What is the best state to be a art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary?

By the Gera US Real Pay Index, Delaware is the best state for a art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary: a BLS median of $103,320 is worth $98,030 after the 2025 state income tax ($5,478) and the 2024 BEA cost-of-living adjustment (RPP 99.8), an index of 130.0 where the average state is 100.

Does the highest-paying state also leave you best off?

Not necessarily. Delaware has the highest headline BLS median for a art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary at $103,320, but after state tax and cost of living it ranks #1 of 49 on real pay (index 130.0). That gap is exactly what the Gera US Real Pay Index reveals.

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Best States to Be a Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary

After 2025 state income tax and 2024 cost of living, a art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary salary goes furthest in Delaware — a $103,320 BLS median worth $98,030 in real terms (Gera US Real Pay Index 130.0).

Which US states are best for a art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary after cost of living and tax?

For a art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary, the Gera US Real Pay Index ranks Delaware #1: a $103,320 BLS median becomes $98,030 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms (index 130.0). Nevada ranks last ($52,881, index 70.1). Real BLS OEWS May 2025 across 49 states; re-dated annually.

Source:U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)·As of May 2025 state estimates · updated annually · last refreshed 19 June 2026

Gera US Real Pay Index

Delaware ranks #1 of 49 states for a art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary. Index 100 = the average state; 130.0 means pay goes 30.0% further after tax and cost of living.

How this is calculated

130.0

Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary — real pay by state (best first)

#	State	BLS median	State tax	Cost (RPP)	Real pay	Index
1	Delaware	$103,320	$5,478	99.8	$98,030	130.0
2	Vermont	$97,980	$4,085	98.0	$95,852	127.1
3	Rhode Island	$97,580	$3,076	102.3	$92,397	122.5
4	New York	$98,850	$4,883	107.9	$87,070	115.5
5	Louisiana	$78,710	$1,986	88.2	$86,981	115.4
6	Iowa	$77,740	$2,914	87.8	$85,260	113.1
7	California	$99,410	$5,123	110.7	$85,158	112.9
8	District of Columbia	$96,900	$5,362	109.9	$83,292	110.5
9	Michigan	$82,990	$3,281	96.2	$82,843	109.9
10	Ohio	$78,050	$1,364	92.8	$82,659	109.6
11	Missouri	$75,960	$2,689	90.8	$80,680	107.0
12	Nebraska	$75,200	$2,814	90.1	$80,337	106.5
13	New Mexico	$76,240	$2,469	92.2	$80,001	106.1
14	Texas	$77,560	—	97.1	$79,912	106.0
15	Wisconsin	$77,560	$2,958	94.1	$79,283	105.2
16	Montana	$78,420	$3,489	94.6	$79,171	105.0
17	Georgia	$79,870	$3,658	96.3	$79,146	105.0
18	Indiana	$76,050	$2,252	93.3	$79,073	104.9
19	West Virginia	$73,280	$2,597	89.5	$78,978	104.7
20	Tennessee	$72,030	—	91.9	$78,404	104.0
21	Maine	$79,860	$3,776	97.0	$78,397	104.0
22	Maryland	$85,590	$3,733	105.0	$77,990	103.4
23	Massachusetts	$85,820	$4,071	105.8	$77,299	102.5
24	Pennsylvania	$77,280	$2,372	97.6	$76,772	101.8
25	New Hampshire	$79,090	—	104.2	$75,928	100.7
26	North Carolina	$73,800	$2,595	94.3	$75,489	100.1
27	North Dakota	$67,190	$72	89.0	$75,448	100.1
28	Minnesota	$77,760	$3,799	98.6	$74,995	99.5
29	Connecticut	$78,600	$2,748	103.6	$73,209	97.1
30	Washington	$77,950	—	107.0	$72,842	96.6
31	Idaho	$72,300	$2,997	95.5	$72,573	96.3
32	South Dakota	$63,380	—	88.6	$71,546	94.9
33	New Jersey	$80,100	$2,912	108.8	$70,941	94.1
34	Virginia	$74,870	$3,505	101.1	$70,585	93.6
35	Arizona	$72,060	$1,327	100.7	$70,258	93.2
36	Kentucky	$64,440	$2,447	90.2	$68,760	91.2
37	Oregon	$76,770	$5,913	103.4	$68,553	90.9
38	Alabama	$63,540	$2,912	88.8	$68,257	90.5
39	Oklahoma	$62,200	$2,417	87.8	$68,057	90.3
40	Mississippi	$60,580	$1,860	87.0	$67,530	89.6
41	Arkansas	$60,650	$2,157	86.9	$67,282	89.2
42	Colorado	$70,060	$2,423	103.1	$65,634	87.0
43	Kansas	$61,260	$2,619	90.1	$65,108	86.4
44	South Carolina	$62,420	$2,263	93.7	$64,168	85.1
45	Utah	$66,220	$3,013	98.9	$63,933	84.8
46	Wyoming	$59,190	—	92.7	$63,857	84.7
47	Florida	$63,820	—	103.4	$61,713	81.8
48	Illinois	$62,960	$2,975	100.0	$60,010	79.6
49	Nevada	$52,870	—	100.0	$52,881	70.1

