Data / Rankings / Wage and salary jobs (OEWS) / US states

US states by wage and salary jobs (OEWS)

California had the highest wage and salary jobs (OEWS) of 51 states in 2018, at 17,007,690 jobs. Wyoming had the lowest, at 269,320 jobs. The median was 1,889,870 jobs and the figure for the United States was 144,733,270 jobs. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest17,007,690California
Lowest269,320Wyoming
Median1,889,87051 states
United States144,733,270History

Map of states, 2018

Alabama: 1,943,760 jobsAlaska: 315,250 jobsArizona: 2,789,520 jobsArkansas: 1,210,120 jobsCalifornia: 17,007,690 jobsColorado: 2,620,640 jobsConnecticut: 1,660,200 jobsDelaware: 448,510 jobsDistrict of Columbia: 712,370 jobsFlorida: 8,608,660 jobsGeorgia: 4,394,740 jobsHawaii: 641,790 jobsIdaho: 706,140 jobsIllinois: 5,991,270 jobsIndiana: 3,048,100 jobsIowa: 1,541,700 jobsKansas: 1,375,380 jobsKentucky: 1,889,870 jobsLouisiana: 1,913,770 jobsMaine: 605,550 jobsMaryland: 2,684,010 jobsMassachusetts: 3,571,360 jobsMichigan: 4,317,830 jobsMinnesota: 2,867,700 jobsMississippi: 1,123,830 jobsMissouri: 2,804,780 jobsMontana: 463,280 jobsNebraska: 978,290 jobsNevada: 1,347,130 jobsNew Hampshire: 652,920 jobsNew Jersey: 4,050,170 jobsNew Mexico: 811,680 jobsNew York: 9,385,620 jobsNorth Carolina: 4,383,210 jobsNorth Dakota: 416,550 jobsOhio: 5,416,810 jobsOklahoma: 1,594,370 jobsOregon: 1,886,090 jobsPennsylvania: 5,847,690 jobsRhode Island: 482,030 jobsSouth Carolina: 2,062,280 jobsSouth Dakota: 422,310 jobsTennessee: 2,956,920 jobsTexas: 12,113,810 jobsUtah: 1,455,910 jobsVermont: 305,210 jobsVirginia: 3,832,840 jobsWashington: 3,259,150 jobsWest Virginia: 696,620 jobsWisconsin: 2,848,560 jobsWyoming: 269,320 jobs
  • Under 600K
  • 600K to 1.2M
  • 1.2M to 1.9M
  • 1.9M to 2.9M
  • 2.9M to 4.4M
  • 4.4M and over
jobs, 2018. Source: BLS, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May estimates, state cross-industry file: employment, all occupations (00-0000). Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All states, 2018

