Salary comparison
Industrial Engineers: Lake Charles vs Midland
Midland, TX pays about 9.2% more for industrial engineers on paper — $141,120 vs $129,260. But once you factor in what it costs to live there, Midland comes out ahead by $11,860 a year in real buying power.
Lake Charles, LA
$129,260
$108,340
$160,160
$62.14
100
$129,260/yr
Median adjusted for local cost of living.
Midland, TX
$141,120
$104,430
$175,750
$67.85
100
$141,120/yr
Median adjusted for local cost of living.
What the numbers mean in practice
The headline gap is $11,860 a year (9.2%) in favor of Midland. That is the raw salary difference before any living costs.
Lake Charles runs a cost index of 100 against the national baseline of 100; Midland sits at 100. After adjusting the median for those costs, Midland is the better deal by $11,860 a year — that is what each paycheck actually buys locally.
If you are weighing a move from Lake Charles to Midland for this role, the raise needs to beat 9.2% to come out ahead after living costs. Anything below that and you are earning more on paper but keeping less.
Common questions
Where do industrial engineers earn more, Lake Charles or Midland?
Midland pays $141,120 on median — about 9.2% more than Lake Charles ($129,260). Based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Which city is the better deal after living costs?
Midland. Once you divide each median by the local cost index, Midland gives you roughly$141,120 of real buying power versus $129,260 in the other city.