% earn over $33.31 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Surgical Tech in Lake Charles?
- Entry-level Surgical Tech positions in Lake Charles typically offer around $19.16 an hour, or $39,850 a year.
- Is Surgical Tech pay in Lake Charles higher than in the rest of Louisiana?
- Lake Charles pay is 3% above the Louisiana figure of $57,370 a year, ranking 4th of 10 metro areas in the state. Hammond pays the most in Louisiana at $61,090.