GeraJobs / US Real Pay Index / Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary
Best States to Be a Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary
After 2025 state income tax and 2024 cost of living, a education administrators, kindergarten through secondary salary goes furthest in Washington — a $166,590 BLS median worth $155,673 in real terms (Gera US Real Pay Index 142.4).
Which US states are best for a education administrators, kindergarten through secondary after cost of living and tax?
For a education administrators, kindergarten through secondary, the Gera US Real Pay Index ranks Washington #1: a $166,590 BLS median becomes $155,673 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms (index 142.4). North Carolina ranks last ($85,010, index 77.8). Real BLS OEWS May 2025 across 51 states; re-dated annually.
Gera US Real Pay Index
Washington ranks #1 of 51 states for a education administrators, kindergarten through secondary. Index 100 = the average state; 142.4 means pay goes 42.4% further after tax and cost of living.
How this is calculatedEducation Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary — real pay by state (best first)
| # | State | BLS median | State tax | Cost (RPP) | Real pay | Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $166,590 | — | 107.0 | $155,673 | 142.4 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $156,240 | $7,224 | 103.6 | $143,824 | 131.6 |
| 3 | California | $159,950 | $10,753 | 110.7 | $134,751 | 123.3 |
| 4 | Delaware | $132,710 | $7,418 | 99.8 | $125,533 | 114.8 |
| 5 | Utah | $128,880 | $5,864 | 98.9 | $124,429 | 113.8 |
| 6 | Alaska | $125,520 | — | 102.4 | $122,627 | 112.2 |
| 7 | New York | $138,830 | $7,282 | 107.9 | $121,893 | 111.5 |
| 8 | Minnesota | $127,000 | $7,200 | 98.6 | $121,475 | 111.1 |
| 9 | North Dakota | $107,940 | $867 | 89.0 | $120,362 | 110.1 |
| 10 | New Jersey | $137,440 | $6,565 | 108.8 | $120,284 | 110.0 |
| 11 | Maryland | $131,510 | $5,980 | 105.0 | $119,600 | 109.4 |
| 12 | Wisconsin | $117,010 | $5,049 | 94.1 | $118,987 | 108.8 |
| 13 | Pennsylvania | $118,710 | $3,644 | 97.6 | $117,929 | 107.9 |
| 14 | Nebraska | $110,580 | $4,654 | 90.1 | $117,561 | 107.5 |
| 15 | District of Columbia | $137,470 | $8,810 | 109.9 | $117,069 | 107.1 |
| 16 | Massachusetts | $128,430 | $6,202 | 105.8 | $115,575 | 105.7 |
| 17 | Oregon | $130,050 | $10,601 | 103.4 | $115,565 | 105.7 |
| 18 | Iowa | $104,260 | $3,922 | 87.8 | $114,330 | 104.6 |
| 19 | Wyoming | $105,480 | — | 92.7 | $113,797 | 104.1 |
| 20 | Rhode Island | $119,980 | $4,140 | 102.3 | $113,258 | 103.6 |
| 21 | New Mexico | $107,720 | $4,001 | 92.2 | $112,479 | 102.9 |
| 22 | Nevada | $109,420 | — | 100.0 | $109,443 | 100.1 |
| 23 | Illinois | $113,360 | $5,470 | 100.0 | $107,935 | 98.7 |
| 24 | Hawaii | $126,760 | $8,104 | 110.0 | $107,918 | 98.7 |
| 25 | Kentucky | $99,920 | $3,866 | 90.2 | $106,538 | 97.5 |
| 26 | Missouri | $100,400 | $3,838 | 90.8 | $106,326 | 97.3 |
| 27 | Kansas | $100,530 | $4,810 | 90.1 | $106,275 | 97.2 |
| 28 | Tennessee | $97,590 | — | 91.9 | $106,226 | 97.2 |
| 29 | Ohio | $99,590 | $1,956 | 92.8 | $105,238 | 96.3 |
| 30 | Alabama | $97,480 | $4,609 | 88.8 | $104,557 | 95.6 |
| 31 | South Carolina | $102,440 | $4,744 | 93.7 | $104,210 | 95.3 |
| 32 | Michigan | $104,020 | $4,174 | 96.2 | $103,771 | 94.9 |
| 33 | Colorado | $110,530 | $4,203 | 103.1 | $103,178 | 94.4 |
