GeraJobs / US Real Pay Index / Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters
Best States to Be a Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters
After 2025 state income tax and 2024 cost of living, a cabinetmakers and bench carpenters salary goes furthest in Delaware — a $60,090 BLS median worth $57,542 in real terms (Gera US Real Pay Index 120.4).
Which US states are best for a cabinetmakers and bench carpenters after cost of living and tax?
For a cabinetmakers and bench carpenters, the Gera US Real Pay Index ranks Delaware #1: a $60,090 BLS median becomes $57,542 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms (index 120.4). Texas ranks last ($39,503, index 82.7). Real BLS OEWS May 2025 across 49 states; re-dated annually.
Gera US Real Pay Index
Delaware ranks #1 of 49 states for a cabinetmakers and bench carpenters. Index 100 = the average state; 120.4 means pay goes 20.4% further after tax and cost of living.
How this is calculatedCabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters — real pay by state (best first)
| # | State | BLS median | State tax | Cost (RPP) | Real pay | Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Delaware | $60,090 | $2,658 | 99.8 | $57,542 | 120.4 |
| 2 | Vermont | $57,620 | $1,512 | 98.0 | $57,278 | 119.9 |
| 3 | New Hampshire | $57,980 | — | 104.2 | $55,662 | 116.5 |
| 4 | Arkansas | $50,070 | $1,744 | 86.9 | $55,587 | 116.3 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $58,100 | $1,690 | 103.6 | $54,445 | 113.9 |
| 6 | North Dakota | $47,140 | — | 89.0 | $52,991 | 110.9 |
| 7 | Nebraska | $48,600 | $1,431 | 90.1 | $52,350 | 109.5 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $58,040 | $2,682 | 105.8 | $52,345 | 109.5 |
| 9 | New York | $58,680 | $2,622 | 107.9 | $51,943 | 108.7 |
| 10 | South Dakota | $45,950 | — | 88.6 | $51,870 | 108.5 |
| 11 | Iowa | $47,110 | $1,750 | 87.8 | $51,685 | 108.1 |
| 12 | Ohio | $47,430 | $522 | 92.8 | $50,562 | 105.8 |
| 13 | Tennessee | $46,440 | — | 91.9 | $50,550 | 105.8 |
| 14 | Rhode Island | $52,800 | $1,380 | 102.3 | $50,274 | 105.2 |
| 15 | Wyoming | $46,380 | — | 92.7 | $50,037 | 104.7 |
| 16 | New Mexico | $47,210 | $1,110 | 92.2 | $49,993 | 104.6 |
| 17 | South Carolina | $47,680 | $1,349 | 93.7 | $49,420 | 103.4 |
| 18 | Missouri | $45,980 | $1,280 | 90.8 | $49,220 | 103.0 |
| 19 | Montana | $47,920 | $1,689 | 94.6 | $48,847 | 102.2 |
| 20 | Michigan | $48,550 | $1,817 | 96.2 | $48,571 | 101.6 |
| 21 | Wisconsin | $46,790 | $1,328 | 94.1 | $48,315 | 101.1 |
| 22 | Maine | $48,150 | $1,635 | 97.0 | $47,928 | 100.3 |
| 23 | Illinois | $50,160 | $2,342 | 100.0 | $47,838 | 100.1 |
| 24 | Nevada | $47,780 | — | 100.0 | $47,790 | 100.0 |
| 25 | Minnesota | $48,740 | $1,825 | 98.6 | $47,571 | 99.5 |
| 26 | Indiana | $45,550 | $1,337 | 93.3 | $47,374 | 99.1 |
| 27 | Pennsylvania | $47,610 | $1,462 | 97.6 | $47,297 | 99.0 |
| 28 | North Carolina | $46,010 | $1,414 | 94.3 | $47,279 | 98.9 |
| 29 | Colorado | $49,610 | $1,523 | 103.1 | $46,663 | 97.6 |
| 30 | New Jersey | $51,760 | $1,312 | 108.8 | $46,366 | 97.0 |
| 31 | West Virginia | $42,400 | $1,183 | 89.5 | $46,054 | 96.4 |
| 32 | Washington | $48,710 | — | 107.0 | $45,518 | 95.2 |
| 33 | Idaho | $44,870 | $1,435 | 95.5 | $45,485 | 95.2 |
| 34 | Maryland | $49,180 | $2,003 | 105.0 | $44,948 | 94.1 |
| 35 | Florida | $46,360 | — | 103.4 | $44,830 | 93.8 |
| 36 | Utah | $46,390 | $2,111 | 98.9 | $44,788 | 93.7 |
| 37 | Arizona | $45,580 | $665 | 100.7 | $44,613 | 93.3 |
| 38 | Kansas | $41,350 | $1,508 | 90.1 | $44,236 | 92.6 |
| 39 | Louisiana | $39,280 | $803 | 88.2 | $43,621 | 91.3 |
