Average Salaries by U.S. State: Where Pay Goes Furthest After Cost of Living
Where pay stretches furthest after state price differences
This page ranks U.S. states and the District of Columbia by cost adjusted salary by state. The metric combines BLS May 2024 mean annual wages for all occupations with BEA 2024 Regional Price Parities for all items, so the value estimates salary purchasing power by state at a common national price level.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!This is a 2024 aligned snapshot: BLS May 2024 wage data are paired with BEA 2024 RPP data so the wage and price inputs use the same year. No 2026 salary projection is used. Higher cost-adjusted wage ranks higher.
Coverage: 50 states plus the District of Columbia. Unit: 2024 dollars adjusted to the national price level. Primary inputs: BLS OEWS and BEA RPP. Secondary cross-check: StateSalary state table. All rows are calculated from official BLS and BEA inputs.
Key result
District of Columbia ranks first by cost-adjusted mean annual wage.
BLS May 2024 mean wage adjusted by BEA 2024 Regional Price Parity.
The ranking does not replace city-level rent, tax, childcare or household budget analysis.
Values are calculated from official BLS and BEA inputs, not published as a single official ranking.
District of Columbia remains first after its high price level is applied.
Mississippi ranks lowest in this table, even after its low RPP adjustment.
All 50 states and the District of Columbia are included.
Calculated from the 51 table rows; Missouri is the median entry.
How to read this average salary by state adjusted for cost of living
What the metric means
The value estimates how far the all-occupations mean annual wage goes after state price levels are adjusted to the U.S. average. A value above another state means stronger wage purchasing power under this wage-price formula.
How to read the rank
Rank is calculated from the adjusted wage, not the nominal wage. A high-wage state can move down if prices are high, while a moderate-wage state can move up if prices are lower.
Why states differ
Results reflect wage levels, occupation mix, industry concentration, government and professional employment, regional price levels and the balance between expensive metro areas and lower-cost places within each state.
Key limitations
This is not take-home pay and not a full affordability score. It excludes taxes, rent burden, home prices, childcare, healthcare, commuting, household size, debt and metro-level cost differences.
Regional summary: how Census regions compare
The main ranking is state-level, but the regional view helps connect the table to Northeast, Midwest, South and West patterns. These regional figures are calculated from the state and DC rows shown in the full ranking.
Northeast
Median adjusted wage: $67,713. Leader: Massachusetts at $78,497. The region has several high-wage states, but price levels reduce the advantage in some places.
Midwest
Median adjusted wage: $66,065. Leader: Minnesota at $69,858. Lower RPP values help several Midwest states rank above their nominal wage position.
South
Median adjusted wage: $62,597. Leader: District of Columbia at $99,563. Without DC, the South is mostly clustered in the middle and lower parts of the table.
West
Median adjusted wage: $65,283. Leader: Washington at $76,215. High-pay states in the West often face strong RPP adjustments from higher prices.
Top 10 states where average pay goes furthest
The top ten combine high wages with price levels that do not fully erase the wage advantage. District of Columbia is the clear leader, while Massachusetts, Washington, New York and Connecticut form the next tier.
Top 10 by cost-adjusted mean annual wage, 2024 aligned snapshot
| Rank | State | Value | Region / source note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $99,563 | South; calculated from BLS May 2024 wage and BEA 2024 RPP. |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $78,497 | Northeast; calculated from BLS May 2024 wage and BEA 2024 RPP. |
| 3 | Washington | $76,215 | West; calculated from BLS May 2024 wage and BEA 2024 RPP. |
| 4 | New York | $74,727 | Northeast; calculated from BLS May 2024 wage and BEA 2024 RPP. |
| 5 | Connecticut | $73,407 | Northeast; calculated from BLS May 2024 wage and BEA 2024 RPP. |
| 6 | Colorado | $73,288 | West; calculated from BLS May 2024 wage and BEA 2024 RPP. |
| 7 | Maryland | $72,505 | South; calculated from BLS May 2024 wage and BEA 2024 RPP. |
| 8 | California | $72,177 | West; calculated from BLS May 2024 wage and BEA 2024 RPP. |
| 9 | Virginia | $71,276 | South; calculated from BLS May 2024 wage and BEA 2024 RPP. |
| 10 | Alaska | $71,104 | West; calculated from BLS May 2024 wage and BEA 2024 RPP. |
Value = BLS all-occupations mean annual wage × 100 ÷ BEA Regional Price Parity. Values are rounded to the nearest dollar after ranking.
Chart: Top 20 cost-adjusted mean wages
The chart uses the same adjusted wage values as the ranking table. It shows the gap between District of Columbia and the next group, followed by a tighter cluster from Massachusetts through Nebraska.
Methodology
The metric is cost-adjusted mean annual wage. Wage inputs are BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2024 all-occupations mean annual wages. Price inputs are BEA 2024 Regional Price Parities for all items. The calculation adjusts each state wage to the national price level.
Metric and formula
Cost-adjusted wage = mean annual wage × 100 ÷ RPP. If RPP is below 100, the adjusted wage rises; if RPP is above 100, the adjusted wage falls.
