Data / Rankings / Median annual wage, all occupations / US states

US states by median annual wage, all occupations

District of Columbia had the highest median annual wage, all occupations of 51 states in 2019, at $74,340. Mississippi had the lowest, at $31,210. The median was $38,410 and the figure for the United States was $39,810. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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Highest74,340District of Columbia
Lowest31,210Mississippi
Median38,41051 states
United States39,810History

Map of states, 2019

Alabama: 34,800 USDAlaska: 48,540 USDArizona: 38,410 USDArkansas: 32,940 USDCalifornia: 44,180 USDColorado: 44,250 USDConnecticut: 48,530 USDDelaware: 40,900 USDDistrict of Columbia: 74,340 USDFlorida: 35,850 USDGeorgia: 36,930 USDHawaii: 44,400 USDIdaho: 35,360 USDIllinois: 41,060 USDIndiana: 36,960 USDIowa: 38,280 USDKansas: 37,010 USDKentucky: 35,540 USDLouisiana: 34,650 USDMaine: 38,370 USDMaryland: 45,970 USDMassachusetts: 50,200 USDMichigan: 38,680 USDMinnesota: 44,110 USDMississippi: 31,210 USDMissouri: 37,180 USDMontana: 36,420 USDNebraska: 38,390 USDNevada: 36,410 USDNew Hampshire: 41,490 USDNew Jersey: 45,000 USDNew Mexico: 35,420 USDNew York: 46,680 USDNorth Carolina: 36,910 USDNorth Dakota: 42,510 USDOhio: 38,560 USDOklahoma: 35,730 USDOregon: 41,250 USDPennsylvania: 39,490 USDRhode Island: 44,170 USDSouth Carolina: 34,690 USDSouth Dakota: 34,750 USDTennessee: 35,910 USDTexas: 38,010 USDUtah: 37,910 USDVermont: 40,920 USDVirginia: 42,220 USDWashington: 48,140 USDWest Virginia: 33,920 USDWisconsin: 39,090 USDWyoming: 41,650 USD
  • Under 35K
  • 35K to 37K
  • 37K to 38K
  • 38K to 41K
  • 41K to 44K
  • 44K and over
USD, 2019. Source: BLS, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May estimates, state cross-industry file: annual median wage, all occupations (00-0000). Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All states, 2019

