Which states' median pay rose and fell most, 2024 to 2025
BLS All Occupations median annual pay for 54 states and territories priced in both the 2024 and 2025 OEWS state releases. This is what the statewide releases recorded, not a projection and not a custom average of occupational medians. For occupation-level national pay change, see observed job pay changes.
The benchmark
+2.7% over 1 year
That is the median change across all 54 comparable places. Half moved more, half moved less. Every figure on this page is nominal: it is not adjusted for inflation, so a rise smaller than the median is a state that lost ground against the typical place. The "vs median" column is the comparison that does not depend on a price index.
Bars grow left of the median axis when a state rose less (or fell) relative to the typical place; right when it rose more. Source: BLS OEWS statewide All Occupations medians.
Largest statewide pay increases
| State | 2024 median | 2025 median | Change | vs median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vermont | $52,410 | $56,390 | +7.6% | +4.8 pp |
| Oregon | $53,390 | $57,000 | +6.8% | +4.0 pp |
| Arkansas | $41,020 | $43,630 | +6.4% | +3.6 pp |
| New Hampshire | $52,610 | $55,880 | +6.2% | +3.5 pp |
| Puerto Rico | $27,030 | $28,680 | +6.1% | +3.4 pp |
| Minnesota | $53,810 | $56,920 | +5.8% | +3.0 pp |
| Hawaii | $53,260 | $56,320 | +5.7% | +3.0 pp |
| Rhode Island | $54,040 | $56,780 | +5.1% | +2.3 pp |
| Virginia | $53,020 | $55,690 | +5.0% | +2.3 pp |
| Guam | $35,000 | $36,650 | +4.7% | +2.0 pp |
| West Virginia | $43,320 | $45,300 | +4.6% | +1.8 pp |
| North Dakota | $50,320 | $52,480 | +4.3% | +1.5 pp |
| Alabama | $43,830 | $45,670 | +4.2% | +1.5 pp |
| Maine | $49,440 | $51,430 | +4.0% | +1.3 pp |
| District of Columbia | $88,000 | $91,540 | +4.0% | +1.3 pp |
| Louisiana | $43,770 | $45,520 | +4.0% | +1.3 pp |
| Illinois | $50,000 | $51,960 | +3.9% | +1.2 pp |
| South Carolina | $44,760 | $46,490 | +3.9% | +1.1 pp |
| Oklahoma | $43,950 | $45,600 | +3.8% | +1.0 pp |
| Idaho | $46,470 | $47,970 | +3.2% | +0.5 pp |
| South Dakota | $45,620 | $47,080 | +3.2% | +0.5 pp |
| Virgin Islands | $41,550 | $42,870 | +3.2% | +0.4 pp |
| Utah | $48,600 | $50,110 | +3.1% | +0.4 pp |
| Missouri | $46,390 | $47,800 | +3.0% | +0.3 pp |
| New Mexico | $45,870 | $47,210 | +2.9% | +0.2 pp |
Slowest statewide pay gains
Every comparable place rose in nominal terms over this window. These are the smallest gains - the ones that lost the most ground against the +2.7% median place.
| State | 2024 median | 2025 median | Change | vs median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa | $47,670 | $48,540 | +1.8% | -0.9 pp |
| New York | $58,560 | $59,670 | +1.9% | -0.9 pp |
| Indiana | $46,930 | $47,860 | +2.0% | -0.8 pp |
| Michigan | $48,300 | $49,270 | +2.0% | -0.7 pp |
| Nebraska | $47,990 | $48,980 | +2.1% | -0.7 pp |
| Massachusetts | $62,270 | $63,590 | +2.1% | -0.6 pp |
| North Carolina | $46,950 | $47,970 | +2.2% | -0.6 pp |
| Florida | $46,860 | $47,880 | +2.2% | -0.6 pp |
| Connecticut | $58,400 | $59,690 | +2.2% | -0.5 pp |
| Wyoming | $49,160 | $50,270 | +2.3% | -0.5 pp |
| Washington | $61,590 | $62,990 | +2.3% | -0.5 pp |
| Delaware | $51,030 | $52,190 | +2.3% | -0.5 pp |
| California | $56,940 | $58,240 | +2.3% | -0.5 pp |
| New Jersey | $57,230 | $58,570 | +2.3% | -0.4 pp |
| Pennsylvania | $48,550 | $49,690 | +2.3% | -0.4 pp |
| Texas | $47,500 | $48,620 | +2.4% | -0.4 pp |
| Georgia | $47,020 | $48,170 | +2.4% | -0.3 pp |
| Kansas | $46,850 | $48,010 | +2.5% | -0.3 pp |
| Maryland | $58,050 | $59,510 | +2.5% | -0.2 pp |
| Arizona | $48,810 | $50,060 | +2.6% | -0.2 pp |
| Kentucky | $45,740 | $46,920 | +2.6% | -0.2 pp |
| Nevada | $46,440 | $47,660 | +2.6% | -0.1 pp |
| Mississippi | $39,070 | $40,120 | +2.7% | -0.1 pp |
| Alaska | $59,400 | $61,000 | +2.7% | -0.1 pp |
| Colorado | $58,210 | $59,800 | +2.7% | -0.0 pp |
How this is calculated
- BLS All Occupations row only. Each figure is the published statewide 00-0000 median, not a mean of occupational medians we compute.
- Like-for-like places only. Only the 54 states and territories priced in both 2024 and 2025 are compared.
- Nominal, not inflation-adjusted. No price deflator is applied; the "vs median" column is the relative read.
- A statewide median is not a person. Changes reflect employment mix and sampling as well as raises.