GeraJobs / US Real Pay Index / Cooks, Short Order
Best States to Be a Cooks, Short Order
After 2025 state income tax and 2024 cost of living, a cooks, short order salary goes furthest in Arizona — a $46,630 BLS median worth $45,630 in real terms (Gera US Real Pay Index 132.6).
Which US states are best for a cooks, short order after cost of living and tax?
For a cooks, short order, the Gera US Real Pay Index ranks Arizona #1: a $46,630 BLS median becomes $45,630 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms (index 132.6). Pennsylvania ranks last ($19,779, index 57.5). Real BLS OEWS May 2025 across 49 states; re-dated annually.
Gera US Real Pay Index
Arizona ranks #1 of 49 states for a cooks, short order. Index 100 = the average state; 132.6 means pay goes 32.6% further after tax and cost of living.
How this is calculatedCooks, Short Order — real pay by state (best first)
| # | State | BLS median | State tax | Cost (RPP) | Real pay | Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arizona | $46,630 | $691 | 100.7 | $45,630 | 132.6 |
| 2 | Rhode Island | $46,250 | $1,134 | 102.3 | $44,110 | 128.2 |
| 3 | Missouri | $38,490 | $928 | 90.8 | $41,360 | 120.2 |
| 4 | Idaho | $40,090 | $1,163 | 95.5 | $40,764 | 118.4 |
| 5 | Colorado | $42,450 | $1,208 | 103.1 | $40,021 | 116.3 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $42,450 | $985 | 103.6 | $40,020 | 116.3 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $44,290 | $1,995 | 105.8 | $39,993 | 116.2 |
| 8 | Washington | $42,760 | — | 107.0 | $39,958 | 116.1 |
| 9 | New Mexico | $37,150 | $677 | 92.2 | $39,553 | 114.9 |
| 10 | Vermont | $38,830 | $882 | 98.0 | $38,739 | 112.6 |
| 11 | Oklahoma | $35,130 | $1,131 | 87.8 | $38,704 | 112.5 |
| 12 | California | $42,930 | $729 | 110.7 | $38,115 | 110.7 |
| 13 | Nevada | $37,780 | — | 100.0 | $37,788 | 109.8 |
| 14 | Hawaii | $43,110 | $1,788 | 110.0 | $37,582 | 109.2 |
| 15 | Iowa | $34,090 | $1,255 | 87.8 | $37,413 | 108.7 |
| 16 | District of Columbia | $42,450 | $1,447 | 109.9 | $37,309 | 108.4 |
| 17 | Delaware | $38,500 | $1,460 | 99.8 | $37,111 | 107.8 |
| 18 | Alaska | $37,780 | — | 102.4 | $36,909 | 107.2 |
| 19 | New Jersey | $40,720 | $708 | 108.8 | $36,774 | 106.8 |
| 20 | Utah | $38,010 | $1,729 | 98.9 | $36,697 | 106.6 |
| 21 | South Dakota | $32,380 | — | 88.6 | $36,552 | 106.2 |
| 22 | Illinois | $37,440 | $1,712 | 100.0 | $35,743 | 103.9 |
| 23 | Maine | $35,360 | $882 | 97.0 | $35,526 | 103.2 |
| 24 | Oregon | $38,550 | $2,569 | 103.4 | $34,811 | 101.1 |
| 25 | Michigan | $34,510 | $1,220 | 96.2 | $34,599 | 100.5 |
| 26 | Montana | $33,240 | $857 | 94.6 | $34,215 | 99.4 |
| 27 | Kentucky | $31,840 | $1,143 | 90.2 | $34,048 | 98.9 |
| 28 | Arkansas | $30,510 | $981 | 86.9 | $33,966 | 98.7 |
| 29 | Maryland | $36,800 | $1,415 | 105.0 | $33,713 | 98.0 |
| 30 | Nebraska | $30,530 | $556 | 90.1 | $33,266 | 96.7 |
| 31 | Florida | $34,240 | — | 103.4 | $33,110 | 96.2 |
| 32 | Tennessee | $30,210 | — | 91.9 | $32,883 | 95.5 |
| 33 | North Carolina | $31,290 | $788 | 94.3 | $32,337 | 94.0 |
| 34 | Mississippi | $28,180 | $435 | 87.0 | $31,908 | 92.7 |
| 35 | New York | $35,550 | $1,350 | 107.9 | $31,690 | 92.1 |
| 36 | Minnesota | $32,150 | $920 | 98.6 | $31,666 | 92.0 |
| 37 | Ohio | $29,290 | $23 | 92.8 | $31,546 | 91.7 |
| 38 | South Carolina | $29,640 | $332 | 93.7 | $31,262 | 90.8 |
| 39 | New Hampshire | $32,330 | — | 104.2 | $31,037 | 90.2 |
| 40 | West Virginia | $27,440 | $681 | 89.5 | $29,900 | 86.9 |
| 41 | Virginia | $31,200 | $994 | 101.1 | $29,876 | 86.8 |
| 42 | Kansas | $27,400 | $761 | 90.1 | $29,577 | 85.9 |
| 43 | Wisconsin | $28,130 | $485 | 94.1 | $29,379 | 85.4 |
| 44 | Louisiana | $26,260 | $413 | 88.2 | $29,303 | 85.1 |
| 45 | Georgia | $26,870 | $801 | 96.3 | $27,072 | 78.7 |
| 46 | Texas | $25,320 | — | 97.1 | $26,088 | 75.8 |
| 47 | Alabama | $22,330 | $852 | 88.8 | $24,181 | 70.3 |
| 48 | Indiana | $21,940 | $628 | 93.3 | $22,835 | 66.3 |
| 49 | Pennsylvania | $19,910 | $611 | 97.6 | $19,779 | 57.5 |
"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 Arizona, a $46,630 salary is worth about $45,159 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms.
State income tax $1,166 (flat 2.50%) · take-home $45,464 · BEA cost of living 100.7 (US = 100).
The same salary goes furthest in South Dakota — worth $52,638, a $7,480 gain over Arizona.
| # | State | Real value | Cost (RPP) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Dakota | $52,638 | 88.6 |
| 2 | Arkansas | $51,545 | 86.9 |
| 3 | Louisiana | $51,278 | 88.2 |
| 4 | Mississippi | $51,267 | 87.0 |
| 5 | Iowa | $51,113 | 87.8 |
| 6 | North Dakota | $51,107 | 89.0 |
| 7 | Tennessee | $50,757 | 91.9 |
| 8 | Oklahoma | $50,562 | 87.8 |
| 9 | Wyoming | $50,307 | 92.7 |
| 10 | Alabama | $49,873 | 88.8 |
| 11 | Kentucky | $49,651 | 90.2 |
| 12 | West Virginia | $49,591 | 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).
Cooks, Short Order — real pay FAQ
- What is the best state to be a cooks, short order?
- By the Gera US Real Pay Index, Arizona is the best state for a cooks, short order: a BLS median of $46,630 is worth $45,630 after the 2025 state income tax ($691) and the 2024 BEA cost-of-living adjustment (RPP 100.7), an index of 132.6 where the average state is 100.
- Does the highest-paying state also leave you best off?
- Not necessarily. Arizona has the highest headline BLS median for a cooks, short order at $46,630, but after state tax and cost of living it ranks #1 of 49 on real pay (index 132.6). That gap is exactly what the Gera US Real Pay Index reveals.
- Where does a cooks, short order salary go least far?
- Pennsylvania ranks last of 49 states for a cooks, short order: a $19,910 BLS median is worth only $19,779 after tax and cost of living (index 57.5). 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
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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 cooks, short order is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.