District of Columbia: 74,340 USDDistrict of Columbia74,340Massachusetts: 50,200 USDMassachusetts50,200Alaska: 48,540 USDAlaska48,540Connecticut: 48,530 USDConnecticut48,530Washington: 48,140 USDWashington48,140New York: 46,680 USDNew York46,680Maryland: 45,970 USDMaryland45,970New Jersey: 45,000 USDNew Jersey45,000Hawaii: 44,400 USDHawaii44,400Colorado: 44,250 USDColorado44,250California: 44,180 USDCalifornia44,180Rhode Island: 44,170 USDRhode Island44,170Minnesota: 44,110 USDMinnesota44,110North Dakota: 42,510 USDNorth Dakota42,510Virginia: 42,220 USDVirginia42,220Wyoming: 41,650 USDWyoming41,650New Hampshire: 41,490 USDNew Hampshire41,490Oregon: 41,250 USDOregon41,250Illinois: 41,060 USDIllinois41,060Vermont: 40,920 USDVermont40,920Delaware: 40,900 USDDelaware40,900Pennsylvania: 39,490 USDPennsylvania39,490Wisconsin: 39,090 USDWisconsin39,090Michigan: 38,680 USDMichigan38,680Ohio: 38,560 USDOhio38,560Arizona: 38,410 USDArizona38,410Nebraska: 38,390 USDNebraska38,390Maine: 38,370 USDMaine38,370Iowa: 38,280 USDIowa38,280Texas: 38,010 USDTexas38,010Utah: 37,910 USDUtah37,910Missouri: 37,180 USDMissouri37,180Kansas: 37,010 USDKansas37,010Indiana: 36,960 USDIndiana36,960Georgia: 36,930 USDGeorgia36,930North Carolina: 36,910 USDNorth Carolina36,910Montana: 36,420 USDMontana36,420Nevada: 36,410 USDNevada36,410Tennessee: 35,910 USDTennessee35,910Florida: 35,850 USDFlorida35,850Oklahoma: 35,730 USDOklahoma35,730Kentucky: 35,540 USDKentucky35,540New Mexico: 35,420 USDNew Mexico35,420Idaho: 35,360 USDIdaho35,360Alabama: 34,800 USDAlabama34,800South Dakota: 34,750 USDSouth Dakota34,750South Carolina: 34,690 USDSouth Carolina34,690Louisiana: 34,650 USDLouisiana34,650West Virginia: 33,920 USDWest Virginia33,920Arkansas: 32,940 USDArkansas32,940Mississippi: 31,210 USDMississippi31,210District of Columbia: 74,340 USDDistrict of Columbia74,340Massachusetts: 50,200 USDMassachusetts50,200Alaska: 48,540 USDAlaska48,540Connecticut: 48,530 USDConnecticut48,530Washington: 48,140 USDWashington48,140New York: 46,680 USDNew York46,680Maryland: 45,970 USDMaryland45,970New Jersey: 45,000 USDNew Jersey45,000Hawaii: 44,400 USDHawaii44,400Colorado: 44,250 USDColorado44,250California: 44,180 USDCalifornia44,180Rhode Island: 44,170 USDRhode Island44,170Minnesota: 44,110 USDMinnesota44,110North Dakota: 42,510 USDNorth Dakota42,510Virginia: 42,220 USDVirginia42,220Wyoming: 41,650 USDWyoming41,650New Hampshire: 41,490 USDNew Hampshire41,490Oregon: 41,250 USDOregon41,250Illinois: 41,060 USDIllinois41,060Vermont: 40,920 USDVermont40,920Delaware: 40,900 USDDelaware40,900Pennsylvania: 39,490 USDPennsylvania39,490Wisconsin: 39,090 USDWisconsin39,090Michigan: 38,680 USDMichigan38,680Ohio: 38,560 USDOhio38,560Arizona: 38,410 USDArizona38,410Nebraska: 38,390 USDNebraska38,390Maine: 38,370 USDMaine38,370Iowa: 38,280 USDIowa38,280Texas: 38,010 USDTexas38,010Utah: 37,910 USDUtah37,910Missouri: 37,180 USDMissouri37,180Kansas: 37,010 USDKansas37,010Indiana: 36,960 USDIndiana36,960Georgia: 36,930 USDGeorgia36,930North Carolina: 36,910 USDNorth Carolina36,910Montana: 36,420 USDMontana36,420Nevada: 36,410 USDNevada36,410Tennessee: 35,910 USDTennessee35,910Florida: 35,850 USDFlorida35,850Oklahoma: 35,730 USDOklahoma35,730Kentucky: 35,540 USDKentucky35,540New Mexico: 35,420 USDNew Mexico35,420Idaho: 35,360 USDIdaho35,360Alabama: 34,800 USDAlabama34,800South Dakota: 34,750 USDSouth Dakota34,750South Carolina: 34,690 USDSouth Carolina34,690Louisiana: 34,650 USDLouisiana34,650West Virginia: 33,920 USDWest Virginia33,920Arkansas: 32,940 USDArkansas32,940Mississippi: 31,210 USDMississippi31,210
USD. Source: BLS, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May estimates, state cross-industry file: annual median wage, all occupations (00-0000). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankStates2019
USD		Change on 2018
1District of Columbia74,340+3.7%
2Massachusetts50,200+3.1%
3Alaska48,540+1.1%
4Connecticut48,530+3.4%
5Washington48,140+4.4%
6New York46,680+3.8%
7Maryland45,970+2.9%
8New Jersey45,000+3.2%
9Hawaii44,400+4.5%
10Colorado44,250+4.6%
11California44,180+4.1%
12Rhode Island44,170+5.1%
13Minnesota44,110+3.5%
14North Dakota42,510+2.8%
15Virginia42,220+3.4%
16Wyoming41,650+3.5%
17New Hampshire41,490+4.1%
18Oregon41,250+4.2%
19Illinois41,060+2.8%
20Vermont40,920+3%
21Delaware40,900+2.5%
22Pennsylvania39,490+2.7%
23Wisconsin39,090+2.9%
24Michigan38,680+2.8%
25Ohio38,560+3.2%
26Arizona38,410+3.8%
27Nebraska38,390+3.4%
28Maine38,370+3.4%
29Iowa38,280+3.2%
30Texas38,010+2.5%
31Utah37,910+3%
32Missouri37,180+3.2%
33Kansas37,010+2.9%
34Indiana36,960+3.4%
35Georgia36,930+2.7%
36North Carolina36,910+3.2%
37Montana36,420+3.8%
38Nevada36,410+2.4%
39Tennessee35,910+2.9%
40Florida35,850+3.7%
41Oklahoma35,730+3.4%
42Kentucky35,540+2.6%
43New Mexico35,420+3.8%
44Idaho35,360+3.2%
45Alabama34,800+3.1%
46South Dakota34,750+3.9%
47South Carolina34,690+2.8%
48Louisiana34,650+3.8%
49West Virginia33,920+3.9%
50Arkansas32,940+3.4%
51Mississippi31,210+2.1%

