WageDex guide
Best States for Salaries
A reproducible comparison of BLS All Occupations state median wages, with a separate BEA price-level adjustment.
Wage figures use BLS OEWS May 2025; price levels use BEA state Regional Price Parities for 2024. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics , OEWS May 2025 release
The short answer
District of Columbia has the highest BLS All Occupations state-level median at $91,540 a year, about 128% above Mississippi. After the BEA price-level adjustment, District of Columbia ranks first at $83,294 on a national-price-equivalent basis.
- $91,540
- District of Columbia, BLS median
- $83,294
- District of Columbia, price-adjusted
- 2024
- BEA RPP vintage
BLS publishes the unadjusted All Occupations median. WageDex computes only the separate RPP adjustment, which is not after-tax income or a personal cost-of-living estimate.
State Wage Rankings, Top 10 and Bottom 3
The chart and table rank the 50 states and District of Columbia by the BLS-published All Occupations annual median wage for May 2025. This is the official state-level median across the reported workforce, not a WageDex average of separate occupation medians.
Highest state-level median wages
BLS OEWS All Occupations annual median, May 2025
- District of Columbia
District of Columbia
$91,540 annual median
- Massachusetts
Massachusetts
$63,590 annual median
- Washington
Washington
$62,990 annual median
- Alaska
Alaska
$61,000 annual median
- Colorado
Colorado
$59,800 annual median
- Connecticut
Connecticut
$59,690 annual median
- New York
New York
$59,670 annual median
- Maryland
Maryland
$59,510 annual median
- New Jersey
New Jersey
$58,570 annual median
- California
California
$58,240 annual median
| Rank | State | Annual Median Wage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $91,540 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $63,590 |
| 3 | Washington | $62,990 |
| 4 | Alaska | $61,000 |
| 5 | Colorado | $59,800 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $59,690 |
| 7 | New York | $59,670 |
| 8 | Maryland | $59,510 |
| 9 | New Jersey | $58,570 |
| 10 | California | $58,240 |
| 49 | West Virginia | $45,300 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $43,630 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $40,120 |
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 BLS All Occupations annual median wage. Ranks 11-48 omitted for brevity; territories are excluded from this state-RPP comparison.
Compiled live from the WageDex database.
Explore wages for all states in the states directory.
How Does the State Price-Level Adjustment Work?
The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis publishes an all-items Regional Price Parity for each state and the District of Columbia. An RPP of 110 means that state's price level is 10% above the national level for that year. WageDex divides the BLS state median by RPP/100 and calls the result a national-price equivalent.
Highest state median wages after the RPP adjustment
WageDex national-price equivalent using BEA 2024 all-items state RPP
- District of Columbia
District of Columbia
$83,294 national-price equivalent
- Massachusetts
Massachusetts
$60,104 national-price equivalent
- Alaska
Alaska
$59,570 national-price equivalent
- North Dakota
North Dakota
$58,966 national-price equivalent
- Washington
Washington
$58,869 national-price equivalent
- Colorado
Colorado
$58,002 national-price equivalent
- Minnesota
Minnesota
$57,728 national-price equivalent
- Connecticut
Connecticut
$57,616 national-price equivalent
- Vermont
Vermont
$57,541 national-price equivalent
- Maryland
Maryland
$56,676 national-price equivalent
Swipe horizontally to see BEA RPP, adjusted values, and rank changes.
| Adjusted Rank | State | BLS Median | BEA RPP | National-Price Equivalent | Rank Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $91,540 | 109.9 | $83,294 | 0 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $63,590 | 105.8 | $60,104 | 0 |
| 3 | Alaska | $61,000 | 102.4 | $59,570 | +1 |
| 4 | North Dakota | $52,480 | 89.0 | $58,966 | +14 |
| 5 | Washington | $62,990 | 107.0 | $58,869 | -2 |
| 6 | Colorado | $59,800 | 103.1 | $58,002 | -1 |
| 7 | Minnesota | $56,920 | 98.6 | $57,728 | +5 |
| 8 | Connecticut | $59,690 | 103.6 | $57,616 | -2 |
| 9 | Vermont | $56,390 | 98.0 | $57,541 | +5 |
| 10 | Maryland | $59,510 | 105.0 | $56,676 | -2 |
Formula: BLS All Occupations annual median ÷ (displayed RPP/100). Positive rank change means a state rises after adjustment. WageDex uses the displayed one-decimal RPP in the calculation so every row is reproducible.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by State and Metro Area, 2024.
South Dakota shows the largest upward move in the current table, from nominal rank 43 to adjusted rank 23. Hawaii moves from nominal rank 15 to adjusted rank 38. These are arithmetic effects of the published all-items price index, not claims about taxes, housing choices, or individual disposable income.
Use the salary comparison tool to see wages for your occupation in multiple states simultaneously.
Method and Limitations
This guide joins two maintained federal datasets with different reference periods. The wage ranking uses BLS OEWS May 2025 All Occupations state medians. The price adjustment uses BEA 2024 state RPP. The sources are not presented as if they share one vintage.
- The unadjusted median is BLS-published. WageDex reads the 00-0000 All Occupations row; it does not reconstruct the state total from detailed occupations.
- The RPP adjustment is narrow. It standardizes the median to the national price level. It does not calculate taxes, benefits, household composition, a specific housing budget, or an individual's spending pattern.
- The universe is the 50 states plus DC. BEA's state RPP table does not cover Puerto Rico, Guam, or the U.S. Virgin Islands, so this guide excludes them rather than imputing a value.
- Occupation and metro still matter. A statewide all-occupations median cannot replace a comparison of the same occupation across the exact locations under consideration.
For a like-for-like comparison, open an occupation page and compare its state estimates or metro estimates. Treat taxes and household costs as separate inputs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which state-level area has the highest median wage?
In the BLS May 2025 All Occupations estimates, District of Columbia has the highest state-level annual median at $91,540. The figure summarizes all occupations in that area; it is not a prediction for an individual worker.
How does the price-level adjustment change the ranking?
Dividing the BLS All Occupations median by BEA's 2024 all-items state RPP leaves District of Columbia first at $83,294 on a national-price-equivalent basis. South Dakota rises 20 places, while Hawaii falls 23 places. Taxes and individual spending patterns are not included.
Does this ranking show where I personally will earn the most?
No. The statewide median summarizes the entire workforce and does not include your occupation, experience, employer, taxes, benefits, or exact metro. Use the occupation and geography pages for a like-for-like wage comparison, then evaluate taxes and household costs separately.
The unadjusted state median is the BLS OEWS All Occupations row for May 2025. The price-level comparison joins BEA's 2024 all-items state Regional Price Parities.
Sources
This content is for informational purposes only. Wage data reflects BLS OEWS estimates and may not represent individual employer rates, total compensation, or current market conditions. Consult current job postings and a career professional for personalized guidance.