Prevailing wage, wage year 2025-26
Web Developers prevailing wage in Lake Charles, LA
Short answer
For web developers in Lake Charles, LA, the U.S. Department of Labor prevailing wage runs from $15.26 an hour at Level 1 ($31,741 a year) to $34.78 an hour at Level 4 ($72,342 a year), wage year 2025-26. The Level 2 wage of $21.77 ranks 514 of 530 areas and is 33% below the median area ($32.72).
Wage by level
| Wage level | Per hour | Per year | Per month | Per week |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | $15.26 | $31,741 | $2,645 | $610 |
| Level 2 | $21.77 | $45,282 | $3,774 | $871 |
| Level 3 | $28.27 | $58,802 | $4,900 | $1,131 |
| Level 4 | $34.78 | $72,342 | $6,029 | $1,391 |
| Published average | $28.33 | $58,926 | $4,911 | $1,133 |
Annual = hourly x 2080 hours, the convention DOL uses. Weekly = hourly x 40. Gross pay before tax. Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC), prevailing wage data, wage year 2025-26.
Minimum bill rate calculator
Start from the prevailing wage for this area, add your payroll costs and a margin.
Minimum wage
$21.77/hr
Prevailing wage for web developers in Lake Charles, LA
Cost with payroll costs
$23.44/hr
$21.77 plus 7.65%
Bill rate for the margin
$27.57/hr
Cost divided by 0.85
Assumes the consultant is paid the prevailing wage for every billed hour, with no bench pay or other costs. Real pay is usually above the minimum. General information, not legal advice.
How Lake Charles, LA compares
Across 530 areas, the Level 2 wage for web developers has a median of $32.72 an hour. Lake Charles, LA is at $21.77, which is 33% below that median and ranks 514 of 530. Inside LA, it ranks 13 of 13 areas. The gap between Level 1 and Level 4 here is 128% ($19.52 an hour), so the level a job is filed at changes the minimum pay by about $40,601 a year.
Other LA areas for the same occupation
| Area | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA | $30.31 | $33.73 | $40.58 |
| Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | $30.04 | $33.70 | $41.01 |
| Northeast Louisiana nonmetropolitan area | $24.11 | $29.60 | $40.59 |
| Southwest Louisiana nonmetropolitan area | $23.31 | $29.04 | $40.51 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | $22.77 | $28.87 | $41.07 |
| Hammond, LA | $22.84 | $28.62 | $40.18 |
Reading the four levels
In Lake Charles, LA, moving a web developers role from Level 1 to Level 2 adds $6.51 an hour (43%), from Level 2 to Level 3 adds $6.50 (30%), and from Level 3 to Level 4 adds $6.51 (23%). The biggest steps come at the senior end, so a role filed one level too low saves more on paper than it would at the entry end. At Level 1 the minimum is $2,645 a month gross; at Level 4 it is $6,029.
Areas with a Level 2 wage close to $21.77
These are the 6 areas anywhere in the country whose web developers Level 2 wage is nearest to this one. Use them when a requirement could be worked from several places and you want the wage floor to stay about the same.
| Area | Level 2 per hour | Difference from here |
|---|---|---|
| Fort Smith, AR-OK | $21.84 | +$0.07 |
| North Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $21.69 | -$0.08 |
| Rapid City, SD | $22.17 | +$0.40 |
| Altoona, PA | $21.04 | -$0.73 |
| West Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $21.01 | -$0.76 |
| State College, PA | $22.66 | +$0.89 |
LA and this occupation
LA has 13 areas in the data. The state median Level 2 wage for web developers is $28.27 an hour, and Lake Charles, LA is below it. The highest area in LA is Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA at $33.73, and the lowest is Lake Charles, LA at $21.77.
Among IT occupations here
In Lake Charles, LA, web developers ranks 16 of 16 IT occupations by Level 2 wage. The highest is database architects at $56.30 an hour and the lowest is web developers at $21.77.
What this means for your desk
- At Level 2 the consultant must be paid at least $45,282 a year, or $3,774 a month gross, for work in Lake Charles, LA.
- Your bill rate must cover that wage plus payroll costs and margin: try $21.77 an hour in the W2 burden rate calculator and the markup and margin calculator.
Which level applies, and what an LCA means, is explained on the prevailing wage guide. Not legal advice.
Other occupations in Lake Charles, LA
| Occupation | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Systems Analysts | $30.92 | $39.14 | $55.57 |
| Information Security Analysts | $33.78 | $38.24 | $47.17 |
| Computer and Information Research Scientists | $40.29 | $46.86 | $60.00 |
| Computer Network Support Specialists | $18.90 | $23.40 | $32.39 |
| Computer User Support Specialists | $19.24 | $23.46 | $31.91 |
| Computer Network Architects | $33.00 | $40.61 | $55.84 |
| Database Administrators | $25.79 | $34.30 | $51.33 |
| Database Architects | $44.16 | $56.30 | $80.59 |
| Network and Computer Systems Administrators | $30.44 | $38.49 | $54.60 |
| Computer Programmers | $24.36 | $32.32 | $48.25 |
| Software Developers | $37.79 | $46.47 | $63.83 |
| Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers | $19.21 | $26.60 | $41.39 |
| Web and Digital Interface Designers | $19.02 | $25.39 | $38.13 |
| Computer Occupations, All Other | $20.37 | $31.26 | $53.03 |
| Data Scientists | $23.51 | $26.94 | $33.80 |
Questions
What is the prevailing wage for web developers in Lake Charles, LA?
$15.26, $21.77, $28.27 and $34.78 an hour for Levels 1 to 4, with a published average of $28.33, in wage year 2025-26. Multiply by 2080 hours for the annual figure.
How much more does Level 4 pay than Level 1 in Lake Charles, LA?
$19.52 more an hour, or $40,601 more a year (128% above Level 1).
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