California: 17,007,690 jobsCalifornia17,007,690Texas: 12,113,810 jobsTexas12,113,810New York: 9,385,620 jobsNew York9,385,620Florida: 8,608,660 jobsFlorida8,608,660Illinois: 5,991,270 jobsIllinois5,991,270Pennsylvania: 5,847,690 jobsPennsylvania5,847,690Ohio: 5,416,810 jobsOhio5,416,810Georgia: 4,394,740 jobsGeorgia4,394,740North Carolina: 4,383,210 jobsNorth Carolina4,383,210Michigan: 4,317,830 jobsMichigan4,317,830New Jersey: 4,050,170 jobsNew Jersey4,050,170Virginia: 3,832,840 jobsVirginia3,832,840Massachusetts: 3,571,360 jobsMassachusetts3,571,360Washington: 3,259,150 jobsWashington3,259,150Indiana: 3,048,100 jobsIndiana3,048,100Tennessee: 2,956,920 jobsTennessee2,956,920Minnesota: 2,867,700 jobsMinnesota2,867,700Wisconsin: 2,848,560 jobsWisconsin2,848,560Missouri: 2,804,780 jobsMissouri2,804,780Arizona: 2,789,520 jobsArizona2,789,520Maryland: 2,684,010 jobsMaryland2,684,010Colorado: 2,620,640 jobsColorado2,620,640South Carolina: 2,062,280 jobsSouth Carolina2,062,280Alabama: 1,943,760 jobsAlabama1,943,760Louisiana: 1,913,770 jobsLouisiana1,913,770Kentucky: 1,889,870 jobsKentucky1,889,870Oregon: 1,886,090 jobsOregon1,886,090Connecticut: 1,660,200 jobsConnecticut1,660,200Oklahoma: 1,594,370 jobsOklahoma1,594,370Iowa: 1,541,700 jobsIowa1,541,700Utah: 1,455,910 jobsUtah1,455,910Kansas: 1,375,380 jobsKansas1,375,380Nevada: 1,347,130 jobsNevada1,347,130Arkansas: 1,210,120 jobsArkansas1,210,120Mississippi: 1,123,830 jobsMississippi1,123,830Nebraska: 978,290 jobsNebraska978,290New Mexico: 811,680 jobsNew Mexico811,680District of Columbia: 712,370 jobsDistrict of Columbia712,370Idaho: 706,140 jobsIdaho706,140West Virginia: 696,620 jobsWest Virginia696,620New Hampshire: 652,920 jobsNew Hampshire652,920Hawaii: 641,790 jobsHawaii641,790Maine: 605,550 jobsMaine605,550Rhode Island: 482,030 jobsRhode Island482,030Montana: 463,280 jobsMontana463,280Delaware: 448,510 jobsDelaware448,510South Dakota: 422,310 jobsSouth Dakota422,310North Dakota: 416,550 jobsNorth Dakota416,550Alaska: 315,250 jobsAlaska315,250Vermont: 305,210 jobsVermont305,210Wyoming: 269,320 jobsWyoming269,320California: 17,007,690 jobsCalifornia17,007,690Texas: 12,113,810 jobsTexas12,113,810New York: 9,385,620 jobsNew York9,385,620Florida: 8,608,660 jobsFlorida8,608,660Illinois: 5,991,270 jobsIllinois5,991,270Pennsylvania: 5,847,690 jobsPennsylvania5,847,690Ohio: 5,416,810 jobsOhio5,416,810Georgia: 4,394,740 jobsGeorgia4,394,740North Carolina: 4,383,210 jobsNorth Carolina4,383,210Michigan: 4,317,830 jobsMichigan4,317,830New Jersey: 4,050,170 jobsNew Jersey4,050,170Virginia: 3,832,840 jobsVirginia3,832,840Massachusetts: 3,571,360 jobsMassachusetts3,571,360Washington: 3,259,150 jobsWashington3,259,150Indiana: 3,048,100 jobsIndiana3,048,100Tennessee: 2,956,920 jobsTennessee2,956,920Minnesota: 2,867,700 jobsMinnesota2,867,700Wisconsin: 2,848,560 jobsWisconsin2,848,560Missouri: 2,804,780 jobsMissouri2,804,780Arizona: 2,789,520 jobsArizona2,789,520Maryland: 2,684,010 jobsMaryland2,684,010Colorado: 2,620,640 jobsColorado2,620,640South Carolina: 2,062,280 jobsSouth Carolina2,062,280Alabama: 1,943,760 jobsAlabama1,943,760Louisiana: 1,913,770 jobsLouisiana1,913,770Kentucky: 1,889,870 jobsKentucky1,889,870Oregon: 1,886,090 jobsOregon1,886,090Connecticut: 1,660,200 jobsConnecticut1,660,200Oklahoma: 1,594,370 jobsOklahoma1,594,370Iowa: 1,541,700 jobsIowa1,541,700Utah: 1,455,910 jobsUtah1,455,910Kansas: 1,375,380 jobsKansas1,375,380Nevada: 1,347,130 jobsNevada1,347,130Arkansas: 1,210,120 jobsArkansas1,210,120Mississippi: 1,123,830 jobsMississippi1,123,830Nebraska: 978,290 jobsNebraska978,290New Mexico: 811,680 jobsNew Mexico811,680District of Columbia: 712,370 jobsDistrict of Columbia712,370Idaho: 706,140 jobsIdaho706,140West Virginia: 696,620 jobsWest Virginia696,620New Hampshire: 652,920 jobsNew Hampshire652,920Hawaii: 641,790 jobsHawaii641,790Maine: 605,550 jobsMaine605,550Rhode Island: 482,030 jobsRhode Island482,030Montana: 463,280 jobsMontana463,280Delaware: 448,510 jobsDelaware448,510South Dakota: 422,310 jobsSouth Dakota422,310North Dakota: 416,550 jobsNorth Dakota416,550Alaska: 315,250 jobsAlaska315,250Vermont: 305,210 jobsVermont305,210Wyoming: 269,320 jobsWyoming269,320
jobs. Source: BLS, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May estimates, state cross-industry file: employment, all occupations (00-0000). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankStates2018
jobs		Change on 2017
1California17,007,690+1.9%
2Texas12,113,810+1.9%
3New York9,385,620+1.9%
4Florida8,608,660+2.3%
5Illinois5,991,270+1.1%
6Pennsylvania5,847,690+1.1%
7Ohio5,416,810+0.9%
8Georgia4,394,740+2.1%
9North Carolina4,383,210+2%
10Michigan4,317,830+1%
11New Jersey4,050,170+1.1%
12Virginia3,832,840+1.1%
13Massachusetts3,571,360+1.2%
14Washington3,259,150+2.3%
15Indiana3,048,100+1%
16Tennessee2,956,920+1.4%
17Minnesota2,867,700+1%
18Wisconsin2,848,560+0.8%
19Missouri2,804,780+0.6%
20Arizona2,789,520+3.2%
21Maryland2,684,010+0.7%
22Colorado2,620,640+2.6%
23South Carolina2,062,280+2.6%
24Alabama1,943,760+1.1%
25Louisiana1,913,770+0.6%
26Kentucky1,889,870+0.7%
27Oregon1,886,090+3%
28Connecticut1,660,200+0.3%
29Oklahoma1,594,370+1.4%
30Iowa1,541,700+0.4%
31Utah1,455,910+3.2%
32Kansas1,375,380+0.5%
33Nevada1,347,130+2.8%
34Arkansas1,210,120+0.8%
35Mississippi1,123,830+0.4%
36Nebraska978,290+0.8%
37New Mexico811,680+1.3%
38District of Columbia712,370+0.6%
39Idaho706,140+3%
40West Virginia696,620+1.2%
41New Hampshire652,920+0.5%
42Hawaii641,790+1.4%
43Maine605,550+1.1%
44Rhode Island482,030+1.3%
45Montana463,280+0.6%
46Delaware448,510+1.3%
47South Dakota422,310+0.7%
48North Dakota416,550-0%
49Alaska315,250-0.9%
50Vermont305,2100%
51Wyoming269,320+0.5%

