Salary tools · BLS OEWS May 2025

Salary Comparison Calculator

Pick an occupation and two states to see how median pay, and the full 10th-to-90th-percentile range, shifts by location. Every figure is official Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

830
Occupations
54
States & territories
528
Metro areas

Popular occupations

Home Health and Personal Care Aides Retail Salespersons Fast Food and Counter Workers General and Operations Managers Registered Nurses Cashiers Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand Stockers and Order Fillers

Tap any role to pre-load a California vs. Texas comparison, then switch states.

Highest-paying states overall

Employment-weighted average of every occupation's median wage, where a typical worker earns most

avg. wage

What this shows District of Columbia leads at $102,790, reflecting its concentration of high-wage federal, professional, and tech roles. Cost of living tracks these figures closely, so a higher headline wage does not always mean more spending power.

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS As of May 2025

How much does typical pay vary by state?

Employment-weighted average wage across all 54 states & territories

$60,540 Top 50% higher than 50% of 54 states & territories

$0–$5,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $5,000–$10,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $10,000–$15,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $15,000–$20,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$25,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$30,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $30,000–$35,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Below this entry. $35,000–$40,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Below this entry. $40,000–$45,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Below this entry. $45,000–$50,000: 3 states & territories (6%). Below this entry. $50,000–$55,000: 7 states & territories (13%). Below this entry. $55,000–$60,000: 13 states & territories (24%). Below this entry. $60,000–$65,000: 12 states & territories (22%). This entry sits in this band. $65,000–$70,000: 7 states & territories (13%). Above this entry. $70,000–$75,000: 6 states & territories (11%). Above this entry. $75,000–$80,000: 3 states & territories (6%). Above this entry. $80,000–$85,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Above this entry. $85,000–$90,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Above this entry. $90,000–$95,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Above this entry. $95,000–$100,000: 0 states & territories (0%). Above this entry. $100,000–$105,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Above this entry. Median state $0 $105,000 every state & territory, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $5K-wide band; taller bars hold more states & territories. 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 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Informational use only. This calculator uses Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 data. Actual salaries vary by employer, experience, location, benefits, equity, and individual negotiation. Cost-of-living comparisons (where applicable) use BEA Regional Price Parities (2023 release). Not financial, career, or relocation advice. Consult a qualified compensation analyst, financial advisor, or HR professional before making major decisions based on this data.

Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. Calculator inputs and comparisons are computed directly from BLS wage data. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.