The states with the highest median pay
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Looking for a fat paycheck? Consider jobs in Washington, D.C., Massachusetts or Alaska.
Driving the news: That trio is home to the country's highest median annual pay as of December 2024, per payroll firm ADP.
By the numbers: Residents of the nation's capital are taking home a median $100,800 annually (it's good to be a lobbyist!).
- It's $75,700 in Massachusetts and an even $70,000 up in Alaska.
The other side: New Mexico is home to the country's lowest average median pay ($40,300), followed by Mississippi ($46,000) and Arkansas ($49,800).
How it works: ADP's monthly "Pay Insights" data is based on gross wage and salary data for about 17 million U.S. jobs.
- It's based on the location of the job, not necessarily the worker (relevant in cases of remote work done across state lines).
Reality check: Sure, getting a big beefy check every payday is nice. But the highest-paid areas also tend to have higher costs of living, and vice versa.
