Average Salary by State (2026): All 50 States Ranked

· Updated

Compare average salaries across all 50 US states to see where your income stands and where it goes furthest.

Average Salary by State (Ranked)

Rank State Mean Salary Median Salary CoL Index Adjusted Salary
1 Massachusetts $76,600 $65,000 118 $64,915
2 New York $74,870 $61,000 123 $60,870
3 California $73,220 $60,000 139 $52,680
4 Washington $72,350 $62,000 110 $65,770
5 Connecticut $71,200 $60,000 111 $64,140
6 New Jersey $70,800 $59,500 112 $63,210
7 Maryland $69,750 $58,000 115 $60,650
8 Alaska $68,500 $59,000 113 $60,620
9 Colorado $67,200 $55,500 110 $61,090
10 Virginia $66,800 $55,000 103 $64,850
11 New Hampshire $66,500 $56,000 106 $62,740
12 Minnesota $65,200 $54,000 98 $66,530
13 Illinois $64,800 $53,000 97 $66,800
14 Rhode Island $64,200 $52,500 108 $59,440
15 Oregon $63,900 $52,000 113 $56,550
16 Hawaii $63,700 $54,000 193 $33,010
17 Pennsylvania $63,500 $52,500 94 $67,550
18 Delaware $63,200 $52,000 103 $61,360
19 Texas $62,800 $52,000 93 $67,530
20 North Dakota $62,500 $52,500 94 $66,490
— National Average $63,795 $56,420 100 —
21 Arizona $62,000 $51,000 94 $65,960
22 Utah $61,800 $51,500 101 $61,190
23 Nevada $61,500 $51,000 103 $59,710
24 Georgia $61,200 $50,500 94 $65,110
25 Wisconsin $60,800 $51,000 94 $64,680
26 Michigan $60,500 $50,000 95 $63,680
27 North Carolina $60,200 $49,500 93 $64,730
28 Nebraska $60,000 $50,000 92 $65,220
29 Ohio $59,800 $49,000 93 $64,300
30 Iowa $59,500 $49,500 90 $66,110
31 Kansas $59,200 $49,000 89 $66,520
32 Florida $59,000 $48,500 100 $59,000
33 Indiana $58,800 $48,500 90 $65,330
34 Missouri $58,500 $48,000 89 $65,730
35 Tennessee $58,200 $47,500 91 $63,960
36 South Carolina $57,800 $47,000 95 $60,840
37 Maine $57,500 $48,000 112 $51,340
38 Vermont $57,200 $48,500 114 $50,180
39 Montana $57,000 $47,500 100 $57,000
40 Kentucky $56,500 $46,500 90 $62,780
41 Idaho $56,200 $46,000 97 $57,940
42 Wyoming $56,000 $48,000 100 $56,000
43 Oklahoma $55,800 $46,000 88 $63,410
44 New Mexico $55,500 $45,500 93 $59,680
45 Louisiana $55,200 $45,000 94 $58,720
46 South Dakota $55,000 $46,500 92 $59,780
47 Alabama $54,800 $45,000 92 $59,570
48 Arkansas $54,000 $44,000 89 $60,670
49 West Virginia $53,500 $44,500 85 $62,940
50 Mississippi $52,000 $43,000 88 $59,090

Best States for Salary (Cost-of-Living Adjusted)

Rank State Mean Salary CoL Index Adjusted
1 Pennsylvania $63,500 94 $67,550
2 Texas $62,800 93 $67,530
3 Illinois $64,800 97 $66,800
4 North Dakota $62,500 94 $66,490
5 Minnesota $65,200 98 $66,530
6 Kansas $59,200 89 $66,520
7 Iowa $59,500 90 $66,110
8 Washington $72,350 110 $65,770
9 Missouri $58,500 89 $65,730
10 Indiana $58,800 90 $65,330

Worst States for Salary (Cost-of-Living Adjusted)

Rank State Mean Salary CoL Index Adjusted
1 Hawaii $63,700 193 $33,010
2 Vermont $57,200 114 $50,180
3 Maine $57,500 112 $51,340
4 California $73,220 139 $52,680
5 Oregon $63,900 113 $56,550
6 Wyoming $56,000 100 $56,000
7 Idaho $56,200 97 $57,940
8 Louisiana $55,200 94 $58,720
9 Florida $59,000 100 $59,000
10 Mississippi $52,000 88 $59,090

Average Salary by Region

Northeast

State Mean Median Adjusted
Massachusetts $76,600 $65,000 $64,915
New York $74,870 $61,000 $60,870
Connecticut $71,200 $60,000 $64,140
New Jersey $70,800 $59,500 $63,210
Pennsylvania $63,500 $52,500 $67,550

West

State Mean Median Adjusted
California $73,220 $60,000 $52,680
Washington $72,350 $62,000 $65,770
Colorado $67,200 $55,500 $61,090
Oregon $63,900 $52,000 $56,550
Nevada $61,500 $51,000 $59,710

South

State Mean Median Adjusted
Virginia $66,800 $55,000 $64,850
Maryland $69,750 $58,000 $60,650
Texas $62,800 $52,000 $67,530
Georgia $61,200 $50,500 $65,110
Florida $59,000 $48,500 $59,000

Midwest

State Mean Median Adjusted
Minnesota $65,200 $54,000 $66,530
Illinois $64,800 $53,000 $66,800
Wisconsin $60,800 $51,000 $64,680
Michigan $60,500 $50,000 $63,680
Ohio $59,800 $49,000 $64,300

Salary Plus State Tax Considerations

No State Income Tax States

State Mean Salary CoL Adjusted Tax Advantage
Texas $62,800 $67,530 +$3,000-$5,000
Washington $72,350 $65,770 +$4,000-$6,000
Florida $59,000 $59,000 +$2,500-$4,000
Tennessee $58,200 $63,960 +$2,500-$4,000
Nevada $61,500 $59,710 +$2,500-$4,500
Wyoming $56,000 $56,000 +$2,000-$3,500
Alaska $68,500 $60,620 +$3,500-$5,500
South Dakota $55,000 $59,780 +$2,000-$3,500
New Hampshire $66,500 $62,740 +$3,000-$5,000*

*NH taxes interest/dividends income only

High State Tax States

State Mean Salary State Tax Rate Effective Cost
California $73,220 9.3% (at $60K) -$4,500-$7,000
New York $74,870 6.85% (+NYC) -$4,000-$6,500
New Jersey $70,800 6.37% -$3,500-$5,000
Oregon $63,900 9% -$4,000-$5,500
Minnesota $65,200 7.85% -$3,500-$5,000

How to Use This Data

Comparing job offers across states:

  1. Look at salary AND cost of living index
  2. Factor in state income tax (0-13%+ difference)
  3. Consider career growth opportunities
  4. Account for specific city costs (state averages can hide city variation)

Example: Job A: $70,000 in California (CoL: 139) Job B: $58,000 in Texas (CoL: 93, no state tax)

Job A adjusted: $70,000 ÷ 1.39 = $50,360 Job B adjusted: $58,000 ÷ 0.93 = $62,365

Job B is significantly better despite $12K lower nominal salary.

Related: Good Salary in Texas | Cost of Living Calculator by City | Income Percentile Calculator

Tags: