Massachusetts pays the most ($65,470 median), but Massachusetts workers have the most purchasing power after cost of living.
$50,502
National Median Salary
$59,035
Best Adjusted Salary
Massachusetts
$45,401
Worst Adjusted Salary
Vermont
A $65,470 median salary in Massachusetts sounds impressive, but after adjusting for cost of living (RPP 110.9), its purchasing power is only $59,035. Meanwhile, Massachusetts's $65,470 median salary buys $59,035 worth of goods and services. The "low salary" state wins by $0 in real purchasing power.
| Rank | State | Avg Salary | Median Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | $74,760 | $65,470 |
| 2 | California | $72,680 | $63,340 |
| 3 | Washington | $71,620 | $62,870 |
| 4 | New York | $72,200 | $61,940 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $69,210 | $60,470 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $68,140 | $59,230 |
| 7 | Colorado | $67,350 | $58,120 |
| 8 | Maryland | $66,330 | $57,640 |
| 9 | Virginia | $64,340 | $56,280 |
| 10 | Alaska | $62,260 | $55,580 |
| 11 | Minnesota | $63,190 | $55,040 |
| 12 | Illinois | $63,520 | $54,470 |
| 13 | Oregon | $62,390 | $54,120 |
| 14 | Hawaii | $61,440 | $53,610 |
| 15 | New Hampshire | $60,850 | $53,280 |
| 16 | Delaware | $59,740 | $52,180 |
| 17 | Rhode Island | $59,640 | $52,070 |
| 18 | Arizona | $59,580 | $51,340 |
| 19 | Pennsylvania | $59,170 | $51,220 |
| 20 | Texas | $59,380 | $51,040 |
| 21 | Georgia | $58,280 | $50,250 |
| 22 | Utah | $57,490 | $49,830 |
| 23 | North Dakota | $56,130 | $49,720 |
| 24 | North Carolina | $57,580 | $49,670 |
| 25 | Florida | $57,360 | $49,170 |
| 26 | Michigan | $56,670 | $48,730 |
| 27 | Wisconsin | $55,790 | $48,520 |
| 28 | Wyoming | $55,000 | $48,210 |
| 29 | Vermont | $55,240 | $48,170 |
| 30 | Ohio | $55,490 | $47,860 |
| 31 | Nevada | $55,340 | $47,710 |
| 32 | Maine | $54,870 | $47,630 |
| 33 | Nebraska | $54,010 | $47,360 |
| 34 | Tennessee | $54,810 | $47,260 |
| 35 | Missouri | $54,720 | $47,140 |
| 36 | Kansas | $53,900 | $46,940 |
| 37 | Indiana | $54,080 | $46,750 |
| 38 | Idaho | $52,840 | $46,130 |
| 39 | Iowa | $52,710 | $46,060 |
| 40 | Montana | $52,160 | $45,890 |
| 41 | Alabama | $52,470 | $45,780 |
| 42 | South Carolina | $52,880 | $45,600 |
| 43 | New Mexico | $52,640 | $45,310 |
| 44 | Kentucky | $51,430 | $44,720 |
| 45 | Oklahoma | $51,630 | $44,340 |
| 46 | South Dakota | $49,720 | $43,780 |
| 47 | Louisiana | $51,120 | $43,280 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $49,870 | $43,260 |
| 49 | West Virginia | $47,900 | $41,200 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $45,710 | $39,520 |
Adjusted salary = Median Salary / (RPP / 100). RPP = Regional Price Parity where 100 = national average. Sources: BLS OEWS 2024, BEA RPP 2023.
The top 5 states by nominal median salary (Massachusetts, California, Washington, New York, Connecticut) include some of the most expensive states. When adjusted for cost of living, the top 5 shifts to Massachusetts, Washington, California, Connecticut, Colorado -- states where moderate salaries stretch much further.
In every state, the average salary exceeds the median, meaning high earners pull the average up. The national average is $58,153 but the median is $50,502 -- a $7,651 gap. States with large financial and tech sectors (New York, California, Washington) have the widest gaps.
Remote workers earning a Massachusetts-level salary while living in a low-cost state like Massachusetts get the best of both worlds. A $65,000 remote salary in Massachusetts (RPP 110.9) has the equivalent purchasing power of $58,611 nationally.
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The national average salary is approximately $58,153 and the median salary is approximately $50,502. The median is more representative of a typical worker since a few very high earners inflate the average.
Massachusetts has the highest median salary at $65,470, driven by the tech industry and financial sector. However, its high cost of living (RPP 110.9) reduces the real purchasing power to $59,035.
It depends entirely on where you live. A $50,000 salary in Mississippi (RPP 86.1) has the same purchasing power as approximately $66,000 in Massachusetts (RPP 110.9). Use the cost-adjusted salary column above to see what income level provides comfortable purchasing power in your state.
The average (mean) is pulled up by high earners -- CEOs, doctors, tech executives. The median represents the middle earner: exactly half of workers earn more, half earn less. The median is a better measure of what a"typical" worker earns.
Sometimes. A $55,000 salary in a state with RPP 88 buys as much as $62,500 in an average-cost state. Factor in state income taxes, housing costs, and lifestyle preferences. Use our salary comparison tool for a full analysis.