Unit and direction
Unit: 2024 dollars adjusted to the U.S. average price level. Direction: higher adjusted wage ranks higher because the metric focuses on salary purchasing power by state.
Source role
BLS and BEA are the primary official inputs. StateSalary is used as a secondary cross-check for the aligned wage, RPP and adjusted values.
Coverage
The ranking includes the 50 states and the District of Columbia. It excludes Puerto Rico, U.S. territories, metro areas and occupation-specific rankings.
The page uses 2024 wage and price inputs together to keep the calculation aligned. It does not estimate 2025 or 2026 wages. Displayed values are rounded to the nearest dollar, while rank order follows the adjusted value.
Mean wage is not the same as median wage. A mean can be pulled upward by high-paying occupations and high-income labor markets. Median wage would answer a different question: what the middle worker earns rather than the arithmetic average across jobs.
State-level RPP is also broader than a personal cost-of-living budget. It captures average price differences across each state, but it cannot show the gap between an expensive metro area and a lower-cost rural county inside the same state.
This metric does not measure after-tax income, rent burden, home prices, childcare, commuting, healthcare premiums, debt, job availability, remote-work access, industry mix or quality of life.
Main ranking: all 51 state-level entries
Search by state, filter by Census region, filter source status, change sort order or show 10, 20 or all rows after the current filters and sort order.
Cost-adjusted mean annual wage by state and DC, 2024 aligned snapshot
| Rank | State | Value | Region / source note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $99,563 | South; BLS May 2024 wage and BEA 2024 RPP. |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $78,497 | Northeast; BLS May 2024 wage and BEA 2024 RPP. |
| 3 | Washington | $76,215 | West; BLS May 2024 wage and BEA 2024 RPP. |
| 4 | New York | $74,727 | Northeast; BLS May 2024 wage and BEA 2024 RPP. |
| 5 | Connecticut | $73,407 | Northeast; BLS May 2024 wage and BEA 2024 RPP. |
| 6 | Colorado | $73,288 | West; BLS May 2024 wage and BEA 2024 RPP. |
| 7 | Maryland | $72,505 | South; BLS May 2024 wage and BEA 2024 RPP. |
| 8 | California | $72,177 | West; BLS May 2024 wage and BEA 2024 RPP. |
| 9 | Virginia | $71,276 | South; BLS May 2024 wage and BEA 2024 RPP. |
| 10 | Alaska | $71,104 | West; BLS May 2024 wage and BEA 2024 RPP. |
| 11 | New Jersey | $70,147 | Northeast; BLS May 2024 wage and BEA 2024 RPP. |
| 12 | Minnesota | $69,858 | Midwest; BLS May 2024 wage and BEA 2024 RPP. |
| 13 | North Dakota | $69,449 | Midwest; BLS May 2024 wage and BEA 2024 RPP. |
| 14 | Illinois | $69,020 | Midwest; BLS May 2024 wage and BEA 2024 RPP. |
| 15 | Oregon | $67,979 | West; BLS May 2024 wage and BEA 2024 RPP. |
| 16 | Delaware | $67,776 | South; BLS May 2024 wage and BEA 2024 RPP. |
| 17 | Rhode Island | $67,713 | Northeast; BLS May 2024 wage and BEA 2024 RPP. |
| 18 | Vermont | $67,684 | Northeast; BLS May 2024 wage and BEA 2024 RPP. |
| 19 | Ohio | $67,112 | Midwest; BLS May 2024 wage and BEA 2024 RPP. |
| 20 | Nebraska | $66,848 | Midwest; BLS May 2024 wage and BEA 2024 RPP. |
| 21 | Georgia | $66,677 | South; BLS May 2024 wage and BEA 2024 RPP. |
| 22 | Iowa | $66,458 | Midwest; BLS May 2024 wage and BEA 2024 RPP. |
| 23 | North Carolina | $66,214 | South; BLS May 2024 wage and BEA 2024 RPP. |
| 24 | New Hampshire | $66,027 | Northeast; BLS May 2024 wage and BEA 2024 RPP. |
| 25 | Maine | $65,732 | Northeast; BLS May 2024 wage and BEA 2024 RPP. |
| 26 | Missouri | $65,672 | Midwest; BLS May 2024 wage and BEA 2024 RPP. |
| 27 | Michigan | $65,613 | Midwest; BLS May 2024 wage and BEA 2024 RPP. |
| 28 | Texas | $65,561 | South; BLS May 2024 wage and BEA 2024 RPP. |
| 29 | Wisconsin | $65,558 | Midwest; BLS May 2024 wage and BEA 2024 RPP. |
| 30 | New Mexico | $65,390 | West; BLS May 2024 wage and BEA 2024 RPP. |
| 31 | Arizona | $65,283 | West; BLS May 2024 wage and BEA 2024 RPP. |
| 32 | Pennsylvania | $65,256 | Northeast; BLS May 2024 wage and BEA 2024 RPP. |
| 33 | Wyoming | $64,941 | West; BLS May 2024 wage and BEA 2024 RPP. |
| 34 | Utah | $64,671 | West; BLS May 2024 wage and BEA 2024 RPP. |
| 35 | Kansas | $64,628 | Midwest; BLS May 2024 wage and BEA 2024 RPP. |
| 36 | Tennessee | $63,874 | South; BLS May 2024 wage and BEA 2024 RPP. |
| 37 | Indiana | $63,023 | Midwest; BLS May 2024 wage and BEA 2024 RPP. |
| 38 | South Dakota | $62,619 | Midwest; BLS May 2024 wage and BEA 2024 RPP. |
| 39 | Oklahoma | $62,597 | South; BLS May 2024 wage and BEA 2024 RPP. |
| 40 | Louisiana | $62,506 | South; BLS May 2024 wage and BEA 2024 RPP. |