| 34 | Vermont | $105,350 | $4,571 | 98.0 | $102,879 | 94.1 |
| 35 | Indiana | $98,770 | $2,933 | 93.3 | $102,687 | 93.9 |
| 36 | Georgia | $103,360 | $4,924 | 96.3 | $102,225 | 93.5 |
| 37 | Idaho | $101,090 | $4,637 | 95.5 | $101,005 | 92.4 |
| 38 | New Hampshire | $104,910 | — | 104.2 | $100,715 | 92.1 |
| 39 | Maine | $102,890 | $5,408 | 97.0 | $100,446 | 91.9 |
| 40 | South Dakota | $88,390 | — | 88.6 | $99,779 | 91.3 |
| 41 | Virginia | $106,100 | $5,301 | 101.1 | $99,698 | 91.2 |
| 42 | Texas | $93,910 | — | 97.1 | $96,758 | 88.5 |
| 43 | Montana | $95,700 | $4,508 | 94.6 | $96,352 | 88.1 |
| 44 | Arkansas | $86,330 | $3,158 | 86.9 | $95,669 | 87.5 |
| 45 | Arizona | $97,480 | $1,962 | 100.7 | $94,876 | 86.8 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $86,630 | $3,577 | 87.8 | $94,547 | 86.5 |
| 47 | Florida | $96,490 | — | 103.4 | $93,305 | 85.3 |
| 48 | Louisiana | $83,360 | $2,126 | 88.2 | $92,095 | 84.2 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $82,800 | $2,838 | 87.0 | $91,960 | 84.1 |
| 50 | West Virginia | $80,650 | $2,952 | 89.5 | $86,816 | 79.4 |
| 51 | North Carolina | $83,180 | $2,993 | 94.3 | $85,010 | 77.8 |
"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 Washington, a $166,590 salary is worth about $155,673 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms.
State income tax $0 (no state income tax) · take-home $166,590 · BEA cost of living 107.0 (US = 100).
The same salary goes furthest in South Dakota — worth $188,055, a $32,382 gain over Washington.
| # | State | Real value | Cost (RPP) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Dakota | $188,055 | 88.6 |
| 2 | Arkansas | $184,148 | 86.9 |
| 3 | Louisiana | $183,197 | 88.2 |
| 4 | Mississippi | $183,156 | 87.0 |
| 5 | Iowa | $182,607 | 87.8 |
| 6 | North Dakota | $182,584 | 89.0 |
| 7 | Tennessee | $181,332 | 91.9 |
| 8 | Oklahoma | $180,637 | 87.8 |
| 9 | Wyoming | $179,726 | 92.7 |
| 10 | Alabama | $178,175 | 88.8 |
| 11 | Kentucky | $177,383 | 90.2 |
| 12 | West Virginia | $177,168 | 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).
Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary — real pay FAQ
- What is the best state to be a education administrators, kindergarten through secondary?
- By the Gera US Real Pay Index, Washington is the best state for a education administrators, kindergarten through secondary: a BLS median of $166,590 is worth $155,673 after the 2025 state income tax ($0) and the 2024 BEA cost-of-living adjustment (RPP 107.0), an index of 142.4 where the average state is 100.
- Does the highest-paying state also leave you best off?
- Not necessarily. Washington has the highest headline BLS median for a education administrators, kindergarten through secondary at $166,590, but after state tax and cost of living it ranks #1 of 51 on real pay (index 142.4). That gap is exactly what the Gera US Real Pay Index reveals.
- Where does a education administrators, kindergarten through secondary salary go least far?
- North Carolina ranks last of 51 states for a education administrators, kindergarten through secondary: a $83,180 BLS median is worth only $85,010 after tax and cost of living (index 77.8). 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
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 education administrators, kindergarten through secondary is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.