"Real pay" = BLS median − 2025 state income tax, divided by the state's 2024 BEA cost of living (US = 100). Only the 49 states for which BLS publishes a median for this occupation are ranked; suppressed cells are excluded, never set to zero.

Where does your salary go furthest?

Enter a salary and a state. We adjust for 2025 state income tax and the 2024 BEA cost of living to show your real, purchasing-power-equivalent pay — then rank every state.

Gross annual salary (USD)Compare against state

In Delaware, a $103,320 salary is worth about $96,687 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms.

State income tax $6,819 (≈ top marginal 6.60% (upper bound)) · take-home $96,501 · BEA cost of living 99.8 (US = 100).

The same salary goes furthest in South Dakota — worth $116,632, a $19,946 gain over Delaware.

#	State	Real value	Cost (RPP)
1	South Dakota	$116,632	88.6
2	Arkansas	$114,210	86.9
3	Louisiana	$113,620	88.2
4	Mississippi	$113,595	87.0
5	Iowa	$113,254	87.8
6	North Dakota	$113,240	89.0
7	Tennessee	$112,463	91.9
8	Oklahoma	$112,032	87.8
9	Wyoming	$111,467	92.7
10	Alabama	$110,505	88.8
11	Kentucky	$110,014	90.2
12	West Virginia	$109,881	89.5

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Estimate only. State income tax is approximated from each state's 2025 flat rate (or top marginal rate as an upper bound for graduated states) and ignores federal tax, deductions and credits. The pre-published occupation and state pages use exact 2025 bracket math. Cost of living is the 2024 BEA Regional Price Parity (All Items).

Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary — real pay FAQ

What is the best state to be a art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary?: By the Gera US Real Pay Index, Delaware is the best state for a art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary: a BLS median of $103,320 is worth $98,030 after the 2025 state income tax ($5,478) and the 2024 BEA cost-of-living adjustment (RPP 99.8), an index of 130.0 where the average state is 100.
Does the highest-paying state also leave you best off?: Not necessarily. Delaware has the highest headline BLS median for a art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary at $103,320, but after state tax and cost of living it ranks #1 of 49 on real pay (index 130.0). That gap is exactly what the Gera US Real Pay Index reveals.
Where does a art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary salary go least far?: Nevada ranks last of 49 states for a art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary: a $52,870 BLS median is worth only $52,881 after tax and cost of living (index 70.1). Higher local prices and/or income tax less far than the national average erode the headline pay.

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Related on GeraJobs

Gera US Real Pay Index — all states ranked — and how the index is calculated.
Methodology — the exact BLS + BEA + tax computation.
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Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) (May 2025 state estimates, US federal public domain); U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities (All Items), by state (2024 (US = 100)); Tax Foundation — 2025 State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets. The Gera US Real Pay Index for a art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.