Other periods

About this ranking

Median annual wage of wage and salary jobs in all occupations, in US dollars, from the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Half of jobs pay more and half pay less. Estimates refer to May of each year.

A wage per job, not household or personal income: for those use median_household_income or per_capita_personal_income. Covers employees of nonfarm establishments; the self-employed, farm workers and private household workers are excluded. Pay is straight-time gross pay: base rate, cost-of-living allowances, commissions, production bonuses and tips. Overtime, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses and employer-paid benefits are excluded. BLS converts hourly rates to annual pay at 2,080 hours a year.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the states are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May estimates, state cross-industry file: annual median wage, all occupations (00-0000). https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19st.zip. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2026). Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May estimates, state cross-industry file: annual median wage, all occupations (00-0000) (US states by median annual wage, all occupations, 2019) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19st.zip

MLA 9

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May estimates, state cross-industry file: annual median wage, all occupations (00-0000), US states by median annual wage, all occupations, 2019. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 15 May 2026, https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19st.zip. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/median-annual-wage/us-states?period=2019. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 2026. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May estimates, state cross-industry file: annual median wage, all occupations (00-0000). US states by median annual wage, all occupations, 2019. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19st.zip. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/median-annual-wage/us-states?period=2019.

Harvard

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2026) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May estimates, state cross-industry file: annual median wage, all occupations (00-0000), US states by median annual wage, all occupations, 2019 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19st.zip, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/median-annual-wage/us-states?period=2019 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_us_states_by_median_2019,
  author = {{U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics}},
  title = {{Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May estimates, state cross-industry file: annual median wage, all occupations (00-0000): US states by median annual wage, all occupations, 2019}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19st.zip},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/median-annual-wage/us-states?period=2019. Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May estimates, state cross-industry file: annual median wage, all occupations (00-0000). https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19st.zip. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
TI  - Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May estimates, state cross-industry file: annual median wage, all occupations (00-0000): US states by median annual wage, all occupations, 2019
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/05/15
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19st.zip
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/median-annual-wage/us-states?period=2019
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/median-annual-wage/us-states?period=2019.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May estimates, state cross-industry file: annual median wage, all occupations (00-0000). https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19st.zip. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which state has the highest median annual wage, all occupations?

District of Columbia, with $74,340 in 2019, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which state has the lowest median annual wage, all occupations?

Mississippi, with $31,210 in 2019.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May estimates, state cross-industry file: annual median wage, all occupations (00-0000). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

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