Average Salary by State
Average annual wage and unemployment rate for every US state, ranked — from official BLS data.
Average annual wages from the BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (2025 Q4); unemployment from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics. Click a state for detail. Compare your own pay with the Salary Comparison Calculator.
| # | State | Avg annual wage | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $134,524 | 6.2% |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $102,960 | 4.7% |
| 3 | New York | $102,700 | 4.6% |
| 4 | California | $101,608 | 5.3% |
| 5 | Washington | $101,296 | 5.2% |
| 6 | Connecticut | $93,652 | 5% |
| 7 | New Jersey | $87,932 | 4.8% |
| 8 | Colorado | $87,516 | 3.9% |
| 9 | New Hampshire | $85,904 | 3.1% |
| 10 | Maryland | $84,032 | 4.4% |
| 11 | Illinois | $82,576 | 5.1% |
| 12 | Virginia | $82,420 | 3.8% |
| 13 | Texas | $80,548 | 4.3% |
| 14 | Minnesota | $78,260 | 4.5% |
| 15 | Delaware | $78,104 | 5.3% |
| 16 | Alaska | $77,844 | 4.7% |
| 17 | Florida | $76,492 | 4.8% |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $76,440 | 4.2% |
| 19 | Oregon | $76,336 | 5.2% |
| 20 | Arizona | $75,192 | 4.7% |
| 21 | Georgia | $74,880 | 3.5% |
| 22 | Rhode Island | $74,308 | 4.5% |
| 23 | Michigan | $74,204 | 5% |
| 24 | Tennessee | $74,048 | 3.6% |
| 25 | Hawaii | $73,372 | 2.5% |
| 26 | North Carolina | $73,268 | 3.7% |
| 27 | Nevada | $72,540 | 5.3% |
| 28 | Utah | $72,228 | 3.8% |
| 29 | Vermont | $71,656 | 2.6% |
| 30 | Ohio | $70,616 | 3.9% |
| 31 | North Dakota | $70,200 | 2.4% |
| 32 | Wisconsin | $69,992 | 3.5% |
| 33 | Maine | $69,264 | 3.1% |
| 34 | Missouri | $68,848 | 3.8% |
| 35 | Idaho | $67,756 | 3.6% |
| 36 | Alabama | $67,652 | 2.8% |
| 37 | Wyoming | $67,444 | 3.5% |
| 38 | Montana | $67,392 | 3.5% |
| 39 | Iowa | $66,664 | 3.3% |
| 40 | Indiana | $66,352 | 3.2% |
| 41 | South Carolina | $66,352 | 4.8% |
| 42 | Nebraska | $66,300 | 3% |
| 43 | New Mexico | $66,300 | 4.9% |
| 44 | Kansas | $65,936 | 3.9% |
| 45 | Louisiana | $65,884 | 4.4% |
| 46 | Kentucky | $64,220 | 4.3% |
| 47 | South Dakota | $63,960 | 2.2% |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $63,284 | 4% |
| 49 | Arkansas | $63,076 | 4.3% |
| 50 | West Virginia | $62,556 | 4.4% |
| 51 | Mississippi | $55,900 | 3.8% |
How it works
Average annual wage is the BLS QCEW average weekly wage for all covered industries, annualized (×52), for 2025 Q4. The unemployment rate is the seasonally adjusted state rate from BLS LAUS. Together they sketch each state's labor market — but read them alongside local cost of living.
Good to know
- QCEW covers ~95% of US jobs (UI-covered employment); it is an employer-reported average, so very high earners pull it up.
- High-wage states usually have high living costs — a $100K average in California buys less than in Mississippi.
- Average ≠ median. The average is higher than what a typical worker earns; see Average Salary by Job for occupation medians and ranges.
Related Calculators
Frequently Asked Questions
Which state has the highest average salary?
District of Columbia has the highest average annual wage at about $134,524, based on BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages data (2025 Q4).
Which state has the lowest average salary?
Mississippi has the lowest average annual wage among the states shown, at about $55,900. Lower wages often come with a lower cost of living.
How is the average wage calculated?
These are average annual wages across all covered industries, from the BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) — the average weekly wage annualized (×52). It covers about 95% of US jobs.
Does a higher salary mean a better deal?
Not necessarily — high-wage states (California, Massachusetts, New York, DC) also tend to have a high cost of living and rent. Compare the wage to local housing costs before judging.