The Data
Average Salary by State — All 50 States (2024 BLS Data)
Sorted alphabetically. Tax grade from Plootus's retirement tax analysis. Min. savings = (annual cost − avg SS $24,894) ÷ 4% for retirement purposes.
| State | Avg. Annual Salary | Median Salary | Retire. Tax Grade | Min. Retire. Savings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $55,420 | $46,580 | B- | $680K |
| Alaska | $65,280 | $54,340 | B | $890K |
| Arizona | $62,840 | $51,200 | B+ | $880K |
| Arkansas | $51,030 | $42,060 | B- | $534K |
| California | $82,760 | $67,900 | C | $1.49M |
| Colorado | $76,540 | $62,840 | B | $1.15M |
| Connecticut | $80,610 | $65,730 | C | $1.14M |
| Delaware | $63,280 | $52,600 | B | $870K |
| Florida | $58,960 | $49,260 | A+ | $1.01M |
| Georgia | $62,400 | $51,740 | B- | $825K |
| Hawaii | $65,700 | $54,280 | C | $2.61M |
| Idaho | $56,820 | $47,340 | B+ | $750K |
| Illinois | $67,520 | $55,800 | B- | $940K |
| Indiana | $58,460 | $48,620 | B+ | $740K |
| Iowa | $58,100 | $48,740 | B+ | $730K |
| Kansas | $59,380 | $49,980 | B+ | $590K |
| Kentucky | $54,380 | $45,440 | B- | $583K |
| Louisiana | $55,840 | $47,220 | B- | $600K |
| Maine | $57,460 | $48,120 | B | $780K |
| Maryland | $79,920 | $65,340 | B | $1.06M |
| Massachusetts | $88,820 | $71,460 | B | $1.61M |
| Michigan | $62,560 | $52,380 | B | $830K |
| Minnesota | $71,460 | $58,340 | B | $960K |
| Mississippi | $53,940 | $44,820 | B- | $557K |
| Missouri | $60,080 | $50,460 | B+ | $613K |
| Montana | $54,060 | $45,380 | C | $850K |
| Nebraska | $59,640 | $50,220 | B+ | $800K |
| Nevada | $60,340 | $50,100 | A+ | $770K |
| New Hampshire | $71,260 | $58,420 | A | $880K |
| New Jersey | $80,660 | $65,580 | C | $1.23M |
| New Mexico | $56,220 | $46,560 | C | $820K |
| New York | $84,180 | $68,240 | C | $1.43M |
| North Carolina | $61,820 | $51,420 | B | $810K |
| North Dakota | $63,720 | $53,080 | A+ | $780K |
| Ohio | $61,380 | $51,620 | B | $800K |
| Oklahoma | $55,260 | $46,120 | B+ | $573K |
| Oregon | $69,180 | $56,980 | B- | $1.11M |
| Pennsylvania | $65,880 | $54,540 | B | $890K |
| Rhode Island | $65,660 | $53,920 | C | $930K |
| South Carolina | $57,060 | $47,880 | B | $770K |
| South Dakota | $55,820 | $47,080 | A+ | $680K |
| Tennessee | $59,200 | $49,760 | A | $613K |
| Texas | $63,760 | $52,980 | A+ | $820K |
| Utah | $62,580 | $52,820 | B- | $870K |
| Vermont | $59,620 | $50,240 | C | $880K |
| Virginia | $74,860 | $60,480 | B | $960K |
| Washington | $80,400 | $64,800 | B+ | $1.09M |
| West Virginia | $50,540 | $42,180 | B+ | $558K |
| Wisconsin | $61,900 | $51,980 | B+ | $830K |
| Wyoming | $62,980 | $52,460 | A+ | $990K |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024. Tax grades from Plootus Research 2026 based on income tax, SS tax, property tax. Min. savings: (annual retirement cost − avg SS $24,894) ÷ 0.04 (4% rule).
Retirement Connection
How Your State Salary Affects Your Retirement Number
Your state salary affects retirement in two ways: what you can save (higher salary = higher possible contributions) and what your Social Security benefit will be (calculated from your 35 highest-earning years).
📌 Fidelity Rule: Save 10× your final salary by retirement (age 67). On Massachusetts's $88,820 average salary, that target is $888,200. On West Virginia's $50,540, the target is $505,400 — over $380,000 less to accumulate.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024 (bls.gov/oes)
- Social Security Administration, National Average Wage Index (AWI) 2024 (ssa.gov)
- Fidelity Investments, Retirement Savings Benchmarks 2026
- Plootus Research 2026 (retirement tax grades; cost of living adjustments)
