GeraJobs / US Real Pay Index / Driver/Sales Workers
Best States to Be a Driver/Sales Workers
After 2025 state income tax and 2024 cost of living, a driver/sales workers salary goes furthest in Iowa — a $47,120 BLS median worth $51,696 in real terms (Gera US Real Pay Index 137.4).
Which US states are best for a driver/sales workers after cost of living and tax?
For a driver/sales workers, the Gera US Real Pay Index ranks Iowa #1: a $47,120 BLS median becomes $51,696 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms (index 137.4). South Carolina ranks last ($23,605, index 62.8). Real BLS OEWS May 2025 across 51 states; re-dated annually.
Gera US Real Pay Index
Iowa ranks #1 of 51 states for a driver/sales workers. Index 100 = the average state; 137.4 means pay goes 37.4% further after tax and cost of living.
How this is calculatedDriver/Sales Workers — real pay by state (best first)
| # | State | BLS median | State tax | Cost (RPP) | Real pay | Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iowa | $47,120 | $1,751 | 87.8 | $51,696 | 137.4 |
| 2 | South Dakota | $45,050 | — | 88.6 | $50,855 | 135.2 |
| 3 | Alaska | $48,420 | — | 102.4 | $47,304 | 125.8 |
| 4 | Kansas | $43,180 | $1,610 | 90.1 | $46,154 | 122.7 |
| 5 | Vermont | $46,300 | $1,132 | 98.0 | $46,109 | 122.6 |
| 6 | Tennessee | $42,220 | — | 91.9 | $45,956 | 122.2 |
| 7 | Arkansas | $39,820 | $1,344 | 86.9 | $44,257 | 117.7 |
| 8 | North Dakota | $38,610 | — | 89.0 | $43,402 | 115.4 |
| 9 | Missouri | $40,200 | $1,008 | 90.8 | $43,154 | 114.7 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $46,870 | $2,124 | 105.8 | $42,311 | 112.5 |
| 11 | Alabama | $39,190 | $1,695 | 88.8 | $42,214 | 112.2 |
| 12 | Colorado | $43,420 | $1,250 | 103.1 | $40,921 | 108.8 |
| 13 | California | $45,600 | $836 | 110.7 | $40,430 | 107.5 |
| 14 | Louisiana | $36,290 | $714 | 88.2 | $40,333 | 107.2 |
| 15 | New Jersey | $44,720 | $923 | 108.8 | $40,253 | 107.0 |
| 16 | Georgia | $40,040 | $1,511 | 96.3 | $40,012 | 106.4 |
| 17 | Mississippi | $35,480 | $756 | 87.0 | $39,934 | 106.2 |
| 18 | Maine | $39,900 | $1,146 | 97.0 | $39,933 | 106.2 |
| 19 | New Hampshire | $41,520 | — | 104.2 | $39,860 | 106.0 |
| 20 | Michigan | $39,610 | $1,437 | 96.2 | $39,674 | 105.5 |
| 21 | Kentucky | $37,030 | $1,350 | 90.2 | $39,574 | 105.2 |
| 22 | Washington | $41,570 | — | 107.0 | $38,846 | 103.3 |
| 23 | Ohio | $35,720 | $200 | 92.8 | $38,287 | 101.8 |
| 24 | New York | $42,730 | $1,745 | 107.9 | $37,977 | 101.0 |
| 25 | Nebraska | $34,950 | $745 | 90.1 | $37,962 | 100.9 |
| 26 | Indiana | $36,250 | $1,058 | 93.3 | $37,708 | 100.3 |
| 27 | Arizona | $38,440 | $486 | 100.7 | $37,699 | 100.2 |
| 28 | North Carolina | $36,540 | $1,011 | 94.3 | $37,666 | 100.1 |
| 29 | Illinois | $38,960 | $1,787 | 100.0 | $37,188 | 98.9 |
| 30 | Pennsylvania | $37,330 | $1,146 | 97.6 | $37,084 | 98.6 |
| 31 | Oregon | $41,080 | $2,791 | 103.4 | $37,044 | 98.5 |
| 32 | Texas | $35,850 | — | 97.1 | $36,937 | 98.2 |
