US States · Average annual pay

Average Salary by State (Average Annual Pay) (2025)

Data: BLS QCEW 2025 annual averages Updated: Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CSV

What does the average job pay in each state? The Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) counts nearly every job covered by unemployment insurance, more than 95% of all US jobs, and the wages employers report for them, which makes it the most complete source of pay data by state.

In 2025, jobs in District of Columbia paid the most on average at $128,901 a year, and jobs in Mississippi the least at $53,223. The national average was $78,720. Remember that these are averages: a small number of very high earners raises them above what a typical worker makes.

Key facts

Highest

  1. 1District of Columbia$128,901
  2. 2Massachusetts$100,085
  3. 3New York$99,941

Lowest

  1. 51Mississippi$53,223
  2. 50West Virginia$60,359
  3. 49South Dakota$60,575
United States
$78,720
Median of 51 states
$70,409
states ranked
51

Average annual pay by state

Shaded by quintile; darker = higher. Hover a state for its value and rank.

Alabama: $64,479 (rank 36 of 51)Alaska: $75,391 (rank 16 of 51)Arizona: $72,894 (rank 20 of 51)Colorado: $84,153 (rank 8 of 51)Florida: $72,772 (rank 21 of 51)Georgia: $73,032 (rank 19 of 51)Indiana: $65,067 (rank 35 of 51)Kansas: $63,212 (rank 40 of 51)Maine: $65,787 (rank 34 of 51)Massachusetts: $100,085 (rank 2 of 51)Minnesota: $76,940 (rank 14 of 51)New Jersey: $86,247 (rank 7 of 51)North Carolina: $71,533 (rank 22 of 51)North Dakota: $67,580 (rank 30 of 51)Oklahoma: $60,996 (rank 48 of 51)Pennsylvania: $74,308 (rank 17 of 51)South Dakota: $60,575 (rank 49 of 51)Texas: $77,964 (rank 13 of 51)Wyoming: $63,535 (rank 38 of 51)Connecticut: $90,982 (rank 6 of 51)Missouri: $66,459 (rank 32 of 51)West Virginia: $60,359 (rank 50 of 51)Illinois: $80,038 (rank 12 of 51)New Mexico: $63,124 (rank 41 of 51)Arkansas: $61,152 (rank 47 of 51)California: $96,963 (rank 5 of 51)Delaware: $75,665 (rank 15 of 51)Hawaii: $70,649 (rank 25 of 51)Iowa: $63,469 (rank 39 of 51)Kentucky: $62,521 (rank 45 of 51)Maryland: $81,539 (rank 9 of 51)Michigan: $70,809 (rank 24 of 51)Mississippi: $53,223 (rank 51 of 51)Montana: $62,882 (rank 44 of 51)New Hampshire: $80,892 (rank 10 of 51)New York: $99,941 (rank 3 of 51)Ohio: $68,298 (rank 29 of 51)Oregon: $73,706 (rank 18 of 51)Tennessee: $70,409 (rank 26 of 51)Utah: $69,316 (rank 28 of 51)Virginia: $80,093 (rank 11 of 51)Washington: $99,675 (rank 4 of 51)Wisconsin: $66,160 (rank 33 of 51)Nebraska: $63,063 (rank 43 of 51)South Carolina: $63,728 (rank 37 of 51)Idaho: $62,392 (rank 46 of 51)Nevada: $69,776 (rank 27 of 51)Vermont: $67,247 (rank 31 of 51)Louisiana: $63,090 (rank 42 of 51)Rhode Island: $71,123 (rank 23 of 51) District of Columbia: $128,901 (rank 1 of 51)
  • $53,223–$63,124
  • $63,212–$67,247
  • $67,580–$72,772
  • $72,894–$80,093
  • $80,892–$128,901
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, BLS QCEW 2025 annual averages. Map: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundaries (via us-atlas), Albers USA projection; Alaska and Hawaii repositioned.

Highest and lowest states

Average annual pay; dashed line marks the US figure.

Highest 10

  1. 1. District of Columbia $128,901
  2. 2. Massachusetts $100,085
  3. 3. New York $99,941
  4. 4. Washington $99,675
  5. 5. California $96,963
  6. 6. Connecticut $90,982
  7. 7. New Jersey $86,247
  8. 8. Colorado $84,153
  9. 9. Maryland $81,539
  10. 10. New Hampshire $80,892

Lowest 10

  1. 42. Louisiana $63,090
  2. 43. Nebraska $63,063
  3. 44. Montana $62,882
  4. 45. Kentucky $62,521
  5. 46. Idaho $62,392
  6. 47. Arkansas $61,152
  7. 48. Oklahoma $60,996
  8. 49. South Dakota $60,575
  9. 50. West Virginia $60,359
  10. 51. Mississippi $53,223

United States: $78,720

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, BLS QCEW 2025 annual averages.