| 41 | Kentucky | $62,428 | South; BLS May 2024 wage and BEA 2024 RPP. |
| 42 | Alabama | $62,331 | South; BLS May 2024 wage and BEA 2024 RPP. |
| 43 | Hawaii | $62,073 | West; BLS May 2024 wage and BEA 2024 RPP. |
| 44 | Montana | $61,480 | West; BLS May 2024 wage and BEA 2024 RPP. |
| 45 | West Virginia | $61,385 | South; BLS May 2024 wage and BEA 2024 RPP. |
| 46 | Idaho | $61,194 | West; BLS May 2024 wage and BEA 2024 RPP. |
| 47 | Arkansas | $61,070 | South; BLS May 2024 wage and BEA 2024 RPP. |
| 48 | Florida | $60,919 | South; BLS May 2024 wage and BEA 2024 RPP. |
| 49 | South Carolina | $60,822 | South; BLS May 2024 wage and BEA 2024 RPP. |
| 50 | Nevada | $60,310 | West; BLS May 2024 wage and BEA 2024 RPP. |
| 51 | Mississippi | $57,172 | South; BLS May 2024 wage and BEA 2024 RPP. |
All rows use the same formula and year alignment. BLS and BEA provide the official inputs; StateSalary is used as a secondary check for the combined table.
Insights from the cost-adjusted salary ranking
Key insight
District of Columbia remains the clear leader because its mean annual wage is far above every state, even after a high RPP adjustment.
Notable pattern
High-cost states still appear near the top when wages are strong enough. California ranks eighth after adjustment, while Hawaii drops much lower because price levels are high relative to its mean wage.
Regional pattern
The Northeast has the highest regional median in this table, while the Midwest benefits from lower price levels that lift several states above their nominal wage position.
Outlier
North Dakota ranks thirteenth because its RPP of 89.0 lifts a moderate nominal mean wage into a stronger salary purchasing power position.
What this ranking means for workers and employers
For workers, the ranking is a quick way to compare where average salary may stretch further after state price levels are considered. It can support relocation research, remote-work comparisons and salary negotiation, but it should not be treated as a personal budget calculator.
For employers, the table separates nominal wage competitiveness from purchasing power. A salary in a lower-RPP state may buy more than a higher nominal salary in a high-RPP state, but recruiting conditions still depend on occupation, local labor supply and industry mix.
The main interpretation risk is treating a statewide average as a household result. Individual outcomes depend on occupation, tax situation, rent or mortgage costs, family size, commuting, insurance, debt and the exact city or county where someone lives.
FAQ
Which U.S. state or district has the highest salary after cost of living?
District of Columbia ranks first in this table, with a cost-adjusted mean annual wage of $99,563 in the 2024 aligned snapshot.
What is the best state for salary purchasing power?
Among the 50 states, Massachusetts ranks first at $78,497. Including District of Columbia, DC ranks first overall at $99,563.
What does Regional Price Parity mean?
Regional Price Parity is a BEA price-level index. A value above 100 means prices are higher than the U.S. average; below 100 means prices are lower.
Why adjust average salary by cost of living?
Nominal salary alone does not show purchasing power. Adjusting by RPP estimates how much the average wage would buy if each state were compared at the same national price level.
Is this the same as take-home pay?
No. This is a before-tax wage-price metric. It does not include taxes, payroll deductions, benefits, insurance, housing debt or other household expenses.
Why use mean wage instead of median wage?
BLS OEWS provides mean annual wages by state for all occupations. Mean wage is useful for a broad average, but it can be pulled upward by high-paying occupations. Median wage would answer a different question.
Are these 2026 salary numbers?
No. This is a 2026 page using a 2024 aligned calculation from BLS May 2024 wages and BEA 2024 RPP. No 2026 salary projection is included.
Does this ranking compare cities or metro areas?
No. It is a state-level ranking. Metro-level price and wage differences can be large, so city-level decisions need more local data.
Sources
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — OEWS Tables
Primary wage input for May 2024 all-occupations mean annual wages by state.
U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities
Primary price-level input for 2024 state RPP values used in the adjustment.
https://www.bea.gov/data/prices-inflation/regional-price-parities-state-and-metro-area
StateSalary — Cost of Living and Salary by State
Secondary cross-check for the state wage, RPP and adjusted wage table.
BLS OEWS program overview
Context for the occupational wage program and how wage estimates are produced.
