State wages ยท Cost of living
Economists pay by state
The highest published median is in District of Columbia, at $162,610. District of Columbia leads after cost of living, at $147,960. Missouri has the lowest RPP among states paying at least the national median ($115,440).
National median
$115,440
Highest state median
$162,610
District of Columbia
Best adjusted pay
$147,960
District of Columbia
States and territories
52
Blank wages are not estimated
Pay at national average prices
Lower: $55,450Higher: $147,960Puerto Rico: No cost of living index
All states
52 rows
| District of Columbia | $162,610 | +40.9% | 109.901 | $147,960 | 1 |
| Virginia | $148,010 | +28.2% | 101.104 | $146,390 | 2 |
| Georgia | $127,220 | +10.2% | 96.293 | $132,120 | 3 |
| New York | $142,300 | +23.3% | 107.921 | $131,860 | 4 |
| Maryland | $137,610 | +19.2% | 104.959 | $131,110 | 5 |
| Kansas | $115,100 | -0.3% | 90.068 | $127,790 | 6 |
| Missouri | $115,520 | +0.1% | 90.817 | $127,200 | 7 |
| Ohio | $117,750 | +2.0% | 92.774 | $126,920 | 8 |
| Tennessee | $110,320 | -4.4% | 91.87 | $120,080 | 9 |
| North Carolina | $111,770 | -3.2% | 94.326 | $118,490 | 10 |
| Alabama | $103,400 | -10.4% | 88.823 | $116,410 | 11 |
| Pennsylvania | $113,300 | -1.9% | 97.572 | $116,120 | 12 |
| Illinois | $112,790 | -2.3% | 99.958 | $112,840 | 13 |
| Texas | $106,200 | -8.0% | 97.057 | $109,420 | 14 |
| Minnesota | $107,470 | -6.9% | 98.621 | $108,970 | 15 |
| Washington | $116,390 | +0.8% | 107.013 | $108,760 | 16 |
| Colorado | $111,540 | -3.4% | 103.052 | $108,240 | 17 |
| Oregon | $111,660 | -3.3% | 103.361 | $108,030 | 18 |
| Alaska | $108,960 | -5.6% | 102.359 | $106,450 | 19 |
| Iowa | $92,750 | -19.7% | 87.762 | $105,680 | 20 |
| Indiana | $95,830 | -17.0% | 93.329 | $102,680 | 21 |
| Montana | $95,990 | -16.8% | 94.645 | $101,420 | 22 |
| Louisiana | $89,010 | -22.9% | 88.207 | $100,910 | 23 |
| Connecticut | $103,200 | -10.6% | 103.61 | $99,600 | 24 |
| Michigan | $94,850 | -17.8% | 96.217 | $98,580 | 25 |
| Massachusetts | $103,170 | -10.6% | 105.757 | $97,550 | 26 |
| Arizona | $96,390 | -16.5% | 100.677 | $95,740 | 27 |
| New Jersey | $102,350 | -11.3% | 108.805 | $94,070 | 28 |
| Oklahoma | $82,330 | -28.7% | 87.843 | $93,720 | 29 |
| California | $100,510 | -12.9% | 110.72 | $90,780 | 30 |
| New Mexico | $82,490 | -28.5% | 92.212 | $89,460 | 31 |
| Florida | $89,250 | -22.7% | 103.414 | $86,300 | 32 |
| Nevada | $84,540 | -26.8% | 99.979 | $84,560 | 33 |
| Maine | $80,670 | -30.1% | 97.05 | $83,120 | 34 |
| Idaho | $78,770 | -31.8% | 95.494 | $82,490 | 35 |
| Wisconsin | $76,940 | -33.4% | 94.095 | $81,770 | 36 |
| Hawaii | $81,740 | -29.2% | 109.951 | $74,340 | 37 |
| Nebraska | $66,690 | -42.2% | 90.103 | $74,020 | 38 |
| Kentucky | $65,470 | -43.3% | 90.159 | $72,620 | 39 |
| South Carolina | $51,980 | -55.0% | 93.749 | $55,450 | 40 |
| Arkansas | Not available | Not available | 86.937 | Not available | Not available |
| Delaware | Not available | Not available | 99.808 | Not available | Not available |
| Mississippi | Not available | Not available | 86.953 | Not available | Not available |
| New Hampshire | Not available | Not available | 104.165 | Not available | Not available |
| North Dakota | Not available | Not available | 88.959 | Not available | Not available |
| Rhode Island | Not available | Not available | 102.28 | Not available | Not available |
| South Dakota | Not available | Not available | 88.586 | Not available | Not available |
| Utah | Not available | Not available | 98.864 | Not available | Not available |
| Vermont | Not available | Not available | 97.958 | Not available | Not available |
| West Virginia | Not available | Not available | 89.497 | Not available | Not available |
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Ranks are supplied source ranks for published wage observations. Cost of living comparisons exclude Puerto Rico. Some nominal source ranks exceed 52; they are retained without correction.