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

Not necessarily. Rhode Island has the highest headline BLS median for a control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door at $110,900, but after state tax and cost of living it ranks #5 of 51 on real pay (index 136.2). That gap is exactly what the Gera US Real Pay Index reveals.

GeraJobs / US Real Pay Index / Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door

Best States to Be a Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door

After 2025 state income tax and 2024 cost of living, a control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door salary goes furthest in North Dakota — a $103,580 BLS median worth $115,557 in real terms (Gera US Real Pay Index 150.1).

Which US states are best for a control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door after cost of living and tax?

For a control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door, the Gera US Real Pay Index ranks North Dakota #1: a $103,580 BLS median becomes $115,557 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms (index 150.1). South Carolina ranks last ($52,542, index 68.3). Real BLS OEWS May 2025 across 51 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

North Dakota ranks #1 of 51 states for a control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door. Index 100 = the average state; 150.1 means pay goes 50.1% further after tax and cost of living.

How this is calculated

150.1

Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door — real pay by state (best first)

#	State	BLS median	State tax	Cost (RPP)	Real pay	Index
1	North Dakota	$103,580	$782	89.0	$115,557	150.1
2	South Dakota	$98,090	—	88.6	$110,729	143.9
3	Wyoming	$100,030	—	92.7	$107,918	140.2
4	Alaska	$109,450	—	102.4	$106,928	138.9
5	Rhode Island	$110,900	$3,709	102.3	$104,802	136.2
6	Connecticut	$104,690	$4,183	103.6	$97,005	126.0
7	Michigan	$96,890	$3,871	96.2	$96,676	125.6
8	Washington	$102,870	—	107.0	$96,129	124.9
9	Nebraska	$88,610	$3,512	90.1	$94,446	122.7
10	Iowa	$83,830	$3,146	87.8	$91,936	119.4
11	New York	$101,150	$5,021	107.9	$89,074	115.7
12	Oregon	$97,110	$7,693	103.4	$86,509	112.4
13	Massachusetts	$95,520	$4,556	105.8	$86,012	111.7
14	California	$100,260	$5,202	110.7	$85,854	111.5
15	New Jersey	$96,510	$3,958	108.8	$85,063	110.5
16	West Virginia	$79,000	$2,873	89.5	$85,061	110.5
17	District of Columbia	$98,810	$5,524	109.9	$84,882	110.3
18	Idaho	$84,390	$3,686	95.5	$84,513	109.8
19	Missouri	$77,650	$2,769	90.8	$82,453	107.1
20	Kansas	$77,720	$3,537	90.1	$82,363	107.0
21	Ohio	$76,920	$1,333	92.8	$81,474	105.8
22	Vermont	$82,010	$3,031	98.0	$80,625	104.7
23	Wisconsin	$76,540	$2,904	94.1	$78,257	101.7
24	Pennsylvania	$78,120	$2,398	97.6	$77,606	100.8
25	Minnesota	$76,640	$3,723	98.6	$73,937	96.1
26	Louisiana	$66,730	$1,627	88.2	$73,807	95.9
27	Nevada	$72,310	—	100.0	$72,325	94.0
28	Delaware	$75,720	$3,657	99.8	$72,202	93.8
29	New Mexico	$67,520	$2,059	92.2	$70,989	92.2
30	Utah	$73,090	$3,326	98.9	$70,566	91.7
31	Hawaii	$81,850	$4,690	110.0	$70,176	91.2
32	Oklahoma	$62,780	$2,444	87.8	$68,686	89.2
33	Arkansas	$61,440	$2,188	86.9	$68,155	88.5
34	North Carolina	$64,820	$2,213	94.3	$66,373	86.2
35	Alabama	$61,670	$2,819	88.8	$66,257	86.1
36	Kentucky	$61,450	$2,327	90.2	$65,576	85.2
37	Maine	$66,240	$2,856	97.0	$65,310	84.8
38	Virginia	$68,000	$3,110	101.1	$64,181	83.4
39	Indiana	$60,170	$1,775	93.3	$62,569	81.3
40	Tennessee	$57,010	—	91.9	$62,055	80.6
41	Georgia	$61,070	$2,645	96.3	$60,674	78.8
42	Maryland	$66,500	$2,826	105.0	$60,666	78.8
43	Texas	$58,230	—	97.1	$59,996	77.9
44	Montana	$58,940	$2,339	94.6	$59,803	77.7
45	Colorado	$63,770	$2,146	103.1	$59,799	77.7
46	Arizona	$60,570	$1,039	100.7	$59,130	76.8
47	Illinois	$61,980	$2,927	100.0	$59,078	76.8
48	New Hampshire	$61,380	—	104.2	$58,926	76.6
49	Florida	$57,460	—	103.4	$55,563	72.2
50	Mississippi	$48,670	$1,336	87.0	$54,436	70.7
51	South Carolina	$50,800	$1,542	93.7	$52,542	68.3

"Real pay" = BLS median − 2025 state income tax, divided by the state's 2024 BEA cost of living (US = 100). Only the 51 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 North Dakota, a $103,580 salary is worth about $113,525 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms.

State income tax $2,590 (≈ top marginal 2.50% (upper bound)) · take-home $100,991 · BEA cost of living 89.0 (US = 100).

The same salary goes furthest in South Dakota — worth $116,926, a $3,401 gain over North Dakota.

#	State	Real value	Cost (RPP)
1	South Dakota	$116,926	88.6
2	Arkansas	$114,497	86.9
3	Louisiana	$113,905	88.2
4	Mississippi	$113,880	87.0
5	Iowa	$113,539	87.8
6	North Dakota	$113,525	89.0
7	Tennessee	$112,746	91.9
8	Oklahoma	$112,314	87.8
9	Wyoming	$111,748	92.7
10	Alabama	$110,783	88.8
11	Kentucky	$110,290	90.2
12	West Virginia	$110,157	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).

Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door — real pay FAQ

What is the best state to be a control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door?: By the Gera US Real Pay Index, North Dakota is the best state for a control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door: a BLS median of $103,580 is worth $115,557 after the 2025 state income tax ($782) and the 2024 BEA cost-of-living adjustment (RPP 89.0), an index of 150.1 where the average state is 100.
Does the highest-paying state also leave you best off?: Not necessarily. Rhode Island has the highest headline BLS median for a control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door at $110,900, but after state tax and cost of living it ranks #5 of 51 on real pay (index 136.2). That gap is exactly what the Gera US Real Pay Index reveals.
Where does a control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door salary go least far?: South Carolina ranks last of 51 states for a control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door: a $50,800 BLS median is worth only $52,542 after tax and cost of living (index 68.3). 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.
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 control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.