Salary by State
Compare wages across all 50 states and Washington D.C. - Official BLS Data
States Covered
51
50 states + D.C.
Select a State
Highest Cost of Living States
Understanding cost of living helps put salary differences in context. A higher salary in an expensive state may not go as far as a lower salary in a cheaper state.
| # | State | COL Index | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii (HI) | 191.8 | High cost |
| 2 | District of Columbia (DC) | 154.1 | High cost |
| 3 | California (CA) | 149.9 | High cost |
| 4 | Massachusetts (MA) | 142.2 | High cost |
| 5 | New York (NY) | 139.1 | High cost |
| 6 | Connecticut (CT) | 127.7 | High cost |
| 7 | New Jersey (NJ) | 127.7 | High cost |
| 8 | Alaska (AK) | 127.1 | High cost |
| 9 | Maryland (MD) | 122.9 | High cost |
| 10 | Rhode Island (RI) | 120.8 | High cost |
| Source: MERIC 2024 State Cost of Living Index (Missouri = 100) | |||