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Best States to Be a Education Administrators, All Other

After 2025 state income tax and 2024 cost of living, a education administrators, all other salary goes furthest in Tennessee — a $118,330 BLS median worth $128,802 in real terms (Gera US Real Pay Index 137.6).

Which US states are best for a education administrators, all other after cost of living and tax?

For a education administrators, all other, the Gera US Real Pay Index ranks Tennessee #1: a $118,330 BLS median becomes $128,802 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms (index 137.6). Hawaii ranks last ($64,529, index 68.9). 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

Gera US Real Pay Index

Tennessee ranks #1 of 49 states for a education administrators, all other. Index 100 = the average state; 137.6 means pay goes 37.6% further after tax and cost of living.

How this is calculated
137.6

Education Administrators, All Other — real pay by state (best first)

#StateBLS medianState taxCost (RPP)Real payIndex
1Tennessee$118,33091.9$128,802137.6
2Kansas$117,810$5,77490.1$124,390132.9
3South Dakota$108,99088.6$123,033131.4
4Oklahoma$112,170$4,79087.8$122,240130.6
5District of Columbia$140,670$9,082109.9$119,733127.9
6New Mexico$113,110$4,26592.2$118,037126.1
7Maryland$125,500$5,678105.0$114,161122.0
8Arizona$117,170$2,454100.7$113,944121.7
9North Dakota$101,870$74989.0$113,672121.4
10Kentucky$102,610$3,97490.2$109,403116.9
11West Virginia$98,450$3,81089.5$105,746113.0
12Wyoming$95,42092.7$102,944110.0
13Virginia$108,820$5,457101.1$102,234109.2
14Iowa$92,970$3,49387.8$101,954108.9
15Alabama$94,610$4,46688.8$101,488108.4
16North Carolina$98,880$3,66194.3$100,947107.8
17Colorado$107,120$4,053103.1$100,014106.9
18Alaska$101,970102.4$99,620106.4
19South Carolina$97,240$4,42293.7$99,007105.8
20Delaware$102,430$5,41999.8$97,197103.8
21Georgia$96,510$4,55596.3$95,495102.0
22Pennsylvania$95,190$2,92297.6$94,564101.0
23Mississippi$83,890$2,88687.0$93,15899.5
24Louisiana$83,050$2,11788.2$91,75498.0
25Wisconsin$88,470$3,53794.1$90,26396.4
26Rhode Island$93,980$2,924102.3$89,02695.1
27Washington$93,590107.0$87,45793.4
28Missouri$82,030$2,97490.8$87,04993.0
29Oregon$96,330$7,625103.4$85,82191.7
30California$99,650$5,146110.7$85,35491.2
31Arkansas$76,990$2,79486.9$85,34491.2
32Minnesota$88,330$4,51898.6$84,98490.8
33New York$96,250$4,727107.9$84,80690.6
34Vermont$85,100$3,23598.0$83,57289.3
35Nebraska$78,210$2,97190.1$83,50489.2
36Maine$84,440$4,08897.0$82,79488.5
37Ohio$77,640$1,35392.8$82,22987.9
38Texas$79,06097.1$81,45787.0
39Florida$84,220103.4$81,44087.0
40Indiana$77,680$2,30093.3$80,76886.3
41Michigan$80,190$3,16296.2$80,05785.5
42Massachusetts$86,540$4,107105.8$77,94683.3
43Utah$78,840$3,58798.9$76,11781.3
44Illinois$77,180$3,679100.0$73,53278.6
45New Hampshire$75,700104.2$72,67377.6
46Idaho$71,690$2,96295.5$71,97176.9
47New Jersey$79,980$2,905108.8$70,83875.7
48Montana$68,580$2,90894.6$69,38874.1
49Hawaii$75,130$4,180110.0$64,52968.9

"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 Tennessee, a $118,330 salary is worth about $128,802 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms.

State income tax $0 (no state income tax) · take-home $118,330 · BEA cost of living 91.9 (US = 100).

The same salary goes furthest in South Dakota — worth $133,576, a $4,775 gain over Tennessee.

#StateReal valueCost (RPP)
1South Dakota$133,57688.6
2Arkansas$130,80286.9
3Louisiana$130,12688.2
4Mississippi$130,09787.0
5Iowa$129,70787.8
6North Dakota$129,69189.0
7Tennessee$128,80291.9
8Oklahoma$128,30887.8
9Wyoming$127,66192.7
10Alabama$126,55988.8
11Kentucky$125,99690.2
12West Virginia$125,84489.5

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).

Education Administrators, All Other — real pay FAQ

What is the best state to be a education administrators, all other?
By the Gera US Real Pay Index, Tennessee is the best state for a education administrators, all other: a BLS median of $118,330 is worth $128,802 after the 2025 state income tax ($0) and the 2024 BEA cost-of-living adjustment (RPP 91.9), an index of 137.6 where the average state is 100.
Does the highest-paying state also leave you best off?
Not necessarily. District of Columbia has the highest headline BLS median for a education administrators, all other at $140,670, but after state tax and cost of living it ranks #5 of 49 on real pay (index 127.9). That gap is exactly what the Gera US Real Pay Index reveals.
Where does a education administrators, all other salary go least far?
Hawaii ranks last of 49 states for a education administrators, all other: a $75,130 BLS median is worth only $64,529 after tax and cost of living (index 68.9). Higher local prices and/or income tax less far than the national average erode the headline pay.

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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 education administrators, all other is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.

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