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Highest-Paying States

Ranked by average median salary across all occupations.

Top 15 highest-paying states by median salary

BLS average median salary across all occupations

  1. 1
    District of Columbia $89,678
  2. 2
    Washington $86,472
  3. 3
    New York $83,188
  4. 4
    California $83,172
  5. 5
    Massachusetts $81,220
  6. 6
    New Jersey $80,365
  7. 7
    Minnesota $79,900
  8. 8
    Alaska $79,598
  9. 9
    Maryland $79,476
  10. 10
    Rhode Island $78,208
  11. 11
    Connecticut $78,018
  12. 12
    Colorado $76,492
  13. 13
    Oregon $75,924
  14. 14
    New Hampshire $75,724
  15. 15
    Illinois $74,900

Source BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

The bar to make this list

Median salary across all 51 ranked states

$74,900 71st percentile higher than 71% of 51 US states

$55,000–$60,000: 2 US states (4%). Below this entry. $60,000–$65,000: 5 US states (10%). Below this entry. $65,000–$70,000: 19 US states (37%). Below this entry. $70,000–$75,000: 11 US states (22%). This entry sits in this band. $75,000–$80,000: 8 US states (16%). Above this entry. $80,000–$85,000: 4 US states (8%). Above this entry. $85,000–$90,000: 2 US states (4%). Above this entry. #15 cutoff $55,000 $90,000 every ranked state, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $5K-wide band; taller bars hold more US states. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

# State Avg Median Salary Total Employment
1 District of Columbia $89,678 681,990
2 Washington $86,472 3,502,220
3 New York $83,188 9,618,120
4 California $83,172 18,087,660
5 Massachusetts $81,220 3,559,020
6 New Jersey $80,365 4,250,070
7 Minnesota $79,900 2,930,390
8 Alaska $79,598 314,960
9 Maryland $79,476 2,717,280
10 Rhode Island $78,208 468,240
11 Connecticut $78,018 1,647,290
12 Colorado $76,492 2,848,420
13 Oregon $75,924 1,940,130
14 New Hampshire $75,724 673,020
15 Illinois $74,900 6,050,620
16 Vermont $74,077 288,770
17 Virginia $73,983 4,039,600
18 Hawaii $73,975 605,850
19 Arizona $72,019 3,200,320
20 Wisconsin $71,762 2,910,210
21 Delaware $71,613 461,220
22 Pennsylvania $70,617 6,045,030
23 North Dakota $70,390 421,920
24 Maine $70,351 622,250
25 Michigan $70,101 4,375,670
26 Ohio $69,736 5,526,920
27 Georgia $69,371 4,827,220
28 Nevada $69,352 1,527,000
29 Texas $68,700 14,038,620
30 Nebraska $68,498 1,009,590
31 Indiana $68,360 3,184,820
32 Utah $68,194 1,692,730
33 Iowa $68,184 1,548,780
34 New Mexico $68,120 858,230
35 Florida $67,772 9,802,200
36 North Carolina $67,684 4,901,660
37 Missouri $67,599 2,897,890
38 Idaho $67,243 840,070
39 Tennessee $66,637 3,259,070
40 South Carolina $66,429 2,284,980
41 Kentucky $66,084 1,984,080
42 Wyoming $66,072 271,740
43 Montana $65,917 499,050
44 Kansas $65,074 1,420,940
45 South Dakota $64,417 450,790
46 Alabama $63,962 2,067,680
47 Oklahoma $63,871 1,700,050
48 Louisiana $62,928 1,910,380
49 West Virginia $62,234 692,070
50 Arkansas $58,446 1,290,100
51 Mississippi $57,873 1,136,310

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics