Highest-paying states
The highest-paying US state by all-occupation wage is District of Columbia at a median of $88,000 (mean $109,420) — +77.8% versus the $49,500 US median (BLS OEWS, May 2024). Next come Massachusetts ($62,270) and Washington ($61,590). The lowest is Mississippi ($39,070). Higher-wage states also tend to have higher living costs. Wages are gross (pre-tax).
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. Data as of OEWS May 2024 (BLS), retrieved June 2026.
All 51 states ranked by median wage
| # | State | Median (all jobs) | Mean | vs US median | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $88,000 | $109,420 | +77.8% | 708,790 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $62,270 | $83,050 | +25.8% | 3,642,650 |
| 3 | Washington | $61,590 | $81,550 | +24.4% | 3,539,650 |
| 4 | Alaska | $59,400 | $72,810 | +20.0% | 321,040 |
| 5 | New York | $58,560 | $80,630 | +18.3% | 9,541,880 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $58,400 | $76,050 | +18.0% | 1,682,000 |
| 7 | Colorado | $58,210 | $75,560 | +17.6% | 2,891,210 |
| 8 | Maryland | $58,050 | $76,130 | +17.3% | 2,746,300 |
| 9 | New Jersey | $57,230 | $76,320 | +15.6% | 4,250,430 |
| 10 | California | $56,940 | $79,900 | +15.0% | 18,057,850 |
| 11 | Rhode Island | $54,040 | $69,270 | +9.2% | 493,800 |
| 12 | Minnesota | $53,810 | $68,880 | +8.7% | 2,920,470 |
| 13 | Oregon | $53,390 | $70,290 | +7.9% | 1,965,700 |
| 14 | Hawaii | $53,260 | $68,280 | +7.6% | 620,930 |
| 15 | Virginia | $53,020 | $72,060 | +7.1% | 4,064,640 |
| 16 | New Hampshire | $52,610 | $68,800 | +6.3% | 683,160 |
| 17 | Vermont | $52,410 | $66,330 | +5.9% | 304,170 |
| 18 | Delaware | $51,030 | $67,640 | +3.1% | 476,450 |
| 19 | North Dakota | $50,320 | $61,810 | +1.7% | 424,030 |
| 20 | Illinois | $50,000 | $69,020 | +1.0% | 6,065,230 |
| 21 | Maine | $49,440 | $63,760 | -0.1% | 635,460 |
| 22 | Wyoming | $49,160 | $60,200 | -0.7% | 278,500 |
| 23 | Wisconsin | $48,930 | $61,690 | -1.2% | 2,923,420 |
| 24 | Arizona | $48,810 | $65,740 | -1.4% | 3,196,750 |
| 25 | Utah | $48,600 | $63,960 | -1.8% | 1,709,790 |
| 26 | Pennsylvania | $48,550 | $63,690 | -1.9% | 6,014,180 |
| 27 | Michigan | $48,300 | $63,120 | -2.4% | 4,390,620 |
| 28 | Ohio | $48,060 | $62,280 | -2.9% | 5,526,300 |
| 29 | Nebraska | $47,990 | $60,230 | -3.1% | 1,016,070 |
| 30 | Iowa | $47,670 | $58,350 | -3.7% | 1,561,660 |
| 31 | Texas | $47,500 | $63,660 | -4.0% | 13,846,880 |
| 32 | Montana | $47,360 | $58,160 | -4.3% | 510,020 |
| 33 | Georgia | $47,020 | $64,210 | -5.0% | 4,856,190 |
| 34 | North Carolina | $46,950 | $62,440 | -5.2% | 4,898,270 |
| 35 | Indiana | $46,930 | $58,800 | -5.2% | 3,186,690 |
| 36 | Florida | $46,860 | $62,990 | -5.3% | 9,820,120 |
| 37 | Kansas | $46,850 | $58,230 | -5.4% | 1,431,180 |
| 38 | Idaho | $46,470 | $58,440 | -6.1% | 844,910 |
| 39 | Nevada | $46,440 | $60,310 | -6.2% | 1,529,480 |
| 40 | Missouri | $46,390 | $59,630 | -6.3% | 2,918,050 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $46,120 | $58,700 | -6.8% | 3,274,390 |
| 42 | New Mexico | $45,870 | $60,290 | -7.3% | 860,880 |
| 43 | Kentucky | $45,740 | $56,310 | -7.6% | 1,993,680 |
| 44 | South Dakota | $45,620 | $55,480 | -7.8% | 452,940 |
| 45 | South Carolina | $44,760 | $56,990 | -9.6% | 2,271,770 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $43,950 | $54,960 | -11.2% | 1,691,930 |
| 47 | Alabama | $43,830 | $55,350 | -11.5% | 2,091,480 |
| 48 | Louisiana | $43,770 | $55,130 | -11.6% | 1,911,530 |
| 49 | West Virginia | $43,320 | $54,940 | -12.5% | 701,470 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $41,020 | $53,070 | -17.1% | 1,288,810 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $39,070 | $49,740 | -21.1% | 1,159,710 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. Data as of OEWS May 2024 (BLS), retrieved June 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Which state has the highest wages?
District of Columbia has the highest all-occupation median wage at $88,000 (mean $109,420), ahead of Massachusetts ($62,270) and Washington ($61,590). The lowest is Mississippi at $39,070. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2024.
Do high-wage states mean higher living standards?
Not necessarily. States with the highest wages — Massachusetts, California, Washington, New York, the DC area — also have some of the highest costs of living, especially housing. To compare real spending power you have to weigh wages against local prices, not look at pay alone.
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Last updated: 2026-06-20