It may appear that New York and California have the highest average salaries for your career — but once you factor in the cost of living, the picture quickly changes. Choose your occupation below to see which states really offer the best salaries.

Use the select boxes above or click on the bars below to select/deselect up to 5 states to compare.

It’s not just about where you live, it’s also about what you do. Your degree plays a huge role in how much you could earn.

Note: Average salary information is not available for every state for certain occupations. Where this is the case, we have omitted the state from the graph above.

Sources and Methodology

The data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics represents national, averaged earnings for the occupations listed and includes workers at all levels of education and experience. This data does not represent starting salaries. Employment conditions in your area may vary.