| 40 | Virginia | $45,910 | $1,840 | 101.1 | $43,589 | 91.2 |
| 41 | Mississippi | $38,800 | $902 | 87.0 | $43,584 | 91.2 |
| 42 | California | $49,030 | $1,038 | 110.7 | $43,345 | 90.7 |
| 43 | Kentucky | $40,440 | $1,487 | 90.2 | $43,205 | 90.4 |
| 44 | Hawaii | $49,050 | $2,216 | 110.0 | $42,596 | 89.1 |
| 45 | Georgia | $42,280 | $1,632 | 96.3 | $42,213 | 88.3 |
| 46 | Oregon | $46,910 | $3,301 | 103.4 | $42,191 | 88.3 |
| 47 | Alabama | $38,550 | $1,663 | 88.8 | $41,529 | 86.9 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $36,630 | $1,202 | 87.8 | $40,331 | 84.4 |
| 49 | Texas | $38,340 | — | 97.1 | $39,503 | 82.7 |
"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.
In Delaware, a $60,090 salary is worth about $56,232 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms.
State income tax $3,966 (≈ top marginal 6.60% (upper bound)) · take-home $56,124 · BEA cost of living 99.8 (US = 100).
The same salary goes furthest in South Dakota — worth $67,832, a $11,600 gain over Delaware.
| # | State | Real value | Cost (RPP) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Dakota | $67,832 | 88.6 |
| 2 | Arkansas | $66,423 | 86.9 |
| 3 | Louisiana | $66,080 | 88.2 |
| 4 | Mississippi | $66,066 | 87.0 |
| 5 | Iowa | $65,867 | 87.8 |
| 6 | North Dakota | $65,859 | 89.0 |
| 7 | Tennessee | $65,408 | 91.9 |
| 8 | Oklahoma | $65,157 | 87.8 |
| 9 | Wyoming | $64,828 | 92.7 |
| 10 | Alabama | $64,269 | 88.8 |
| 11 | Kentucky | $63,983 | 90.2 |
| 12 | West Virginia | $63,906 | 89.5 |
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).
Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters — real pay FAQ
- What is the best state to be a cabinetmakers and bench carpenters?
- By the Gera US Real Pay Index, Delaware is the best state for a cabinetmakers and bench carpenters: a BLS median of $60,090 is worth $57,542 after the 2025 state income tax ($2,658) and the 2024 BEA cost-of-living adjustment (RPP 99.8), an index of 120.4 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 cabinetmakers and bench carpenters at $60,090, but after state tax and cost of living it ranks #1 of 49 on real pay (index 120.4). That gap is exactly what the Gera US Real Pay Index reveals.
- Where does a cabinetmakers and bench carpenters salary go least far?
- Texas ranks last of 49 states for a cabinetmakers and bench carpenters: a $38,340 BLS median is worth only $39,503 after tax and cost of living (index 82.7). Higher local prices and/or income tax less far than the national average erode the headline pay.
Compare other occupations
- Home Health and Personal Care AidesWashington
- Retail SalespersonsNorth Dakota
- Fast Food and Counter WorkersCalifornia
- General and Operations ManagersSouth Dakota
- Registered NursesCalifornia
- CashiersWashington
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, HandNorth Dakota
- Stockers and Order FillersWyoming
- Customer Service RepresentativesIowa
- Office Clerks, GeneralNorth Dakota
- Waiters and WaitressesVermont
- Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping CleanersWashington
Get the Gera US Real Pay Index when BLS refreshes OEWS
BLS OEWS updates roughly once a year. Save your email and we’ll send the refreshed real-pay rankings when new wage data lands.
Related on GeraJobs
- Gera US Real Pay Index — all states ranked — and how the index is calculated.
- Methodology — the exact BLS + BEA + tax computation.
- Browse US jobs with salary ranges — roles hiring now.
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 cabinetmakers and bench carpenters is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.