Other periods

About this ranking

Number of wage and salary jobs in nonfarm establishments, all occupations, in May of each year, from the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Full-time and part-time jobs count the same.

Counts jobs, not people: someone with two jobs counts twice. Excludes the self-employed, owners and partners of unincorporated firms, farm workers, private household workers and unpaid family workers. It is the base of the OEWS wage estimates, not a monthly payroll count.

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: employment, all occupations (00-0000). https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18st.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: employment, all occupations (00-0000) (US states by wage and salary jobs (OEWS), 2018) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18st.zip

MLA 9

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May estimates, state cross-industry file: employment, all occupations (00-0000), US states by wage and salary jobs (OEWS), 2018. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 15 May 2026, https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18st.zip. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wage-and-salary-jobs/us-states?period=2018. 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: employment, all occupations (00-0000). US states by wage and salary jobs (OEWS), 2018. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18st.zip. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wage-and-salary-jobs/us-states?period=2018.

Harvard

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2026) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May estimates, state cross-industry file: employment, all occupations (00-0000), US states by wage and salary jobs (OEWS), 2018 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18st.zip, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/wage-and-salary-jobs/us-states?period=2018 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_us_states_by_wage_2018,
  author = {{U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics}},
  title = {{Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May estimates, state cross-industry file: employment, all occupations (00-0000): US states by wage and salary jobs (OEWS), 2018}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18st.zip},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wage-and-salary-jobs/us-states?period=2018. Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May estimates, state cross-industry file: employment, all occupations (00-0000). https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18st.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: employment, all occupations (00-0000): US states by wage and salary jobs (OEWS), 2018
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/05/15
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18st.zip
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/wage-and-salary-jobs/us-states?period=2018
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wage-and-salary-jobs/us-states?period=2018.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May estimates, state cross-industry file: employment, all occupations (00-0000). https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18st.zip. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
Embed this chart

Paste this code into a web page or a blog post. The chart shows the latest figures as they are published, with the source and a link back to this page.

Sites that read oEmbed links, such as WordPress, can show the chart when you paste the link to this page.

Use this data in your AI agent

Invokely serves this figure to AI assistants through MCP and to code through a REST API, with the source and citation attached. Ask your assistant:

Rank US states by wage and salary jobs (OEWS) using official data, and cite the source.
rank_places {"indicator":"oews_employment","level":"region","within":"United States","limit":10}
GET https://invokely.ai/api/v1/rank?indicator=oews_employment&level=region&within=United%20States&limit=10

Connect Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor in one step. The trial answers 25 calls a day without an account.

Questions

Which state has the highest wage and salary jobs (OEWS)?

California, with 17,007,690 jobs in 2018, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which state has the lowest wage and salary jobs (OEWS)?

Wyoming, with 269,320 jobs in 2018.

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: employment, all occupations (00-0000). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

US states: more rankings