| 33 | District of Columbia | $41,600 | $1,396 | 109.9 | $36,582 | 97.3 |
| 34 | Idaho | $35,770 | $917 | 95.5 | $36,498 | 97.0 |
| 35 | Virginia | $37,180 | $1,338 | 101.1 | $35,451 | 94.3 |
| 36 | Maryland | $38,500 | $1,496 | 105.0 | $35,256 | 93.7 |
| 37 | Florida | $36,260 | — | 103.4 | $35,063 | 93.2 |
| 38 | Connecticut | $36,730 | $728 | 103.6 | $34,748 | 92.4 |
| 39 | Rhode Island | $34,230 | $684 | 102.3 | $32,799 | 87.2 |
| 40 | Minnesota | $32,980 | $965 | 98.6 | $32,463 | 86.3 |
| 41 | Oklahoma | $29,120 | $846 | 87.8 | $32,187 | 85.6 |
| 42 | New Mexico | $29,770 | $379 | 92.2 | $31,873 | 84.7 |
| 43 | Nevada | $31,760 | — | 100.0 | $31,767 | 84.5 |
| 44 | West Virginia | $28,790 | $726 | 89.5 | $31,358 | 83.4 |
| 45 | Delaware | $31,200 | $1,055 | 99.8 | $30,203 | 80.3 |
| 46 | Wyoming | $26,940 | — | 92.7 | $29,064 | 77.3 |
| 47 | Wisconsin | $27,560 | $466 | 94.1 | $28,795 | 76.6 |
| 48 | Montana | $27,580 | $591 | 94.6 | $28,516 | 75.8 |
| 49 | Hawaii | $31,270 | $977 | 110.0 | $27,552 | 73.3 |
| 50 | Utah | $26,590 | $1,210 | 98.9 | $25,672 | 68.3 |
| 51 | South Carolina | $22,240 | $110 | 93.7 | $23,605 | 62.8 |
"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.
In Iowa, a $47,120 salary is worth about $51,650 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms.
State income tax $1,791 (flat 3.80%) · take-home $45,329 · BEA cost of living 87.8 (US = 100).
The same salary goes furthest in South Dakota — worth $53,191, a $1,541 gain over Iowa.
| # | State | Real value | Cost (RPP) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Dakota | $53,191 | 88.6 |
| 2 | Arkansas | $52,086 | 86.9 |
| 3 | Louisiana | $51,817 | 88.2 |
| 4 | Mississippi | $51,806 | 87.0 |
| 5 | Iowa | $51,650 | 87.8 |
| 6 | North Dakota | $51,644 | 89.0 |
| 7 | Tennessee | $51,290 | 91.9 |
| 8 | Oklahoma | $51,093 | 87.8 |
| 9 | Wyoming | $50,836 | 92.7 |
| 10 | Alabama | $50,397 | 88.8 |
| 11 | Kentucky | $50,173 | 90.2 |
| 12 | West Virginia | $50,112 | 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).
Driver/Sales Workers — real pay FAQ
- What is the best state to be a driver/sales workers?
- By the Gera US Real Pay Index, Iowa is the best state for a driver/sales workers: a BLS median of $47,120 is worth $51,696 after the 2025 state income tax ($1,751) and the 2024 BEA cost-of-living adjustment (RPP 87.8), an index of 137.4 where the average state is 100.
- Does the highest-paying state also leave you best off?
- Not necessarily. Alaska has the highest headline BLS median for a driver/sales workers at $48,420, but after state tax and cost of living it ranks #3 of 51 on real pay (index 125.8). That gap is exactly what the Gera US Real Pay Index reveals.
- Where does a driver/sales workers salary go least far?
- South Carolina ranks last of 51 states for a driver/sales workers: a $22,240 BLS median is worth only $23,605 after tax and cost of living (index 62.8). 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 driver/sales workers is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.