Full ranking

Download CSV 51 rows
Select a column header to sort (press again to reverse).
1 District of Columbia $128,901 +4.8741,646 South
2 Massachusetts $100,085 +4.13,634,042 Northeast
3 New York $99,941 +5.19,791,529 Northeast
4 Washington $99,675 +4.93,601,662 West
5 California $96,963 +5.218,210,243 West
6 Connecticut $90,982 +4.01,691,734 Northeast
7 New Jersey $86,247 +3.54,282,851 Northeast
8 Colorado $84,153 +4.82,891,626 West
9 Maryland $81,539 +3.32,754,961 South
10 New Hampshire $80,892 +4.5689,026 Northeast
11 Virginia $80,093 +3.14,149,424 South
12 Illinois $80,038 +3.66,067,518 Midwest
13 Texas $77,964 +3.414,109,957 South
14 Minnesota $76,940 +3.72,944,260 Midwest
15 Delaware $75,665 +4.5481,552 South
16 Alaska $75,391 +4.9332,544 West
17 Pennsylvania $74,308 +3.66,053,191 Northeast
18 Oregon $73,706 +3.41,987,730 West
19 Georgia $73,032 +3.44,890,150 South
20 Arizona $72,894 +3.53,234,783 West
21 Florida $72,772 +4.89,914,411 South
22 North Carolina $71,533 +4.14,941,383 South
23 Rhode Island $71,123 +4.2499,321 Northeast
24 Michigan $70,809 +3.74,408,446 Midwest
25 Hawaii $70,649 +4.9644,391 West
26 Tennessee $70,409 +4.43,265,460 South
27 Nevada $69,776 +4.01,569,260 West
28 Utah $69,316 +3.61,741,066 West
29 Ohio $68,298 +3.65,534,587 Midwest
30 North Dakota $67,580 +2.9429,567 Midwest
31 Vermont $67,247 +4.3308,225 Northeast
32 Missouri $66,459 +3.92,898,452 Midwest
33 Wisconsin $66,160 +4.32,945,816 Midwest
34 Maine $65,787 +4.1651,181 Northeast
35 Indiana $65,067 +3.73,190,325 Midwest
36 Alabama $64,479 +3.92,118,878 South
37 South Carolina $63,728 +4.52,320,850 South
38 Wyoming $63,535 +3.1282,252 West
39 Iowa $63,469 +3.51,558,465 Midwest
40 Kansas $63,212 +4.01,432,626 Midwest
41 New Mexico $63,124 +3.6875,212 West
42 Louisiana $63,090 +2.91,928,041 South
43 Nebraska $63,063 +3.31,021,306 Midwest
44 Montana $62,882 +4.7512,424 West
45 Kentucky $62,521 +3.51,990,460 South
46 Idaho $62,392 +4.7874,283 West
47 Arkansas $61,152 +4.71,305,532 South
48 Oklahoma $60,996 +3.91,700,650 South
49 South Dakota $60,575 +3.9460,392 Midwest
50 West Virginia $60,359 +3.6695,422 South
51 Mississippi $53,223 +4.41,173,251 South

Methodology

BLS QCEW annual averages, total of all industries, all ownerships (private plus federal, state and local government), state level. Average annual pay is total annual wages divided by annual average employment. Wages include bonuses, stock options, severance pay, tips and other gratuities, and the cash value of meals and lodging where reported. Part-time and seasonal jobs count the same as full-time jobs, which lowers averages in states with many part-time jobs. Figures are by place of work (where the employer is located), not where the worker lives. Self-employed workers, most agricultural workers on small farms, members of the armed forces and some others are not covered.

Puerto Rico and other US territories are not included. Rankings use competition ranking: tied values share a rank.

Frequently asked questions

Which state has the highest average salary?

District of Columbia, where the average job paid $128,901 in 2025.

Which state has the lowest average pay?

Mississippi, at $53,223 per job in 2025.

Is average pay the same as median pay?

No. The average is pulled up by very high earners, so it is usually higher than the median. QCEW publishes averages only; for typical household income see our median household income ranking.

Does this account for cost of living?

No, these are nominal dollars. Compare with our cost of living index and real per capita income ranking to see how far pay stretches in each state.

Sources

Data retrieved October 29, 2026. Values are shown as published, rounded for display; derived percentages are computed by us from published counts as described above. Download the CSV. Spotted an error? Tell us.

Cite this page: SortedLists, “Average Salary by State (Average Annual Pay)”, https://sortedlists.com/states-by-average-salary/ (accessed October 29, 2026). Data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), 2025 annual averages, all industries, all ownerships.