Find jobs and see what they pay in every state

Compare pay and unemployment in all 50 states with U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics figures (pay: May 2025; unemployment: September 2026), then search for jobs by keyword and state.

U.S. pay and employment

Median annual pay: $50,980; May 2025 · All occupations
Unemployment rate: 4.1%; October 2026 · Seasonally adjusted
Total employment: 155.5 million; May 2025 · Wage and salary jobs, all occupations

Jobs by state

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Median annual pay by state, all occupations, May 2025

$40k–$47k
$47k–$49k
$49k–$51k
$51k–$57k
$57k–$64k

All 50 states, A to Z

How states compare

Highest median pay

Median annual pay, all occupations, May 2025

Rank 1: Massachusetts $63,590 25% above the U.S. median
Rank 2: Washington $62,990 24% above the U.S. median
Rank 3: Alaska $61,000 20% above the U.S. median
Rank 4: Colorado $59,800 17% above the U.S. median
Rank 5: Connecticut $59,690 17% above the U.S. median
Rank 6: New York $59,670 17% above the U.S. median
Rank 7: Maryland $59,510 17% above the U.S. median
Rank 8: New Jersey $58,570 15% above the U.S. median
Rank 9: California $58,240 14% above the U.S. median
Rank 10: Oregon $57,000 12% above the U.S. median

U.S. median: $50,980 (May 2025)

Lowest unemployment rate

Unemployment rate, seasonally adjusted, September 2026, preliminary

Rank 1: South Dakota 2.0% 2.1 points below the U.S. rate
Rank 2: North Dakota 2.2% 1.9 points below the U.S. rate
Rank 3: New Hampshire 2.6% 1.5 points below the U.S. rate
Rank 3: Vermont 2.6% 1.5 points below the U.S. rate
Rank 5: Hawaii 2.8% 1.3 points below the U.S. rate
Rank 6: Nebraska 2.9% 1.2 points below the U.S. rate
Rank 7: Wyoming 3.0% 1.1 points below the U.S. rate
Rank 8: Montana 3.1% 1.0 point below the U.S. rate
Rank 9: Iowa 3.2% 0.9 points below the U.S. rate
Rank 9: Wisconsin 3.2% 0.9 points below the U.S. rate

U.S. rate: 4.1% (October 2026)

Jobs by field

Where shown, pay is the U.S. median annual wage of the field's main occupation (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Questions about pay and jobs in the U.S.

What is the median annual pay in the U.S.?

The median annual wage for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics). Half of workers earned more and half earned less.

Which states have the highest median pay?

Massachusetts had the highest median annual wage for all occupations, $63,590, in May 2025. Washington ($62,990) and Alaska ($61,000) were next. Mississippi had the lowest, $40,120, in May 2025.

What is the U.S. unemployment rate?

The national unemployment rate was 4.1% in October 2026, seasonally adjusted, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Current Population Survey.

Which state has the lowest unemployment rate?

South Dakota had the lowest unemployment rate, 2.0%, in September 2026 (preliminary), seasonally adjusted (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics). California and Connecticut had the highest, 5.1%, in September 2026 (preliminary).

Sources

Pay and employment: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates. Median pay is the wage at which half of workers earn more and half earn less.
Unemployment rates (seasonally adjusted): U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics for states and the Current Population Survey for the nation. State rates: September 2026 (preliminary); U.S. rate: October 2026.
Jobs In Each State is not affiliated with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Figures are updated when the bureau publishes new data.

About Jobs In Each State and our data sources